Sprigs

Description

It is Saturday afternoon and two boys’ schools are locked in battle for college rugby supremacy. Priya – a fifteen year old who barely belongs – watches from the sidelines. Then it is Saturday night and the team is partying, Priya's friends have evaporated and she isn't sure what to do.
In the weeks after 'the incident' life seems to go on. But when whispers turn to confrontation, the institutions of wealth and privilege circle the wagons.
 

Sprigs is the latest novel from Brannavan Gnanalingam. His previous novel Sodden Downstream (Lawrence and Gibson; 2017) was short-listed for the Acorn Foundation prize for best fiction of the year. He is also the author of A Briefcase, Two Pies and a Penthouse and three other books published by Lawrence and Gibson.

Gnanalingam has always been deft with character voice but here betters himself. Every mind we meet, every snatch of conversation, feels whole, unique and real. The world of Sprigs is complete and it simply feels like Gnanalingam is showing us a window into it. So, as much as this is a work of theme and Ideas and Scope, it ends up an intensely personal work – we understand the stakes and meanings of these people’s lives.” Uther Dean, The Spinoff “One of the most moving books I’ve read in a very long time... I just haven’t stop thinking about this book since I read it and it’s the type of novel I wished I had at high school.” Claire Mabey, Radio New Zealand “Given the subject matter, it may be presumed that Sprigs comes wrapped with a ‘message’. It doesn’t. What it does do, with a whole lot of insight, tenderness and fearlessness, is open up the conversation.” Angelique Kasmara, Academy of New Zealand Literature “[Gnanalingam] narrates with the skill of the most bingeable miniseries.” Britt Mann, Stuff “The scenes are so well drawn that you’re kept right there in the moment with them.” Alec Redvers-Hill, Newsroom “It is a scarily contemporary and realistic story… [Part 4] is an extraordinary piece of writing, I must say.” Kim Hill, Radio New Zealand “My goodness, it was just amazing.” Catherine Robertson, Radio New Zealand “I could not put it down all weekend. It was such a gripping, powerful, emotional book.” Jenna Todd, bFM