What Remains Behind
What Remains Behind
- a novel by Dorothy Fowler
2009, A Black Swan Book, Random House, Auckland, ISB 978 1 86979 208 4. RRP $29.99
The Blurb: "Everything leaves a trace. Chloe, a contract archaeologist, is excavating the site of a religious Kaipara Harbour community, which burnt to the ground in the 1880s. As the site is uncovered, what unpalatable truths will be revealed about the events on the night of the fire? Chloe's own family has farmed this land, and she is caught in the conflict as local resistance to the excavation mounts. When Chloe digs up more than sherds of pottery, she realises that the site holds secrets that will not stay buried, and their effect on the present is devastating. Moving between a diary written in the 1880s and the current day, this compelling novel has murder, mystery, love, lust — and archaeology."
About the author: "After an enormous variety of jobs, including building and boatbuilding, Dorothy Fowler returned to university to study ancient history and archaeology. Her first novel, an archaeological mystery, was written while doing the Master of Creative Writing at Auckland University. She lives on Waiheke Island and is currently working on a second Chloe Davis novel."
Mini Review:
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It represents a Personal OPinion.
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Fowler weaves three time lines through her novel; a failing patriachal religious community of the 1880s, a farming community of 30 years ago, and the modern community where an archaeological dig on the remains of the 1880 community has been required because the site is in the way of a rural subdivision. The lead character, an older woman, Chloe Davis, is the archaeologist on the work. She got the job because of her connections - she grew up in the area, is related to the developer and was a child in the 30 year old strand. The dig strikes strong resistance from some of the community and the plot develops around those conflicts, some of historic origins.
The dig context is utterly convincing - Fowler is obviously drawing on experience, but it is background rather than being central to the story. The characters are well drawn and believable. There are a good many of them but they do differentiate themselves. Obviously the three threads are going to be drawn together at the end and this holds up the tension in the storylines well. But perhaps too many elements of the plot are wrapped up? - it is just a little bit too tidy. Just occasionally the dialogue needs reading twice to sort out who was speaking. Your reviewer could have done without the mahogany ship and the Chinese bell - ah but it is fiction.
He will look out for Fowler's second novel - in the hope it is as good a read as the first.
