Samoan Writer's Hit Book Makes It To #1
How to Loiter in a Turf War - A novel by Jessica Hansell aka Coco Solid has not only been flying off the shelves but has also made #1 on the Time Out Book Charts.
Māori (Ngāpuhi) and Samoan creative Jessica Hansell, also known as Coco Solid is well known for her work as a writer, musician, visual artist and general media-maker. She has an impressive portfolio of work including creating animated TV series Aroha Bridge, receiving the 2019 Arts Foundation Laureate Award, and completing her Fulbright Creative Residency at The University of Hawai’i where she began writing her first novel - How To Loiter in A Turf War, which was released just this month.
The novel follows the lives of three friends living in Tamaki Makaurau as they navigate gentrification, racial tensions, coming of age, and identity. It has been described as “Fast, ferociously brilliant, crack-up funny and unforgettably true.”
The book comes at a time where young Pasifika readers are hungry for Pacific stories told on pages by writers with shared experiences. Even though the novel was written by a Pacific woman the story translates to the interests of all types of people outside of the Pacific community too. In particular women have raved about the book and Jessica Hansell’s work has been shared with womens book clubs worldwide. Unity Book’s in Wellington took to Twitter to say “OMG we are OBSESSED… [its] unlike anything you’ve ever read before.
Even celebrities have caught on to the hype and love of the novel. Samoan comedian Rose Matafeo describes her experience after reading the Novel. “This book paints a picture of the Auckland I grew up in — when waiting for the 025 to town was a gamble, and the answer to the question ‘where are you from?’ was an essay, not a sentence. Like everything she makes, Coco Solid imbues this book with fierce intelligence, laser-sharp specificity and cosmic warmth.”
There is no doubt How to Loiter in a Turf War has already begun to receive a wide range of rave reviews and it will only continue. The stories are so loved that the author has even put out a motion soundtrack that is a curated 20 song playlist to accompany each chapter.
How to Loiter in a Turf War is Available now at most bookstores, including Whitcoulls, Paper Plus, and The Warehouse. You dont want to miss out on this colourful, imaginative, funny and deeply personable book!
