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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
I didn't really know what to expect when I picked up The Bone People. Given that the description in the blurb says it mostly depicts the relationships among a small group of people, I wasn't surprised to find that this was the case, but I was pleasantly surprised by the intensity of the character study, which felt very Steinbeck-ian to me (indeed, I read The Wayward Bus shortly before this and the two books really resonated with one another in the type of person depicted and the harshness with which their realities were shared). I was NOT expecting the intensity of the child abuse depicted here, and if that bothers you, you will struggle with this book. I also found the last 1/4 or so of the novel to be really difficult to relate to... there are some more or less magical-realism elements that intrude (and I do mean intrude) on what until that point was a story totally grounded in reality. That diversion seemed totally unnecessary and kind of spoiled it for me - I would have preferred it to end realistically rather than having more or less a happy ending that could only be achieved by magical means. Still, the writing was beautiful so I'll give it five stars.
It was really hard to get used to this book's style at the beginning, but it was totally worth persevering. I liked the way the characters are hugely flawed and the book is critical of them but deeply accepting in the end.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m left not knowing how to feel. I enjoyed the ending but I’m not sure the payoff was worth the novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Pedophilia
I read this so many years ago that I can't remember it very fully. I need to go back and reread. Haunting, disturbing, beautiful...I remember these things.
wanted to like this book more than i do, really. i think the poetic Mish mash style of writing is playful and full of life, if a bit long winded sometimes. story is promising in this until we get to 2/3rd of the way through and the whole plot falls apart. i really wanted Joe to face consequences, i really wanted Simon to find his past & future HAPPILY, i really wanted Kerewin to, idk, get a bit of a reality check that she's not some iron skinned demi god capable of all. i don't regret reading this as it was a full 'experience' and definitely speaks to themes of family struggles and belonging, in this weird ethereal plane of te ao wairua me te ao kikokiko. however the story simply isn't strong enough to grant a reread.
Great for the first 300 pages, only finished the last 100 because I was On A Mission. Way too long.
Extraordinary; worth every rave review it received at the time, and a staggering contribution to literature. And deserving of every outcry of pain, at the same time.
I loved the language and the almost spiritual treatment of cadence and rhythm.
The subject matter is troubling, and the resolution is hard to swallow. I feel in some ways asked to take a journey that against all expectations succeeds in touching m the transcendent, and then.. I must now place a child in the bronze hands of moloch as tribute, an act of abasement to show I value the spiritual path above mundane concerns such as the lives of children. I do love you Kerewyn and the world you have pulled into being but I won’t do it.
I loved the language and the almost spiritual treatment of cadence and rhythm.
The subject matter is troubling, and the resolution is hard to swallow. I feel in some ways asked to take a journey that against all expectations succeeds in touching m the transcendent, and then.. I must now place a child in the bronze hands of moloch as tribute, an act of abasement to show I value the spiritual path above mundane concerns such as the lives of children. I do love you Kerewyn and the world you have pulled into being but I won’t do it.
Uma história de amor improvável, uma narrativa repleta de mitos, de lendas, de musicalidade, e de diálogos silenciosos. Absolutamente fascinante!!
#ReadWomenChallenge2019
#ReadWomenChallenge2019
This was one of the most challenging books I’ve ever read for a couple of reasons: 1) the formatting and 2) the sharp pivot between realism and mystical realism
The formatting:
Dialogue isn’t often attributed to a character. Perspective sometimes changes between paragraphs. Poetry is sprinkled into the text throughout the book. Famously, this book was never edited. What we read is the original manuscript from Hulme. Keep that in mind and be patient with your brain as you navigate the fluid “structure” of the book.
The pivot: While there was some mention of the other-worldly in Parts 1 and 2, Part 3 dives deep into Māori lore and mysticism. It was jarring when placed next two Parts 1 ans 2. But when you consider that the book is centered around three characters with different relationships to Māori culture/tradition — Kerewin is Māori but appears European; Joe is half-Māori, but considered by his Māori relatives to be less so because of his European father; Simon is European — the stark contrast between Parts 1 and 2, which are largely approachable by a Western audience and Part 3 which is Māori-centric makes sense. It also forces the question of Can Māori and European cultures coexist in New Zealand without compromising on either? It seems that Hulme’s answer is no.
The formatting:
Dialogue isn’t often attributed to a character. Perspective sometimes changes between paragraphs. Poetry is sprinkled into the text throughout the book. Famously, this book was never edited. What we read is the original manuscript from Hulme. Keep that in mind and be patient with your brain as you navigate the fluid “structure” of the book.
The pivot: While there was some mention of the other-worldly in Parts 1 and 2, Part 3 dives deep into Māori lore and mysticism. It was jarring when placed next two Parts 1 ans 2. But when you consider that the book is centered around three characters with different relationships to Māori culture/tradition — Kerewin is Māori but appears European; Joe is half-Māori, but considered by his Māori relatives to be less so because of his European father; Simon is European — the stark contrast between Parts 1 and 2, which are largely approachable by a Western audience and Part 3 which is Māori-centric makes sense. It also forces the question of Can Māori and European cultures coexist in New Zealand without compromising on either? It seems that Hulme’s answer is no.
I did enjoy this book quite a bit. It would have been a four-star book if I'd have been able to really truly like the main characters. Well, I did really like Kerewin and Simon, I just found Joe to be unforgivable in certain ways. The ending is sort of abrupt. I really wanted to know more about Kerewin's past, and I didn't really understand the decision not to go into it except vaguely and poetically. I liked the use of poetic language and poetry. I'd recommend it.