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ivy123's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I usually avoid books written based in New Zealand I find myself wanting an escape from reality with my reading and these stories are usually too close to home for me however this collection surprised me. As with most collections, I find myself having a mix of stories I loved, those that were average and those that did not speak to me at all.
There were some strong themes that came through in a few of these stories including climate change and grief. There was also a mixture of genres from science fiction, fantasy and horror as well as a mixture of formats normal prose, diary entries and poetry.
Some of my favourites in the collection were
The eye of the beholder- a short story that brought back my childhood reading stories of fae and dragons who could not be trusted.
An extract from the diary of Peter Mackenzie- told in diary format the taniwha and its influence on the main characters had me hooked.
Her grief in my halls- a spellbinding haunted house with a focus on grief that was both solemn and poignant
Big enough for two- a slower-paced tale about a woman being taken advantage of as she renovates her house with a payoff that was worth the pacing.
Some of the stories that were not so great for me were those I struggled to understand some of the poetry and short stories. I also struggle with stories that involve strong use of kiwi slang, I think it feels too close to home and takes me out of the escape I am looking for in novels and makes me feel super cringy.
Overall a good introduction into what some New Zealand authors have to offer.
There were some strong themes that came through in a few of these stories including climate change and grief. There was also a mixture of genres from science fiction, fantasy and horror as well as a mixture of formats normal prose, diary entries and poetry.
Some of my favourites in the collection were
The eye of the beholder- a short story that brought back my childhood reading stories of fae and dragons who could not be trusted.
An extract from the diary of Peter Mackenzie- told in diary format the taniwha and its influence on the main characters had me hooked.
Her grief in my halls- a spellbinding haunted house with a focus on grief that was both solemn and poignant
Big enough for two- a slower-paced tale about a woman being taken advantage of as she renovates her house with a payoff that was worth the pacing.
Some of the stories that were not so great for me were those I struggled to understand some of the poetry and short stories. I also struggle with stories that involve strong use of kiwi slang, I think it feels too close to home and takes me out of the escape I am looking for in novels and makes me feel super cringy.
Overall a good introduction into what some New Zealand authors have to offer.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Cursing, Incest, Medical content, Misogyny, Violence, Body horror, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Rape, and Sexual assault
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