alex

4.5
really damn good

3.5

Bit of a shame that the plot never quite lives up to the gorgeous writing style it inhibits. While it's a good reflection on the intersection between traditional gender roles and culture, the story and characters themselves often feel one-note. Unlike the film, which is most often through the perspective of Kahu/Paikea, there's an even focus on the other members of her family. While this broader focus could make for a more nuanced portrayal of the subject matter, and does in some ways, the decision to focus on Rawiri's life feels oddly unearned. As well as the strange lack of insight into Kahu's perspective, into what she truly wants. I suppose there's some merit to that, with how her family often overlooks her skills due to her gender, but it leads to her character feeling shallow at the same time. Feels like this could have been a much stronger novel with some structural fixes, but it's not bad in this case.

Funnily enough, I think this shines whenever whales are present. From the sweeping, almost poetic renditions of The Whale Rider's legend to the harrowing scenes with the beached whales (the first of which genuinely upset me, btw - perhaps the only part of the book to actually hit me on an emotional level). Overall, I think this is quite great, yet its a bit of a shame how lacklustre some parts are when contrasted with the novel's strengths.

3.5 rounded upwards

a grand portrayal of a small town, a bit of a mess yet so sincere and so committed to the stories it tells. for every questionable or unnecessary bit of writing (or lack of writing - seriously, why was there so little focus on amat?) there's two moments that flat out made me want to cry. very clearly the middle child of a trilogy, there's a lot of set-up that is never acted upon which is quite clearly intended for book 3 (leo, alicia, etc etc). and for how blunt the metaphors and foreshadowing can be, i also find them incredibly effective. there's a certain implication about benji's fate, for example, that's been frequently set-up from book one and it still hits hard.

in short: some things could be chopped off or toned down a bit, yet it's ultimately a very cohesive and poignant piece of fiction. maybe the sort of thing that i won't love in a few years, yet for the time being it's really clicked.

consider my reading slump officially over, i tore through this shit in a little under 24 hours

oddly compelling and a damn fun read. the only place this falters is the romantic subplot, with scout being a bit underdeveloped yet it's not a major drawback. not sure how i'd classify this asides from some loose genre terms and obvious postmodern influences, but whatever this is, its completely my thing haha

also: the third lightbulb fragment was where this totally clicked with me. i wasnt totally invested on an emotional level but the described conversations with clio's father genuinely broke my heart.

above all i really like how Hall describes such mundane things in a genuinely interesting way, which puts a great edge to the amnesia premise. cool writing style for sure, i'd love to read more in a similar vein

Delightfully plays with time-worn concepts and devices, from the whodunnit structure and archetypes to bodyswaps and time travel (ish). Each aspect culminates into an amalgam of genres and ideas, one which is executed with such grace. While the intricate structure and plot can feel overwhelming at times, the puzzle is constructed so well that I don't particularly mind the occasional confusion. More to look forward to next time I read this, I suppose.

Intertwined with the mystery is a wonderfully executed theme of identity and memory, one executed through the protagonist's amnesia and the (utterly brilliant) concept of him inheriting the traits of the personas he inhabits. Areas like that are where Turton's writing really shines for me. Yes, the sheer audacity of the premise was worth the time for me, but there's some very clever and even profound ideas beyond the superficial fun of it.

A few passages are a bit rough, and some things don't quite work. But overall, this is one of the most creative novels I've read, blending an eclectic range of ideas into something cohesive and wholly unique. Highly recommended!