The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Infinite Air – Fiona Kidman
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Sonya
A novel about the enigmatic Jean Batten – New Zealand’s, and one of the world’s, greatest aviators
➤ “I was quite excited by the idea of The Infinite Air. I have heard a lot about author Fiona Kidman, and love a good biographical yarn, especially about brave and enigmatic women. Jean Batten certainly was a woman of extraordinary talent and courage. She was blessed with good looks and brilliance of mind, which coupled with tireless support of her mother and blind ambition, saw her become aviation history. Kidman’s account of her life was indeed fascinating. However, I felt oddly disappointed by the book. Perhaps I was thrown by the genre of biographical fiction? I struggled to feel connected to Jean Batten in the way one might with a fictional heroine, and at the same time I couldn’t quite believe her as a real person. I wanted to be inspired and uplifted by her, but found myself feeling sad for the cost and consequence of the choices she made to achieve what she did.” – Sonya
➤ “I really felt like I was getting an education on Jean Batten while reading this book which is very satisfying! I think Fiona Kidman gave an empathetic portrayal of someone who perhaps would have created some derision at the time, for example with her perceived using of men for money (it seems to me though that she paid a price for the money she acquired!). There were interesting mentions of famous people peppered throughout the story which I found intriguing. It seems that Jean Batten had a bit of a tragic life with regards to relationships and family however she stood out to me as an incredibly admirable woman for her huge amount of ambition and determination and of course amazing success. This success was amplified when you consider the age, oppression and usual dependence of women on men at the time. A fantastic life made into an easy to read, well written story.” – Jo
➤ “Shamefully, I did not know much about Jean Batten so I relished the opportunity to read this biographical fiction book about her life. It is a truthful story about the passion of the woman who was determined to break aviation records all over the world. I was astonished at her resolve and how easily she (seemed to) achieve things that most of us would never consider possible. Kidman has done a superb job of capturing this spirit and determination and ensuring Batten comes out of it as a person, not a character. I loved this book from start to finish and am so pleased Batten’s life has been documented for future generations.” – Rachel
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Published 2013
Random House
352 pages
Rich Man Road – Ann Glamuzina
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Becks
Olga and a misunderstanding travel from her war-torn Dalmatian village through WWII, refugee camps and into her new life in Aotearoa. Pualele arrives in 1978 from Samoa via an illegal family adoption and lives life as a Pacific Island overstayer. Both become nuns in New Zealand and when their paths cross they are encouraged to reveal their stories and secrets to one another.
➤ “There was something about Rich Man Road that had me captivated early on. Perhaps it was the war theme? (I love a good war story.) Or the Dalmatian landscape? (I have spent time there and it is a captivating coastline). Or the sense of mystery we get in revealing two Nuns’ stories? Or maybe it was quite simply the brilliant story-telling ability of Ann Glamuzina. Whatever, I loved it. It was not a happy story, at times depressing and saddening, but at its conclusion I was left with a profound sense of optimism and hope. Definitely one of my favourite reads, read at speed and with enthusiasm (a sure sign of something worthwhile).” – Sonya
➤ “This is a sad story of love and loss and an enthralling read. I thought that the Dalmatian and Samoan cultures were portrayed well (from my limited knowledge anyway) and Pualele and Olga were well developed characters. Olga’s emotional estrangement from her mother was incredibly sad to me and so difficult to read about – her mother seemed so cruel. Pualele was often misunderstood which was frustrating and I wanted to shake her into standing up for herself! The vagueness surrounding their tie at the end of the book was frustrating and a little confusing. I enjoyed this book but perhaps not enough to recommend it.” – Jo
➤ “Rich Man Road is a tightly woven story. Of lives intersecting. Of the struggles of impoverished immigrants. Of the desperation to find a place to call home. The characterisation is rich – I remember Olga and Pualele as if they are real people and I worried about them and their plights inbetween reading sessions. Not only were their characters strong but their stories enthralling and woven together like they were, made for a wonderful page-turner. The sense of time and place was well constructed also, leaving me with visual memories of the stories. My only criticisms would be that the introduction of the hidden diary from the outset felt a little to convenient, and I thought the conclusion was too sewn up. But all in all, this is a book that would appeal to a wide range of readers.” – Rachel
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Published 2015
Eunoia Publishing
256 pages
Wake – Elizabeth Knox
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Jo
One sunny spring morning the Tasman Bay settlement of Kahukura is overwhelmed by a mysterious mass insanity. A handful of survivors find themselves cut off from the world, surrounded by the dead. As they attempt to care for one another and to survive, they discover they are trapped with something the defies definition.
