When Leilaniįalls in love with the ne'er-do-well Hoku, however, Studies and guiding her to use her intellect as her Intelligent daughter Leilani, encouraging the child's The storyĬenters on Materena and her second child, Leilani, andĪn 'an archetypal story of mother-daughter conflict'īetween the two, noted Booklist contributor Joanne She raises her family and becomes a sought-after Rather, she guides theĪre-unpredictable, but incredibly human, always lovable.'įrangipani relates further stories of Materena's life as Vaite does not give the reader the opportunity to pass In such a way that the reader cannot help but beĬharmed by them,' Tuwai stated.

'Vaite skillfully depicts her characters' idiosyncrasies Remain unmarried, but still dedicated to one another. As the years pass and three moreĬhildren are added to the family, Materena and Pito Loana, where conflict ensues over the proper way to Interest in marriage and establishing a separate When Materena becomes pregnant, her mother, Loana,ĭemands that Pito assume his responsibilities toward Their relationship, until Materena takes the initiative.

Informs her he is leaving for a two-year military tour.Īfter he returns, he seems uninterested in continuing Relationship becomes intimate, until the time that Pito Sixteen-year-old girl working at a snack bar. InĪn episode entitled 'The Proposal,' Materenaĭescribes how she met her man, Pito, while she was a Who reappears in Vaite's later works, is introduced. 'The workįocuses on womanhood: the bonds between mothersĪnd daughters, ancestral ties, independent women,Ībsent fathers, and women who yearn for meaningfulĮxpressions of love from the men in their lives,' Tuwai Novel, Breadfruit, is an 'impressive debut,' according The island and keep the families running. Nostalgic tribute to the Tahiti she knew as a child andĪn insight into the lives of the women who populate Novelist living in Australia whose works form both a Vaite's novels have been translated into ten languages. Tiare (third novel in a trilogy), Text Publishing (Melbourne, New South Wales, Australia), 2000, Little, Brownįrangipani (second novel in a trilogy), Back Bay WRITINGS:īreadfruit (first novel in a trilogy), Bantam (Sydney, AWARDS, HONORS:Ģ004, for Breadfruit, and 2006, for Frangipani shortlistedĪwards, 2005, and long-listed for the British Orange Leonards, New South Wales, Australia,ġ590 c/o Author Mail, Little, Brown and Company,ġ271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Agent- c/o Author Mail, Allen & Unwin, P.O. Tahitian mother and a French father children: four.

Frangipani by Célestine Hitiura Vaite