Reviews

Turncoat by Tīhema Baker

serendipitysbooks's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

 Turncoat is a work of science fiction set on a near future earth that has been colonised by aliens. Daniel is a young idealistic Human who takes a position working for the Alien government in order to get a fair deal for his people and specifically to have the terms of a treaty between the Hierach (Alien government) and Human society honoured. This was a brilliant way to explore contemporary race relations in Aotearoa New Zealand and to portray the reality faced by many Māori public servants operating in two different and conflicting worlds. Sadly, I fear life for them will be more challenging, the gap between the terms of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its implementation ever wider, thanks to our new coalition government. Brilliant satire and parody, not at all subtle - an exploration of alienation via aliens - but to me it didn’t feel too heavy handed either. As I read I found myself alternately nodding sadly, chuckling wryly, or seething as I recognised various truths about Aotearoa reflected back to me via Baker’s unique lens - that of Māori public servant whose real life experiences inspired this novel. I’m unsure how readers unfamiliar with Aotearoa’s history and contemporary social and political environment will find this book. But I’d love to press it into the hands of all Kiwi readers, have it taught in  schools here - and make it required reading for politicians across the board. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, and Police brutality

raynatuina's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

I really wanted to love this book more than I actually did. I feel like Daniel’s character and self-awareness could have been developed to also tackle the privilege of being white and Indigenous. Felt a bit flat.

The metaphor was also too heavy handed and it may have been better as a non-fiction critique/essay without the fictional mask. 

dakvid's review

challenging funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

eimhin_almighty's review

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0