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nicolaanaru's review against another edition
The Scent of Apples is the debut novel by Jacquie McRae (Tainui), and is the story of Libby, a Pākehā tween who lives with her parents, and her Poppa and Nan on her family’s land, where they operate an apple orchard and cidery. When Poppa dies suddenly, Libby’s life is unended and family tensions escalate very quickly, with Dad moving out, Nan being shipped off to the nearest old folk’s home, and Libby being shunted into boarding school.
This is a YA novel and I chose it as a light read after The Parihaka Woman. My mistake! While the style of novel is very light, the content is extremely heavy. Libby does not get a chance to grieve the multitude of losses she experiences, particularly the loss of her Poppa, with whom she is very close. Instead, her losses compound, while she is simultaneously subjected to the pressures of her cartoonish Mum, who is obsessed with status, beauty, and how their family is perceived. There are some jaw-dropping scenes where Mum doesn’t have any empathy or parenting skills at all. Libby develops trichotillomania, and not knowing what it is or why she is having self-harmful impulses, does her best to hide her behaviour.
At boarding school she doesn’t fare much better - she is teased, and the school matron has the same social skills and emotional intelligence as her mother. Things are very grim, and then we are introduced to Libby’s roommate Charlie, a Māori girl from Whāingaroa who isn’t afraid to speak her mind or work around the rules of the school and the predetermined social circles therein.
At their first meeting, Libby thinks, Charlie’s arrival is like a warm breeze on a cold day, and that certainly applies to the book as a whole. Libby goes to stay for the weekend with Charlie’s large family, and the same applies - finally, there are adults who care about Libby and her welfare. Beyond her basic safety, the adults in Charlie’s family share stories, they teach Libby how to fish and identify plants (without judgement), they let her know that she is always welcome. The differences between Charlie’s and Libby’s families are not subtle.
I won’t spoil the ending of the book, but I will say that I found it to be rushed, and inconsistent with how the characters had been plotted out. Having said that, this was effective writing because I really felt for wee Libby - and angry at the Pākehā adults throughout the book. I will say that the trichotillomania storyline is dealt with deftly and with empathy, which is an achievement. This novel has won multiple awards, and I look forward to future writing from the author.
Koro says that most people get lost a few times on this big trip called life. Being honest about where and who you are, is the only way to find your way home.
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