Bianca Zander

(From http://www.pingwings.ca/the-girl-below/)

Review copy provided by the publisher in conjunction with TLC Book Tours

This was a very absorbing read, one that I had a tough time putting down. The story takes place when Suki returns to London after living in New Zealand for a decade, and I immediately got the impression that Suki was struggling with all aspects of her life: friendships, relationships, job prospects, family, etc.

What really drew me in were the early chapters that flashed back to her childhood, to a night involving a party thrown by her parents and to a trip to the air raid shelter in the garden. Her tenuous grasp on these memories gave off an unsettling atmosphere, partly because, as glimpsed through Suki-as-a-child, she doesn’t quite understand all that she sees and hears, and so as a reader, I was filling in blanks and found I couldn’t explain some of the things that Suki remembered. I also found myself questioning the reliability of Suki’s memories, wondering how much faith I could put in the accuracy of these remembered events, and I liked that uncertainty.

I loved the movement between Suki’s past and present, and the way it drew out the story. Present-day Suki bounces around the couches of some old friends before settling in with an old friend’s family: Peggy was Suki’s neighbour in her parents’ old place, and Suki winds up staying with Peggy’s daughter, Pippa.

Pippa is married to Ari and has a son, Caleb. They end up asking Suki to stay and keep an eye on Caleb while taking Peggy to Greece to visit Ari’s family, and partly because she has nowhere else to go, Suki agrees. Pippa hopes that Suki can talk some sense into Caleb, as she senses that they may be similarly troubled.

Things become stranger and stranger, and the supernatural vibe to the story begins to pick up, culminating with Suki and Caleb going off to Greece with Pippa’s brother when they learn that Peggy’s health is even worse than they thought.

I loved the spooky, supernatural atmosphere that built throughout the book, and the descriptions of Greece and Ari’s family home were so vivid and wonderful. I also liked learning about Suki’s past through flashbacks, particularly the chapters that focused on her childhood and on her relationship with her parents.

There were a few things that frustrated me about Suki, like her drinking and drug use, and her strange relationship with Caleb. However, while I didn’t like these some of the things that Suki did, I think they helped to demonstrate how poorly she coped with her feelings of isolation and loneliness. She wasn’t always likeable, but I felt for her and wanted her to find happiness. It’s difficult to like a character who does unlikable things, but I didn’t see Suki as a bad person, and I think that’s a credit to the author that she has written a complex character who I couldn’t help but root for through it all.

I didn’t quite get all the answers I wanted out of this book, but maybe others will be able to read more into things than I was. Overall, I thought this was well-written and entertaining, and I recommend it. I would be interested to read more by Bianca Zander in the future.… (mer)

(7.5) This story follows the lives of Poppy and Lukas raised in a commune on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. The Gaialands philosophy meant that they were unaware which of the adults were their parents as the adults believed that the rearing of the children was a shared responsibility. However the impending relationship between two siblings forced the revelation. Follow the sudden disappearance of the youngest member, the other young people left to pursue their own futures. Poppy and Lukas remain together as Lukas follows his dream of becoming a successful member of a rock band. But are they prepared for the impact of this life on their relationship and how accurate is the prediction about their futures?
I enjoyed the setting of this book, as I live just south of the Coromandel Peninsula. The time frame was also similar to my own, however the characters experiences of this period were vastly different to my own. I was interested in their alternative version but overall a lighter read.… (mer)

So, truth be told, I'm still not entirely sure where I stand with The Predictions. When I saw the synopsis, the word "commune" jumped out at me. I've always had a fascination with communes and cults. Obviously they aren't the same thing, but the simple idea of living together with so many other people, of relying on all those people, fascinates me. What is it like? I hoped this book might tell me.

Now, and this is entirely my fault, I didn't quite grasp the fact that Bianca Zander's book focused on a New Zealand commune in the 1970's. Not only was I out of my element in terms of the era, but some of the wording caught me off guard too. It took me almost 50 pages to finally sink into Poppy's world. To see the commune as more than just a group of strangers. I found myself with that weird dilemma of not exactly feeling connected, but still wanting desperately to try.

That being said, once Poppy left the commune and fled to London I was thrilled. This was the portion of the book that I really enjoyed. Watching her come into her own. Following her as she would seek out love, make mistakes, and just live her life. Zander did a great job weaving together Poppy's past and present. It was a wonderful reminder that we never truly leave our old selves behind.

While the ending wasn't as satisfying as I would have liked, overall The Predictions ended up being a solid read. I'd never read a book like this before. The concepts of communal breastfeeding, and public nudity made this an interesting ride for me. I like pushing against those comfortable reading walls I hide in sometimes though, and so I'm glad I gave this a shot.… (mer)

Poppy is one of 7 children raised on a vegan commune, off the grid, in a valley of New Zealand. It’s a wilderness encampment of hard work survival. When, while cleaning a pig pen, a gypsy-style wagon and its towing car crash into their toils, life’s course is set to change. Shakti is unlike anything they have seen, tho already aquatinted with their leader, Hunter.

Hailing from Berkeley, but deeply rooted in commune life, Shakti brings excitement to Poppy’s doldrum life. When Poppy finds a tarot card of the lovers on Shakti’s caravan porch, a confused read is given.

Soon, Shakti is hosting self-care and (ala Annie Sprinkle) public cervix announcements via show & tell in sequestered women meetings. Then the night of “the predictions” comes and life changes. More so for Poppy & Lukas than the rest.

Leaving the commune, they wind up slumming in London, Lukas in search of a profession of musician, Poppy for her predicted king of love. A 3 year separation brings changes that quickly fall to the wayside when they happen upon each other again, more secure and on to better things. But the draw is persistent and undenied.

Lukas winds up in a very successful band, Poppy winds up pregnant. They wed, but see little of each other while he tours. And it is on one of these tours that Poppy realizes the inevitable life they lead and leaves to go back home just after she arrived to join him.

Back at the commune, secrets are found, shared and extracted. Revelations are made and acted upon and I got the ending I hoped for with entrenched emotions for the main characters. A well written, character driven read that should please most every reader. I’ve even learned a few new phrases, so double delight.… (mer)