Where We Begin
Author: Christie Nieman
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Where we begin opens on an arresting scene – a smart young woman travelling alone on a bus through an isolated area. She’s running away from home and towards grandparents she has never met. Why? Tension builds inexorably as the plot unfolds. Amidst the seclusion the long-ago and recent histories of people and place start to mesh. Through her vividly written characters the author skilfully introduces themes of family violence, teenage pregnancy, entrenched racism and family secrets. Then she weaves them into a more complex story of loss and love, beauty and horror. An outstanding work by a talented author.