The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
2016 NZ Book Awards
There was a lot reading that could have been done this year, a lot of reading we wanted to do, but alas, there isn’t time for everything!
So, we read what we could and that included the fiction section and a few of the non-fiction. Here are our mental wanderings:
➤ “Of the four fiction shortlisters my favourite read was Coming Rain by Stephen Daisley. I was able to completely immerse myself in the storylines and the beautiful language created vivid scenes that activated all the senses. Do I think this novel will necessarily win…?
“I enjoyed all of the books on the shortlist however it seems the most hype surrounds The Invisible Mile – therefore I think David Coventry will take it out by a bike length.” – Suzy
➤ “A varied shortlist, where each contender has a unique feature. Chappy is very much a NZ book, The Invisible Mile a Kiwis-take-on-the-world story, Coming Rain is the most sensory, while The Back Of His Head was the cleverest (in my humble opinion).
“I did enjoy them all but Coming Rain struck something in me that the others didn’t so I’m pinning my hopes on Daisley.
“As for the non-fiction section, I didn’t make it to all four contenders so my comments are perhaps irrelevant but, hey, that hasn’t stopped me before! So I have to say Maurice Gee’s biography impressed me immensely so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Barrowman.”– Rachel
Best book 1st-4th: Rachel:
Coming Rain
Chappy
The Back Of His Head
The Invisible Mile
Best book 1st-4th: Suzy:
Coming Rain
The Back Of His Head
Chappy
The Invisible Mile
A Villa At The Edge Of The Empire – Fiona Farrell
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
A book which examines the evolution of cities and of Christchurch in particular after its destructive earthquakes.
➤ “Prior to reading I thought this would be an important book to Cantabrians, but now I see this is a book relevant to all. Yes it does detail Christchurch’s history, it’s pre and post earthquake status, how and why the city was mapped out and the consequences of that decision making. But it also examines the stories of other cities around the world that have seen disaster and destruction and puts our broken city up there in comparison and in reverence as it rebuilds.
“But there’s more to it than the nuts and bolts of the facts. Farrell not only details her own personal journey through the Christchurch earthquakes but addresses the collective story of Canterbrians and, yes that can sometimes seem over-political, but who am I to say that was not the consensus of the people at the time.
“The book also reports on social aspects that affect a city after destruction. As she says, ‘an earthquake is not simply a geological event. It occurs within a specific social and political context.’ And she’s right. When something happens is of consequence to the aftermath. Who’s in Government does have an effect. There is much to ponder.
“A fantastic book for those who want to consider more than what they see in media coverage of disaster events.” – Rachel
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Published 2015
Vintage
326 pages
Chappy – Patricia Grace
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
“A deserter of the Japanese army stows away on a ship to New Zealand at the onset of WWII. Known as Chappy, he remains in the country illegally and marries a Māori woman. Decades later his grandson wishes to learn of his history, including the intolerance, cross-cultural conflicts and desire to belong he experienced. As a result many family secrets are unearthed.
➤ “There is a wandering spirit about this book which transcends the family secret, but mimics the journeys of our ancestors, and the paths we travel to come together as family.
“Told through interweaving narratives, in (translated) Maori, Japanese and English, the characters in Chappy each bring their part of an international story, one that details the Maori story but also its place amongst the stories of others. There is no doubt this is a New Zealand story – it has mana; it is a story that relishes whanau and belonging.
“The multi-narration style takes a little getting used at the beginning but soon after I eased into it and found it did not disrupt the plot lines. This book is also a fascinating example of some of the untold stories of war, and the surprises keep coming right until the end.” – Rachel
➤ “Patricia Grace’s (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Awa) Chappy is a heartwarming and heartbreaking love story. As much as I enjoyed the novel there were times when the characters felt one-dimensional and I found myself hungry for more information on their motivations and also the setting they were in.
“Perhaps this was due to the story being a retelling of past events rather than being ‘here and now’. Also of course we do not hear directly from the lovely Chappy and instead have an interpretation of his life from those close to him.
“This is my first Patricia Grace novel (shame on me) and despite not fully connecting with the writing I would like to read more of her work so I can gain a greater sense of her style.” – Suzy
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Published 2015
Penguin Books
256 pages
The Back Of His Head – Patrick Evans
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
Trustees overseeing the estate of Kiwi Nobel laureate Raymond Lawrence discover more than they wanted to know while struggling to keep his affairs in order. A satire about the making and manipulation of literary fame.
➤ “When I read the blurb for The Back of His Head by Patrick Evans I have to admit to feeling a bit apprehensive: ‘… a hilarious and troubling satire on the making and manipulation of literary fame’.
