The Strength of Old Shale by Kirsty Powell, sweeps from the stony slopes of Gabriel’s Gully to link the lives of two young women like fine crochet — though a century and-a-half apart.
As rural, tough Ariel shelters from the greatest trial of her life by burying herself in her work — graveyard archaeology with the University of Otago — Shetland Island horse-whisperer Isobel escapes her old-world ghosts to take up a contract with 1860’s gold-rush lifeline Cobb & Co.
Real-life characters inhabit many of Powell’s people as these two worlds collide with the unearthing of a mother and child’s remains, wrapped in Shetland lace, in a forgotten Lawrence burial ground.
"It’s fun to bring history to life through fiction," Mrs Powell said.
"There’s so much to New Zealand’s story.
"If you can put it into fiction which moves along to keep a person interested ... you’re learning history by osmosis.
"That’s what I like."
Familiar faces from modern locations also walk lively through Powell’s brisk plots, a major factor in choosing Otago’s historic gold town for her launch as well as setting.
"The first seed for The Strength of Old Shale came from long evenings yarning with my old buddy Wally Dalziel on motorcycle trips to Turkey, Peru and China," she said.
Kirsty Powell was one of the guests invited by Walter Dalziel to his Century Farms celebration in Lawrence over the same weekend.
His Shetland ancestors jumped ship more than 150 years ago to begin a new life in New Zealand and appear in the pioneer part of the story. Renowned Otago archaeologist Peter Petchey roves through the background like a vintage four-wheel-drive.
Now living in rural South Auckland, Powell began her writing career under the guidance of Witi Ihimaera, Anne Kennedy, Robert Sullivan and Eleanor Catton.
Fresh off the press this month, The Strength of Old Shale is the stand-alone, southern sequel to her North Island based debut novel The Strength of Eggshells which won the 2020 New Zealand Booklovers Award for Best Adult Fiction.
Digging down to the adventure and determination of the pioneer spirit, Ariel needs the strength to face her real-world fate.
