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Title:	Space Between, The
Authors:	Keenan, Lauren
Genre:	Fiction: New Zealand
Pages:	308
Year:	2024
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Language:	English
Description:	The last place Frances Farrington, recent immigrant to New Zealand, expects to come face-to-face with the man who jilted her in London, Henry White, is in New Plymouth, and even more surprising, is to find that he is now married to a Māori woman, Matāria. On the cusp of the First Taranaki War, Frances and Matāria struggle as outsiders to find a place to belong in the conflict that is unfolding. Firmly anchored in the author's research, and narrated by the two women, this is an engaging story of colonial Taranaki that transports readers into the experiences of both tangata whenua and colonisers in a tumultuous period of Aotearoa's history.
Categories:	Fiction, Fiction NZ, Adventure/Exploration, Culture/Ethnic/Racial, Gender Issues, Historical, Māori, Relationships, Tragedy/disaster, Just Added, 2026 Titles

Reviews

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By: TWIZ 003		2026-05-17 13:44:06

We all really enjoyed it.

By: WHANG 008		2026-05-05 15:42:59

We were rather disappointed in this novel. The author could have placed more importance on the Taranaki situation, but concentrated on relationships which were not fully convincing. It was good to see events and attitudes from a Maori perspective as well as a European one.

By: WHANG 022		2026-04-16 10:29:10

Enjoyable read, the author made some characters so amusing, and we thought this book would make an accessible entry point for readers who may not read much, but would be drawn to the historical content.

By: ASHB 015		2026-03-07 11:31:19

A fascinating insight into the balance that can be achieved by tolerance between two cultures who learn to understand each other.

By: BLENH 022		2025-12-15 11:48:10

Had some discussion about how Maori history was taught (if at all). Enjoyed the characters and their interactions. A good read.

By: PALMN 031		2025-12-09 10:58:14

All enjoyed this book. Interesting N.Z. historical fiction.

By: WANAK 016		2025-11-03 11:41:43

Average - some thought it was written for young adults.

By: OPOTI 003		2025-07-16 12:05:36

We would recommend this to other groups.