Rating: 
Summary: starts exciting, then loses it
Review: Keri Hulme is a fine writer, and the beginning and middle of _The Bone People_ reflect that. Everything from her characters to her narrative to her unconventional (but effective) typography are superb and praiseworthy. It upset me, however, that toward the end of the book things take a supernatural turn--I don't mind a book that bends the rules of physical and psychic interaction, but it really must bend the rules from the very beginning, before those rules are really established. I felt that by intoducing that element so late, it betrayed some of the excellent emotional truth of the book's beginning. Nonetheless, _The Bone People_ is a fine read, and I hope we see more books that match the competence its author displays in the beginning.
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Summary: Compelling family drama
Review: I just reread this novel for the third time. I remember when a friend first gave me the book. I was amazed at the passion, fierce intelligence, witty and wise language and heart-rending drama. This book is about the violent breaking down and reforming of families and the characterization is like that of a family. By that I mean: you love, despise, yearn with, or want to comfort the main characters.Rarely do books make me laugh and cry. There are moments in The Bone People that are nightmarish and too horrible to comprehend but despite the circumstances and situations, there is also an overall sense of hope. We end up rooting for Simon, for Kerewin, and finally for Joe. Just brilliant. And I love Ms. Hulme's personal comments to the reader reviews!
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Summary: Bone People ..not for the squeamish
Review: Extremely interesting book. The characters of Joe, Simon, and Kerewin (sp) are vividly drawn. The subject matter is serious, child abuse, alcohlism, destruction of culture, despair, cancer, isolation. Yet with all this it is a book that celebrates life. The prose is dense and evocative. The author is excellent at building a sense of place. The descriptions of their time at the beach are incredible. I could feel the rocks beneath my toes and the cold wind blowing. Their are some graphic scenes of violence and pain. The fishook incident made me want to pass out (having put more then my share of fishooks into my own thumb). The discussions of Maori culture just make me want to read more about this period in New Zealand's history. Not the easiest book to read, but well worth the effort.
Rating:
Summary: Alarming book.
Review: Probably the most serious love story ever written
Rating:
Summary: @
Review: This is the fifth time I'm loosing sleep because of this book! Once I start reading I can't stop till I've read the entire thing. It amazes me every time that sometimes I catch a feeling or thought quicker than Kerewin, sometimes she surprises me, but mostly we think synchronically. Right now I'm catching my breath before we're off to the bachs at Moerangi :-)
Rating:
Summary: Worth the effort
Review: I am a University professor who teaches a freshman Global Issues course on New Zealand and Australia. For the past four years, THE BONE PEOPLE has been required reading. Now, before anyone accuses me of being a "new-age nut out to poison the minds of our youth", please understand that I am a business professor. Having traveled to NZ and Australia many times, I thought that THE BONE PEOPLE would give my students a vivid picture of life in a mysterious corner of a country most people in the US know little about. The reviews are mixed. Some students hate it, saying that it is "impossible to read". I prepare them for the difficulty, but some of them wait until the last few days to read it. This book takes time, and it is worth the time anyone can invest in it. It deals with many issues, some of which the students find disturbing, but they are the same issues we are faced with in the newspaper and on television. I think that Ms. Hulme does an incredible job developing three unique characters throughout this book. These are not people that I would choose as friends, but I find myself wanting to know more about them. The smells and the tastes described are as vivid as any I have ever read. When I read this book, I feel as if I am part of the story, not just a reader. Thank you Keri Hulme. After reading your book a few times, I feel that you are a friend of mine.
Rating:
Summary: PERSONAL FAVOURITE (1 OF 3)
Review: Keri Hulme is one of I guess 5 brilliant writers alive. The book made me volcano-like, convulsed laughing, threw the book against several walls out of anger.... you know, emotions? There isn't much I've ever encountered that appeales so much as to arrouse sex and fear and mystery and eloquence.... She is my lit hero.
Rating:
Summary: Simple note of thanks
Review: This review will be short; I just wanted to thank you, Ms Hulme, for a terrific book. It makes me so happy when I know there's nothing else I'd rather do in the world than finish the book I'm reading.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing, but too long
Review: The story line about the clash of cultures, and the relationships between various types of people made an excellent book. The story line really has potential. However, I feel it was a bit too long, and the middle seemed to drag. It was somewhat unpredictable, which makes a story good. The conclusion added more thought, and did not just close off cheaply like many other books I have read. A book is a book... go ahead and try it!
Rating:
Summary: brilliant, totally captivating
Review: A fantastic novel that starts a little slowly however soon has the reader captivated. I could not put this book down and the complex relationships between the characters keeps the reader enthralled.
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