Author of the young adult novel Time to Remember, Janna Ruth, is a German geologist turned Kiwi novelist who lived through the quakes.
Said Ruth: “Time to Remember is my most personal book.
"Before I even started writing, I did a survey amongst 20-year-old UC students, and the results were heartbreaking.
"So many said that the earthquakes had shaped their lives. I hope I have done their stories justice."
"The generation that grew up over the past ten years in Canterbury will recognise themselves within these pages," Dickson said.
"This well-researched novel beautifully captures that magical time at the beginning of adulthood when relationships are tested and world views are tilted.”
Time to Remember will be launched today at Tūranga library in Christchurch and is available in print at selected NZ bookshops and as an ebook. Order the book here.
Book blurb
When the Canterbury earthquakes destroyed their city, Natalie and her friends were only ten years old. Too old to forget, but too young to be heard, they have never told their stories. Until now.
Ten years after the earthquakes, Natalie returns to her home town with a plan. To show how the earthquakes shaped her generation, she wants to curate her fellow students' stories into a special edition of the student magazine. Her project is well-received by all, but one: her self-proclaimed nemesis Josh. From the start, Josh goes out of his way to get the project cancelled. Natalie is determined to see her vision through, yet when she finally uncovers the reason behind Josh's actions, she finds herself questioning everything she's been working towards.
