Author(s): Rachel McAlpine

NZ Fiction

Living in idyllic Golden Bay, artist Ivan is plagued by a low frequency humming noise: is it whale song, tinnitus, electro-magnetism, a CIA weapon or the voice of God? Worse, Ivan is bored.
His sensible lover, Jane, neglects her cafÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂé to support his increasingly bizarre attempts to outwit the Hum. But he is most attracted by the spiritual solutions offered by warrior-woman Xania, a fanatical tÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂai chi teacher with links to Argentina. Xania manipulates the monstrous ego of Ivan (who is too famous for his own good) and devises a scandalous fundraising plot involving Powelliphanta, New ZealandÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs beautiful native snails.
Jane battles to keep her property out of their hands. Then XaniaÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs sinister old teacher arrives from Argentina. Some of the characters choose happiness. Some donÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂt.

247 pp.