Sarasota author writes wonderful debut, she’s in Tampa Thursday

Posted Mar 1, 2010 by Kevin Walker

Updated Mar 1, 2010 at 02:22 PM

“The Wives of Henry Oades,” by Johanna Moran (Random House, $15)
On Thursday at Inkwood Books in Tampa, Sarasota author Johanna Moran will sign copies of (and perhaps read from and discuss) her first novel, “The Wives of Henry Oades.”
It’s an event lovers of historical fiction should consider attending. Moran looks to be a rising star in that genre, and she’s yet another local author making a name for herself. The former flight attendant proves to be both a graceful writer and a good storyteller. The event begins at 7 p.m. at Inkwood, 216 S. Armenia Ave. in Tampa. Call 813-253-2638 for more information.
Moran has crafted an absorbing and fascinating first novel based on real events from late 19th century New Zealand and California. She’s done what the best historical drama authors do: give us a story well told with issues that resonate with readers today.
This book is so involving I experienced some frustration and anger out of sympathy for one character. I can’t offer Moran much higher praise.
The novel opens with a wonderful line: “A common bat on the other side of the world elects to sink its rabid fangs, and one’s cozy existence is finished.” This certainly proves true for the Oades of England: Henry, an accountant; his wife, Margaret, who is pregnant with twins; and children John and Josephine.
The bat in question resides in New Zealand. The person who died after receiving the bite was an accountant in Henry’s company. Henry has been asked to move to New Zealand to replace him. He tells Margaret: “It’s a grand opportunity, a flying leap forward. I could hardly say no thanks.” Goodbye, cozy existence, which is especially difficult for Margaret, “a contented homebody.”
Within pages, the family is on an awful sea voyage, and the novel’s first death occurs, letting us know this will not be a tea and cozy sort of historical book. The family arrives in Wellington, New Zealand, to find a dirty, not-very-civilized outpost. Henry gets a promotion, prolonging his stay, but makes up for it somewhat by moving the family — which now includes the twins — to a nice house in the country. That last turns out to be a bad decision, as a band of Maori, an indigenous tribe, kidnap Margaret and the children.
Thus begins a long ordeal for mother and children, as they are marched to the tribe’s home where Margaret is forced to clean latrine pits and John is used as bait in boar hog hunting. They are slaves, and to survive they pick up on the language and culture of the tribe — what is tapu (taboo), for instance, or the meaning of mana, “a rather ethereal quality critical to one’s success.”
They are not allowed to speak, but Margaret gains some respect from the tribe after helping one woman with a difficult pregnancy.
That’s good stuff, but we’re just getting going. Henry, meanwhile, is slowly losing his mind with grief. He launches an unsuccessful search for his family. He eventually accepts the inevitable: his family his dead. He leaves New Zealand, and through a series of chance meetings, ends up in California, working on a dairy farm. While there he falls in love with a spunky Texas widow, Nancy. The two marry and Henry’s life begins anew.
Problem is, his old life is still out there, looking for him.
Once out of the clutches of the Maori, Margaret and the children begin a search for Henry, eventually getting to California thanks to the charity of others (which is needed because they are penniless). Margaret, face permanently scarred by small pox, arrives at Henry’s door, only to find her husband not only remarried but more in love then he’s ever been.
No one ever said life is fair, but this is ridiculous.
Henry eventually faces charges of bigamy, which is the case Moran based the novel on. What’s more interesting, though, is the evolving relationship between Henry, Nancy and Margaret, and how the three of them strive to work out their situation.
If Moran doesn’t quite answer every question, that’s fine. It leaves room for debate and conjecture. Moran, a former airline flight attendant, has written a wonderful debut novel and added yet another literary light to the growing number in Southwest Florida.