“Mahony moves back and forth in the timelines, and the same characters take shape in each of these settings. We gradually see themes emerge that drive the narrative: trust and mistrust; history and truth; storytelling depending on whose advantage it suits. Ghostly elements occasionally intrude – Imogen soon realises this place has a past that will not let go. In this way, Mahony engages with current and important ideas around identity and place, ownership and colonisation. The connections between Ireland and Taranaki create dominant threads.”
Michelle Elvy, reviewing Secrets of the Land in Otago University Press’s Landfall Review
Online, April 3, 2024
Click here to read the full review.