“So I was very relieved that rather than this being a high-falutin’ novel of literary in-jokes it’s instead a funny and down-to-earth take on the adulation we have for our heroes and the accompanying blindness when faced with information that easily topples them from their pedestal. The author perfectly captures the shame we feel in having our own poor judgement exposed and how we will consequently forgive or even ignore the most blatant indiscretions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite the toe-curling recognition of my own fan-girling behaviour (John Kirwan is still the best coach the Auckland Blues have ever had ok, and I will not hear anyone say otherwise).” – Suzy
➤ “This book is like a study of the complexities of a writer and a writer’s life. It’s a dry, dark comedy but with serious moments, too. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if I was mean to be laughing or not …
“Raymond is a complex character, written to ensure we sympathise with him, love him and hate him all concurrently. At the same time the book poses real questions about a writer’s lot, about what is real and what is not. Perhaps also the juxtaposition of the academic world versus the less-educated, though, pleasantly, it does not provide a grandiose portrayal of the academics.
“This book had me guessing right until the very last word, at which point everything is sewn up nicely. A book that subtly gets under your skin and lingers for some time.” – Rachel
—–
Published 2015
Victoria University Press
376 pages
In A Fishbone Church – Catherine Chidgey
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Sonya
Three generations of the Stilton family are affected by the truths in one man’s diaries of the 1950s. When Clifford Stilton dies, his son Gene protects his carefully kept diaries. They span continents and decades, from Berlin raves to Canterbury duck hunting season, from rural 1950s to the cosmopolitan present.
➤ “In a Fishbone Church was an extremely clever, thoughtful read. It felt real and believable in the sense it was a story about an ordinary family across generations, complete with its dysfunction, family secrets and unresolved issues. Chidgey cleverly and gently threw lots of questions at us about her characters, such as, who was the adulterous womaniser in diary? What did Gene really know and understand of his father’s past and had he come to peace with it on his deathbed? There were many unresolved questions in this novel. It was also a plotless piece, weaving together anecdotes of everyday life from the characters as they contemplated the themes of mortality, history, identity and family. It was riddled with metaphor and double meaning. While I appreciated the book for all of these reasons, cleverly executed by an undoubtedly talented writer, I found it to be vaguely over-thought, over-metaphored and somewhat academic. For me, it lacked ‘heart’, and I did struggle to find satisfaction as a result.” – Sonya
➤ “The multi-generational construction of this book provides a lot of worldly detail and character building, and while it might seem overwhelming, it is actually a deeply honest and personal portrayal of ordinary lives. Sure there are upheavals and secrets and less than desirable parenting skills, but so too is there in life. What makes the book enthralling are the characters who are probably just like people you know, such is their characterisation. I appreciate how well the themes are ingrained throughout the story, especially that of picking through the bones to uncover the truth. This might not seem like a book I would normally feel so strongly about, but what made it memorable for me was the robust construction sitting comfortably alongside the seemingly simple plot. I absolutely loved this book.” – Rachel
➤ “A stunningly simple writing style which delivers a relatable story about a pretty normal family. There were some skeletons in the closet which were alluded to but not dwelt upon – there was weight in the story left unsaid. The descriptions around everyday life were wonderfully done and the story ultimately led to an emotional ending. A thoroughly enjoyable book.” – Jo
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Published 1998
Victoria University Press
271 pages
Maori Boy – Witi Ihimaera
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
An honest, emotive work detailing not only Ihimaera’s childhood but also early life in rural New Zealand and Māori history. Ihimaera (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki) tells of the myths that formed his early imagination, and the real life experiences that influenced his fiction. The book is a record of what it means to grow up Māori in present-day New Zealand.
➤ “Māori Boy gives not just a stunning insight into the early years of Witi Ihimaera’s life, but also historically captures the whanau dynamics and social norms of a particular time in Aotearoa’s history.
It is filled with lovely, warm anecdotes interspersed with factual information, eg the high prevalence of Māori playing lawn tennis in the late 1800s/early 1900s and the author’s own experience in the father-son Māori Poverty Bay championships. It’s definitely not all warm-fuzzies and there were sections of the memoir I chose to skim rather than completely immerse myself in.
“I understand there are two more books to come that will continue on from this childhood memoir and I will happily add each of them to my bookshelf.” – Suzy
➤ “What I loved about Māori Boy was how Ihimaera’s own stories were interspersed with Māori history and how his stories were told in the same manner that myths and legends have been told by Māori throughout the years. This provides the memoir with a special feature that escapes most books – fiction and non-fiction.
“Learning about the life of Māori through the generations as they adapted to English norms was interesting and I can say I learnt a lot more about these topics from this memoir than many books I’ve read. There were also deeply personal and shocking moments in the book, which I know I’ll never forget. That Ihimaera can combine this densely detailed history with the moving story of a humble Māori boy and his whanau is outstanding.” – Rachel
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Published 2014
Random House
375 pages
Maurice Gee: Life & Work – Rachel Barrowman
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
Ten years in the writing, this biography sets out to reveal the life and all the secrets of literary great Maurice Gee.
➤ “I have read a lot of Maurice Gee’s work so was itching to read my autographed (yes, by the man himself) copy of his biography. It’s a big book and dense with information yet it’s never clunky or overwhelming. Rather, it takes us to the real man, from his childhood observations to the joy and tribulations of raising a family, to the small steps that lead to the giant leap in his literary career.
“I like nothing better than understanding the inspirations for my favourite books, so the detailed links between those childhood experiences and his thematic construction lit me up with glee. Once I started this book I carried it with me everywhere I went and finished it in three days.
