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sharkybookshelf's review
A collection of the best short stories from the Pikihuia Awards for Māori writers 2021.
I picked this up entirely on a whim - I don’t recall seeing any reviews of it*, but the cover’s pretty colours caught my eye, and the tagline “contemporary Māori fiction” sealed the deal. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that ten of the 28 stories in this collection are written in Te Reo Māori - since the front and back covers are only in English rather than bilingual, it was unexpected. It seems unfair to star-rate a collection that I couldn’t read in its entirety, so I have not, but overall, I enjoyed this celebration of Māori writers. The stories by 23 different authors range from futuristic sci-fi, to contemporary, to historical fiction - I loved the diverse range, even though, inevitably, I didn’t click with some of the stories or writing styles and a couple felt a little…unpolished (suggestive of debut authors). The beauty of such anthologies is that there will be a story in it for everyone. My favourites were probably Alexandra by Frances Duncan for the awkwardness, The Bus Driver by Miriama Gemmell for its celebration of the next generation and Let It Be/Waiho by Chris Reed for its journey through grief. An enjoyable, wide-ranging collection celebrating Māori authors and highly recommended if you’re in NZ (or elsewhere and able to get your hands on it).
*My memory is awful though, so this doesn’t mean much
kelchup's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Always super hard to rate collections from different authors, but overall this was ka pai
neex's review
4.0
Some great, some not so much, as with most short story collections I've read.
If you're into anthologies, short stories, or have an interest in discovering new Māori or New Zealand authors, definitely pick this one up.
If you're into anthologies, short stories, or have an interest in discovering new Māori or New Zealand authors, definitely pick this one up.
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