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Frangipani
Second in a series

by Celestine Vaite



      Frangipani is Celestine Vaite's second book about the life of Materena, the proud professional cleaner in a small Tahitian village. It followed Breadfruit, which was published in 2000 and re-released in 2004 when it won The Prix Litteraire Des Étudiants.

In her previous book, Vaite wrote of Materena's trials in trying to get her live-in boyfriend and father of her three children to marry her, something that men in Tahiti are very reluctant to do, according to Materena. In Frangipani, Vaite paints an amusing and poignant portrait of raising an independent, intelligent daughter. Not only does Materena help her daughter find her own path, but her daughter helps her find hers as well.

A charming book, rich with the customs of Tahiti and the intricate social networks, Frangipani definitely is a book to read with a box of tissues and a hearty drink. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the situations Materena and her extended family got involved in and I nodded my head at other occasions when I could so relate to Materena's struggles with motherhood. Frangipani is a touching and funny look at how mothers and daughters interact.

Tiare will be out in September of this year, continuing Materena's tale.

The Book

Little, Brown & Company (Bay Back Books)
February 2006
Trade paperback
0316114669
Fiction
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE: Awards: Shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2005; Longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2006

The Reviewer

Janie Franz
Reviewed 2006
NOTE: Reviewer Janie Franz is the author of Freelance Writing: It’s a Business, Stupid!, Relaxation Techniques for Children, Relaxation Techniques for Adults; Co-author of The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book and The Ultimate Wedding Ceremony Book. Coming Soon: The Ultimate Wedding Workbook, Get Rich on Love, and Sacred Breath (a sound recording of relaxation meditations).
© 2006 MyShelf.com