Following the lives of a number of closely linked characters across multiple generations, this is a moving novel about family secrets, the legacy of the Holocaust, and memory and its failings. Starting in 1947, in London, it moves forwards in time across different characters, and then moves back to 1938. It's a quite brilliant piece of writing; O'Sullivan's significant achievement is to manage a number of characters and time periods without confusing the reader. I think this is a landmark New Zealand novel, a classic in the making, and will win awards.
It's only the author's 3rd novel, and the first since 1998, although he has written numerous poetry collections, short stories, a biography of John Mulgan, and has edited a number of anthologies.