The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Category: Mthyical/folklore
Poorhara – Michelle Rahurahu
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Written by Michelle Rahurahu (Ngāti Rahurahu, Ngāti Tahu, Ngāti Whaoa) Poorhara uses a play on the word Pōhara (poverty), and is about living without – without money or possessions, and without the same rights and respect as others. The plot… Continue Reading “Poorhara – Michelle Rahurahu”
The Empusium – Olga Tokarczuk
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Mieczysław, a student suffering from tuberculosis, arrives at the Wilhelm Opitz’s Guesthouse for Gentlemen but discovers there are many mysterious goings on, involving deaths, misogyny and the occult. Set in a Polish sanatorium in 1913, The Empusium blends horror,… Continue Reading “The Empusium – Olga Tokarczuk”
The Axeman’s Carnival – Catherine Chidgey
READ FOR BOOKCLUB & NZ BOOK AWARDSChosen by Suzy From New Zealand author Catherine Chidgey is a story quite unlike her former novels. Instead of wartime Germany, this time the setting is rural New Zealand and the protagonist is a magpie called Tama, who… Continue Reading “The Axeman’s Carnival – Catherine Chidgey”
Treacle Walker – Alan Garner
READ FOR BOOKERTHON From GoodReads: Treacle Walker is a stunning fusion of myth and folklore and an exploration of the fluidity of time, vivid storytelling that brilliantly illuminates an introspective young mind trying to make sense of everything around him. ❝ I will admit… Continue Reading “Treacle Walker – Alan Garner”
Kurangaituku – Whiti Hereaka
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Kurangaituku is the story of Hatupatu told from the perspective of Kurangaituku, the bird woman. The traditional story is told from the view of Hatupatu. He is out hunting and is captured by the bird woman who imprisons him in her cave in the mountains. Hatupatu… Continue Reading “Kurangaituku – Whiti Hereaka”
The Matriarch – Witi Ihimaera
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jo Tama Mahana is a grown man analysing the mystique and ambition of his grandmother, the matriarch of his family. But to truely appreciate the paths she has taken, he must study Māori mythology and New Zealand history. Tama is… Continue Reading “The Matriarch – Witi Ihimaera”
The Vintner’s Luck – Elizabeth Knox
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Nadine The unorthodox story of a French winemaker and his homosexual love affair with an angel. ❚ “One summer night in 1808, Sobran Jodeau sets out to drown his sorrows in his family’s vineyard when he stumbles upon an angel. Once he… Continue Reading “The Vintner’s Luck – Elizabeth Knox”
The Whale Rider – Witi Ihimaera
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Suzy Kahu Apirana is a 12-year-old Maori girl who wants to become the chief of her tribe, but must battle her great-grandfather to make herself heard. ♥ “Maori chief Koro Apirana is angered when his grandson’s wife gives birth… Continue Reading “The Whale Rider – Witi Ihimaera”
Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides
READ FOR BOOKCLUB Chosen by Nadine Middlesex is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel which chronicles the impact of an intersex gene on three generations of a Greek family. ♥ “Protagonist Calliope (Cal) Stephanides undertakes a rebirth as he comes to terms with his family’s history… Continue Reading “Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides”
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