➤ “The horror scenes at the beginning of this book were told bluntly and with little emotion – very matter of fact and almost comical with the personally relevant ways in which people died. The psychological interest for me was piqued with the longer story of survival and thinking about the future – I often pondered how I would have coped in the same situation.
“The monster was mysterious and faceless which enabled the story to become so much more than when the horror is known. I’ve always felt a sense of disappointment or that the monster was ridiculous when revealed in other books but this story retained its power with some details but not all, of this particular monster. I felt like I knew the characters at the end and was totally enthralled with the whole story. Another great novel from Elizabeth Knox.” – Jo
➤ “The undefined nature of the monster is the crux of this book. It’s strange how we want to put a face or a name or provide a reason for the wrongdoing – I certainly did while reading Wake. But it was soon apparent that an explanation wasn’t forthcoming, as happens in life, and so I settled into the story of endurance and survival.
“There was a lot of “reading into” that could be done, and so while it was on surface level a kind of an apocalyptic tale of a monster killing its way across the land and the fight by the good people to save mankind, there was so much more to it. The monster could be any number of demons that people face and the survival mode representative of the means to which any of us could go when in dire circumstances. To add to all this, the book was also spookily comical, with a well constructed cast of characters – it covered all the bases and roused every emotion. A fantastic read.” – Rachel
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Published 2013
Victoria University Press
445 pages
The Scarecrow – Hugh Morrieson
READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Rachel
Neddy Poindexter worries about his pretty sister Prudence when it’s discovered there’s a killer on the loose. Part adventure, part small-town comedy and part horrifying thriller, The Scarecrow is classic Kiwi Lit noir.
The same week our fowls were stolen, Daphne Moran had her throat cut.
➤ “The opening line is brilliant and I knew from this point that I was going to love this book. A show of classic NZ literature, a touch of domesticity and the beginning of a thriller all within a few words. I don’t think any other book has captured me so quickly. Neddy is a wonderful protagonist, a true Kiwi boy whose humility and kindness keep our heads above water as we traipse through the horror. And some truly horrible things do happen, but it’s strange how upon completion, I didn’t dwell upon them, nor was I troubled by them. In my opinion it was the construction of the lovely Neddy that kept me smiling through the horror. If you value NZ literature, I’d suggest this should be top of your reading pile!” – Rachel
➤ “I have to say, The Scarecrow was a bit of an ‘icky’ read. Its sordid, sexual content and the griminess of the poverty and alcoholism portrayed made me feel uncomfortable. Could small-town New Zealand really be so sickly and dark in the 1950s? What sort of person would write such a thing? Yet, at the same time, it was an astonishingly clever read! Morrieson drew me in with his vivid descriptions of places and events, and cleverly painted characters. It was a book peppered with unexpected humour, of hope, and of the tenacity of human spirit in the face of adversity. In the end, it shaped up to be one of my favourite (or at least most memorable!) bookclub reads so far.” – Sonya
➤ “This book had me hooked from the start with its fantastic opening line – it truly is one of the best. The disturbing topic matter is numerous with murder, necrophilia and alcoholism just to name a few however I never actually felt disturbed as the writing wasn’t graphic or gratuitous. The main character was endearing and the others well developed – uncle Athol was particularly horrid as well as the Scarecrow himself, the physical description had him sounding utterly repulsive. Some blackly humorous scenes peppered the book and released tension. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt that the disturbing themes added to its interest. All up a great NZ book.” – Jo
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Published 1963
Angus & Robertson
240 pages
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
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