Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Started weird with the main character being a Holmes, then I enjoyed the description. Then I hated how the child abuse was dealt with even if it was a product of its time. Then even more confused by the plot ending and still don't know what happened at the end
Leant to - nobody actively trying to get rid of it (left in kathmandu)
Highbrow booker winner
Paperback bought in central auckland
Rating: 2 stars
Leant to - nobody actively trying to get rid of it (left in kathmandu)
Highbrow booker winner
Paperback bought in central auckland
Rating: 2 stars
Probably the only book I turned around after finishing it so I could start it all over again. The characters are so alive in this book!
challenging
dark
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Violence
OH MY GOD THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE.
I'm only 2/3 done. I don't want it to end. oh my god.
More articulate review to come after I finish it.
I'm only 2/3 done. I don't want it to end. oh my god.
More articulate review to come after I finish it.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
personally not a massive fan of child abuse
Intense. Magical. From 1986. A snapshot of a Maori relationship with an independent mastery woman who is amazing.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a challenging book in that the reader is lead to accept actions that they would normally condemn point blank. For me, Hulme did an excellent job of crafting very complicated, flawed, but likable people who are somehow still sympathetic despite egregious failures. It's a book where you would hope you would act differently in real life*, but for the sake of literature and exploring themes of culture, religion, forgiveness, found family, destiny, and trauma the choices the characters make are compelling and nuanced. I understand why people have a hard time accepting the end of the book, and I have some complaints about its execution (it felt a bit rushed), but books that are multidimensional and make me question myself are ones that are going to stick with me for a lot longer than ones that are morally unambiguous. I loved the dreamlike nature of the writing and the strong, unique voices for each of the three main characters made the frequent changes in narrator easy to follow. I loved Simon especially, and felt a lot of pain for Kerewin and Joe and the trauma they had endured and were perpetuating. I wish the book was longer, I wish we could see a truly happy ending play out with healing and breaking the cycle of abuse, but again the book challenges you by leaving you only with your own faith (or lack thereof) that the characters are at peace. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.
*But also these characters felt so real, like real people that exist and you could meet. And all the time, children are abused, bystanders stand by, and we love people who hurt us - so would we really be so different from Kerewin?
*But also these characters felt so real, like real people that exist and you could meet. And all the time, children are abused, bystanders stand by, and we love people who hurt us - so would we really be so different from Kerewin?