“An emphasis of the book is that Gee is a private man, and that makes this biography even more important – that Barrowman was able to glean this information is one thing, but that she could provide an honest portrayal of a life lived, in a sensitive and courteous manner, is another and something to be respected.
“If you’ve read any of Gee’s work and valued it, I’d recommend this book be added to your TBR pile.” – Rachel
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Published 2015
Victoria University Press
543 pages
Coming Rain – Stephen Daisley
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
Lew McLeod and Painter Hayes have been travelling Western Australia since they were boys, shearing, charcoal burning, whatever work comes. They take shearing jobs for a large farm, where the younger of them, Lew, falls in love with the farmer’s daughter, Clara.
➤ “My initial thoughts of Coming Rain were that it reminded me of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice & Men. Two loners, one a father figure to the other, wandering the land, taking odd jobs for landholders, with the younger fellow falling in love with someone he shouldn’t.”
“But it didn’t take long for my thoughts to be overwhelmed with Coming Rain as its own entity. The economical, pared back writing style manages to reflect the simplicity of the character’s lives, but still details so much in a minimum amount of words. The sparse Australian outback is etched firmly in my mind and the thoughts and needs of Lew and Painter easily comprehendible. A parallel story of a dingo bitch, pregnant and starving, is the perfect companion for their story, mimicking the desperation in their lives and the hope for something better.
“I absolutely loved this story – hauntingly beautiful and memorable. It really throws you in boots and all. This is not a book where you hang about on the periphery observing, this a story that throws you in the midst of it so you can experience it with full impact. One I will recommend to all.” – Rachel
➤ “I became completely immersed in Coming Rain by Stephen Daisley. An absolutely ripping read which absorbed me while reading and also in between reading while I thought about the characters and their possible pathways. I have never been in outback Australia but I feel like I have gained an insight into its rhythms and landscape after finishing this novel.
“In the character of Lew, the author perfectly captured that time in life where you are not-quite-grown-up but having to make grown-up decisions regardless. I also have a new found respect for dingoes!” – Suzy
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Published 2015
Text Publishing
280 pages
The Invisible Mile – David Conventry
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS
A reimagining of the 1928 Ravat-Wonder team from New Zealand and Australia who were the first English-speaking team to ride the Tour de France, then 5476 km of unsealed roads. A psychological journey in which the cyclists rode over mountains in darkness while also escaping the chaotic memories of their service in WWI.
➤ “The Invisible Mile was a hypnotic read; I was gently lulled into the rhythm of the race and slowly felt like I was beginning to suffer and triumph alongside the cyclists. From a factual perspective I loved learning more about the realities of racing close to 100 years ago, compared to the technology that cyclists are able to enjoy today.
“Unfortunately due to needing to read texts for work plus knowing I had several more ‘Ockhams’ to get through, the urgency of The Invisible Mile was not strong enough to pull me cleanly through to the end. This was more a reflection on me rather than a reflection on the novel! – Suzy
➤ “The Invisible Mile may begin with a lot of pedalling, but there is more to this book than a bike race. Certainly, there is a cycle race, with the first English-speaking competitors present, and sensory descriptions of the race’s brutality coming thick and fast. But the characters are racing away from more than the start line. Personal grievances, war memories and lost loved ones haunt them every step of the way, and it was these personal stories that grabbed my attention.
“The two stories parallel one another well, the pain, the loss, the hope prevalent in both and intensifying the desperation of the other. Every sentence is thick with substance. I could feel, smell and hear the French countryside and the array of characters who cycled the roadways and fought the wars. The New Zealand setting was not spared, with profound and life-changing events etching 1920s NZ on my mind.
“I must admit the extended cycling detail did cause my mind to wander. That is probably a harsh criticism which actually reflects my lack of interest in cycling more than anything else. But all in all, I did enjoy The Invisible Mile.” – Rachel
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Published 2015
Victoria University Press
531 pages
Genesis – Bernard Beckett
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Becks
Anax sits an all-day exam for admittance to The Academy, the governing body of her utopian society. However, things are not as they seem and instead unresolved scientific and philosophical questions are raised.
Unable to attribute misfortune to chance, unable to accept their ultimate insignificance within the greater scheme, the people looked for monsters in their midst.
➤ “This book was pleasantly easy to read with a surprise ending I didn’t see coming, although in hindsight there were clues scattered throughout. The philosophical themes provided long lasting thought provoking stimulation, I especially loved the discussions between Art and Adam over what constituted thought. A quick read and thoroughly enjoyable story.” – Jo
➤ “What a fantastic way to introduce dystopia, Kafka and shock endings to a YA audience! This is an interesting way to present the setting and plot – discussions between an examiner and an Academy hopeful make up the entire book – and the alternative reality is well thought-out. My only criticism is that I didn’t feel Anaximader had her own voice, rather it seemed like an all-knowing narrator telling us the story, not a young woman in search of greatness. But overall, well worth reading.” – Rachel
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Published 2006
Longacre Press
144 pages
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