Author(s): Stephanie Johnson

New Zealand Fiction

In 1899 William McQuiggan leaves his young Australian wife and new-born twins in New Zealand and travels to America in search of God. Belief is the story of his journey and of his marriage to Myra, who follows him from Auckland, to Salt Lake City, Utah, and to Zion City, Illinois. With each leg of the journey the family grows until William is the reluctant father of six, and Myra's understanding of her husband deepens and matures. Belief is a vivid evocation of a way of life that has passed, a tale told on a grand scale: the story spans seventeen years, three countries and three religions. More than that, it is the story of how love and patience may triumph over violence and despair. In this compelling novel, spanning several continents and over thirty years, Stephanie Johnson returns to her vivid portrayal of the past, which won her such acclaim with The Heart's Wild Surf. It is a moving and amusing novel, intelligent and enthralling, and beautifully written.