We’re excited to be giving away two copies of The Spirit Remains by Donna Goodacre to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
A mesmerising historical novel set in the 1890s that explores the empowerment of women, evolving Māori-Pākehā relations and the determination required to pursue one’s purpose.
Lucy Chappell has already survived one great love and one great loss. Now, as the 1890s open before her, she must raise Hōhepa’s children, navigate a changing country, and welcome unlikely new alliances — including the enigmatic hairdresser Charles Patterson, whose past carries more shadows than he cares to admit.
Across the world, artist Colin Greenwood tries to rebuild his life in Eastbourne, mourning the partner he loses after their hard-won success in creating a life together, despite Victorian expectations. When Charles arrives on his doorstep with difficult questions, the Greenwood family’s tangled threads tighten once more.
Through it all, Wiremu — elder, mentor, peacemaker — becomes the steady heart of the next generation. Guided by the memory of his sister Miriama and the weight of their shared history, he prepares his son Wiri for an uncertain future. But as the world marches toward war, even Wiremu cannot shield the family from what is coming.
And in the present day, Ngaroma continues to follow the trail of her ancestors—unearthing secrets, reclaiming stories, and discovering that the past is never as distant as it seems.
From the quiet streets of Hamilton and the windswept shores of Kāwhia to the battlefields that will claim so many sons, The Spirit Remains is a sweeping tale of grief and grit, of the ties that hold whānau together across oceans and generations, and of the pounamu that carries their unbroken story forward.
Even when bloodlines fracture and histories are concealed, some bonds refuse to fade, and spirits endure.
Author Note
‘The Spirit Remains grew from a journey that began over five years ago, when my adult children in Australia became inquisitive about their Māori heritage. What started as a simple family tree project transformed into a multi-book exploration of identity, memory, and the threads that bind generations together.
When I started my research, I travelled to Highgate Cemetery in London to step inside my ancestor Captain Joseph Greenwood’s family mausoleum—a dark, unsettling place with dislodged stone fronts and lead-lined coffins. It was a strange feeling, knowing that Joseph was lying there just centimetres away. I revisit that moment in this latest book through the 2015 eyes of Ngaroma. She also visits the workrooms of the British Library Conservation Centre, so I learned along the way how specialists analyse historic paintings, pigments and handwriting to uncover long-buried stories.
On the Māori side, I discovered a great-uncle who went to Gallipoli, so of course I researched their involvement in WW1. He then became an important part of this book.
This novel embraces the themes of the first two books: namely, the empowerment of women, evolving Māori-Pākehā relations, acceptance of sexuality, and the determination required to pursue one’s purpose, in Victorian times and today. Above all, it is about connection—how the past reaches forward, how the present answers it, and how understanding where we come from can transform where we are going.’
About the Author
Donna Goodacre, who is of Waikato Tainui descent, is a retired high school/correctional centre/vocational school English and Foreign Languages teacher. Her career spanned some forty years in New Zealand and Australia. She started her first novel, Finding Miriama, in 2018, when family members convinced her that her ancestors’ story, if told well, could make an interesting read. Five years of historical research later, coupled with a little poetic licence and imagination, it was completed. The sequel, Of Greenstone and Violins, was published in 2025. The third book in the series, The Spirit Remains, is out in May 2026.
Donna still divides her time between her birthplace in Tauranga, New Zealand, and Brisbane, Australia, where her close family lives. In both places, she can be found on a beach or somewhere small and intimate, listening to live jazz.
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Terms and conditions
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You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
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The competition closes on 27th May 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 28th May 2026.
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It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
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Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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One entry per household.
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The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
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You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
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You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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