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Title:	Small Bodies of Water
Authors:	Powles, Nina Mingya
Genre:	Non Fiction: New Zealand
Pages:	250
Year:	2022
Publisher:	Penguin Books
Language:	English
Description:	Whether it is Wellington Harbour, a swimming pool in Borneo, or the River Thames, various elements of water link these 16 lyrical essays that merge memoir and nature writing. Exploring identity and belonging, NZ-born Nina Mingya Powles offers both a calming and thought-provoking reading experience. Written with poetic flair, and capturing her wonder in the world around her, this is a unique and dazzling collection. This title is also offered as part of the Narrative Muse Book Club. View this title on the Narrative Muse website
Categories:	Non-fiction NZ, Non-fiction, Biography, Short Story/Essay, 2024 Titles, New Adult

Reviews

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By: WELL 074		2026-02-11 13:45:57

We found her writing to be lovely and are not surprised she is a poet. Some of us had a hard time getting into the book but once we did, we enjoyed it. Her theme of ‘Where do I belong?’ or ‘Where is home?’ resonated with those of us from overseas.

By: COROM 002		2026-02-11 13:45:25

Some reservations about this book – some felt it didn’t quite hang together. However, we always get something from every book we read, and there was plenty to glean and enjoy and discuss in this one. Helpful notes.

By: WELL 046		2025-11-10 11:28:32

Mixed responses. Some of us loved its lyrical, reflective tone. One person couldn't finish it. One thought it was too much like a collage of conflicting styles.

By: WHANG 008		2025-10-31 17:24:12

We all enjoyed her lyrical style when describing the things that meant so much to her. Some felt that the story meandered too much.

By: WAIKA 004		2025-10-30 10:15:11

There was a lively discussion on this book - the format, the youth of the author, the many strands to the vignettes, and the use of Chinese pictograms. It was interestingly different and we look forward to seeing more of Nina Powles' work.

By: WHANG 029		2025-05-22 09:55:53

Some of the group loved it, while other found it boring, too whimsical, and "trying too hard".

By: COROM 005		2025-04-05 11:33:19

A few of our members didn't finish this book, the first half was difficult to get into with the format. We agreed it's more of a pickup and then put down to digest each section kind of novel. We enjoyed the relationship to place and particularly the essay about kowhai trees. A very personal novel that touched on sense of belonging and feeling out of place, those of us who finished felt it grew on us over time.

By: INVER 029		2025-03-19 13:16:07

Enjoyed by all. Rewarded close study. Beauty in words. We loved it.

By: AUCK 037		2024-09-26 12:00:21

Our group had a good discussion and several said they didn�t enjoy the format with no coherent story. We all agreed it was poetic and appreciated the evocative prose. Some appreciated it as a collection, enjoyed it as a number of essays and the stories about nature, swimming and food, but wouldn�t recommend it particularly.

By: WELL 045		2024-03-13 14:38:18

The members of the group who read this described the writing as beautiful, evocative and poetic. We could all relate to the descriptions of Wellington. The frequent references to written Chinese characters and language provided an appreciation of how different it is to English. Highly recommended.

By: TAUR 004		2024-03-13 12:55:13

Most members felt that the book was like a personal journal, especially the first half. However, a fascinating insight into learning Mandarin. Interesting snapshots into so many different themes. Author very widely read.