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A review by mediaevalmuse
The Bone People by Keri Hulme
4.0
This book has been on my TBR pile for years, and I've finally gotten around to reading it. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but what I got was a deeply complex, literary exploration of three very flawed and broken people. I don't think this book will be for everyone; the prose style can be confusing of you're not one for literary fiction, but more than that, a significant portion of this book concerns child abuse. Still, I think the literary value of this book is extraordinary, so I'm awarding it 4 stars.
WRITING: Hulme's writing is a mixture of prose and verse, sometimes veering into an almost stream-of-consciousness style and other times oscillating between crude and lyrical. It's often difficult to determine what is going on or even who is thinking/speaking, but I also think that's the point: a lot of things blend together in order to highlight the relationship between the three protagonists and how they see the world.
Personally, I think Hulme's style is interesting and definitely noteworthy. It moves at a rather slow pace, but it does so in order to give the reader an in-depth look at character and consciousness.
I also appreciated the use of Maori language. I don't think I've read any fiction with Maori in it, so it was interesting to see how language played a role in both the cadence of Hulme's prose style and in constructing character.
PLOT: There's not much of a plot to this book in the sense that things happen one after the other. It's more like a series of scenes in which the characters come together, and we learn more about them through the way they bond with one another. There are some tent poles that help a bit with structure: the first section involves Kerewin meeting Simon and Joe, the second follows them on a holiday to a secluded beach, the third and fourth are the lead-up and fallout of Simon's abuse, and the last section is the ending.
A large portion of this book concerns child abuse, and I think it will be tough for many readers. There are numerous descriptions of violence and threats against Simon, including one particularly bad beating that's hard to stomach. So if you're sensitive to those descriptions, this book might not be for you.
Otherwise, I think Hulme does a good job of portraying her characters as troubled. The blend of love and violence was, again, difficult to read, but it also made for a more complex story that invites the reader to Juno in and try to detailed.
CHARACTERS: This book primarily focuses on three protagonists: Kerewin (a part Maori, part European woman who lives alone in a tower), Simon (a mute orphan, about 6 years old), and Joe (Simon's Maori foster father).
Kerewin appears to be patterned at least in part after Hulme herself. She's fiercely independent and finds meaning through art, and she can get a little cranky when irritated. I liked her best when she was interacting with Simon; despite appearances, she really shows off her compassion and patience whenever Simon is around, and I loved the bond between the two. She makes an effort to not only understand Simon, but attempts to find ways to let him be a curious kid.
As for Simon, it's hard not to feel sympathy for him. Not only is he orphaned with no memory of his parents, but he struggles to be understood and endures frequent beatings from his foster father, Joe. It's clear that Simon acts out primarily because of trauma and frustration, so when he does find connection with Kerewin, I felt such a grand sense of hope. His devotion to her is also quite touching, and his continued affection for Joe instilled some kind of melancholy in me. It was hard to see him attached to Joe, but not altogether unsurprising given Simon's past.
Joe, for his part, was surprisingly sympathetic, though his abuse was by no means excusable. I think Hulme did all she could to humanize him and show how he in part continues a cycle of violence. His friendship with Kerewin did make me think that he would change and grow - and he did, to his credit. But it's also hard not to see Joe's life as a kind of tragedy.
TL;DR: The Bone People might be difficult for some readers due to its style and focus on child abuse. But I do think it has great literary merit and does a superb job of portraying character consciousness.
WRITING: Hulme's writing is a mixture of prose and verse, sometimes veering into an almost stream-of-consciousness style and other times oscillating between crude and lyrical. It's often difficult to determine what is going on or even who is thinking/speaking, but I also think that's the point: a lot of things blend together in order to highlight the relationship between the three protagonists and how they see the world.
Personally, I think Hulme's style is interesting and definitely noteworthy. It moves at a rather slow pace, but it does so in order to give the reader an in-depth look at character and consciousness.
I also appreciated the use of Maori language. I don't think I've read any fiction with Maori in it, so it was interesting to see how language played a role in both the cadence of Hulme's prose style and in constructing character.
PLOT: There's not much of a plot to this book in the sense that things happen one after the other. It's more like a series of scenes in which the characters come together, and we learn more about them through the way they bond with one another. There are some tent poles that help a bit with structure: the first section involves Kerewin meeting Simon and Joe, the second follows them on a holiday to a secluded beach, the third and fourth are the lead-up and fallout of Simon's abuse, and the last section is the ending.
A large portion of this book concerns child abuse, and I think it will be tough for many readers. There are numerous descriptions of violence and threats against Simon, including one particularly bad beating that's hard to stomach. So if you're sensitive to those descriptions, this book might not be for you.
Otherwise, I think Hulme does a good job of portraying her characters as troubled. The blend of love and violence was, again, difficult to read, but it also made for a more complex story that invites the reader to Juno in and try to detailed.
CHARACTERS: This book primarily focuses on three protagonists: Kerewin (a part Maori, part European woman who lives alone in a tower), Simon (a mute orphan, about 6 years old), and Joe (Simon's Maori foster father).
Kerewin appears to be patterned at least in part after Hulme herself. She's fiercely independent and finds meaning through art, and she can get a little cranky when irritated. I liked her best when she was interacting with Simon; despite appearances, she really shows off her compassion and patience whenever Simon is around, and I loved the bond between the two. She makes an effort to not only understand Simon, but attempts to find ways to let him be a curious kid.
As for Simon, it's hard not to feel sympathy for him. Not only is he orphaned with no memory of his parents, but he struggles to be understood and endures frequent beatings from his foster father, Joe. It's clear that Simon acts out primarily because of trauma and frustration, so when he does find connection with Kerewin, I felt such a grand sense of hope. His devotion to her is also quite touching, and his continued affection for Joe instilled some kind of melancholy in me. It was hard to see him attached to Joe, but not altogether unsurprising given Simon's past.
Joe, for his part, was surprisingly sympathetic, though his abuse was by no means excusable. I think Hulme did all she could to humanize him and show how he in part continues a cycle of violence. His friendship with Kerewin did make me think that he would change and grow - and he did, to his credit. But it's also hard not to see Joe's life as a kind of tragedy.
TL;DR: The Bone People might be difficult for some readers due to its style and focus on child abuse. But I do think it has great literary merit and does a superb job of portraying character consciousness.