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By: CHCH 299
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2025-06-03 11:27:11 |
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The group enjoyed this book, which most described as as well-written and well researched, with interesting characters, and an enjoyable way to learn more about NZ at the time of the early European settlement. |
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By: OTAKI 001
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2025-04-16 10:12:02 |
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Light read. Some strong, resilient characters. Some loved the different voices, others not. Enjoyed the historical insights into early N.Z. |
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By: WAIKA 011
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2025-04-10 10:02:50 |
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Excellent context. Author had clearly done amazing research. The plot was a bit light - lacked the depth to hold the reader. |
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By: TAUR 016
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2025-03-24 14:38:50 |
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Our group found this very interesting for the historical Pakeha/Maori relationships and misunderstandings, and the settlement/development of Wellington and the surrounding areas. However, we did not think it was as good a book as some of her previous novels. |
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By: CHCH 257
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2025-02-17 12:56:40 |
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Very interesting discussion about how Maori were often taken advantage of. A difficult read to start with, but well worth it. |
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By: CHCH 503
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2025-01-31 11:56:01 |
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We all enjoyed the viewpoint of 'ordinary' people in a period of our own history, and of early Wellington. Especially enjoyed the depiction of relationships with Maori ( and sadly, some lack of appreciation of what they had to offer new settlers in terms of living with/on this land). Easy to read and thought provoking. Well received. |
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By: WHITBY 005
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2025-01-18 18:33:20 |
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Mixed response to this book, not Jenny Pattrick's best. Useful read for college students to learn of experiences and perspectives of both Māori and new settlers being duped by the New Zealand Company. We live within the tribal area of Ngāti Toa, therefore all locations described in the book are very familiar to us and the local history was a bonus. |
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By: MARTIN 001
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2025-01-15 11:32:47 |
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Everyone enjoyed the book. Essential reading for everyone to know the history of the settlement of Wellington. A good yarn too. |
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By: AUCK 210
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2024-12-04 09:58:01 |
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Well researched. Characters felt to be one dimensional. Brought home to us what our ancestors faced when they arrived in N.Z. |
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By: OHOPE 002
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2024-11-27 14:29:33 |
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The majority of our group found this book very interesting, especially from a historical perspective. |
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By: PAUA 002
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2024-11-21 10:34:18 |
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Enjoyable, believable and interesting. |
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By: BLENH 003
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2024-10-21 12:52:47 |
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An easy read - lots of (too much) historical content to give context. Character development clear - description of living conditions credible. Many of the group preferred Pattrick's West Coast stories. |
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By: WHAKA 020
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2024-09-24 14:58:09 |
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This book offers an insight into the history around the establishment of Wellington back in the 1840s. It showed how the Maori were displaced from their ancestral lands. |
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By: ASHB 016
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2024-09-19 18:39:36 |
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Most of us enjoyed this book and found the history interesting. Some of it we knew, some of it we didn't. Easy to read but a couple felt that it lacked depth. Great discussion about what it would've been like and talked about the different groups trying to live together without really understanding or respecting each other's cultures. One knew the Wellington areas well and another lady had a grandmother (a few generations back) who was a Maori lady who married to a white settler in the same era - she loved this book. |
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By: PALMN 029
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2024-09-17 12:45:57 |
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Most of the group enjoyed this book but it felt a little under-written. It led us to a lot of looking up histories online and talking about our own known histories. The treatment of the different groups represented in the book and how the story intersected with more well-known history was well done. |
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By: AUCK 443
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2024-09-02 13:52:45 |
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We appreciated the historical aspect woven into the story about the lives of worker immigrants in the settling of the Wellington region, the immense challenges which they faced with courage and resourcefulness. Some were not aware of how Wakefield had gone about misleading the natives into accepting goods for land acquisition, and selling land to English investors. Good to have this mistreatment of Maori spelled out in the story - would be a good selective read to learn about the misdeeds of colonialism and the continuing impact on our present society... |
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By: PIOPIO 001
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2024-06-29 11:01:51 |
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Our group really enjoyed the book and really appreciated the way Jenny Pattrick portrayed history through the eyes of her memorable characters. Great discussion, many disturbing aspects and an interesting portrayal of character. One former secondary school teacher felt it would be a great read for students who would be challenged to look at our history from many different perspectives. An easy read. |
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By: WHANG 015
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2024-06-25 13:01:25 |
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Lots of information but an easy read. Loved the story and the history. |
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By: ROTO 012
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2024-06-25 10:25:27 |
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The group thought that this was an excellent historical account of the life of the working class in the settlement of Wellington in 1839 and 1840. One of our members had family connections with the place and that time in history. It is interesting how the phonetics of Pito One has become Petone, although not much of a change really. |
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By: CHCH 481
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2024-06-17 12:05:34 |
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This book created a lot of discussion about who should/can tell whose stories. Interesting N.Z. history that we all enjoyed learning about. |
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By: LEVIN 001
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2024-05-23 11:29:34 |
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For the first time in years everyone in the group enjoyed the book. |
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By: RUSS 004
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2024-04-18 14:36:25 |
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We really liked this book. |
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By: MILT 002
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2024-02-22 10:15:58 |
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An easy read for most, but some felt it lacked depth of character. An unbiased perspective of both Maori and Pakeha. Interesting to learn of the Welsh settlers. |
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By: LITRIV 001
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2024-01-23 14:52:52 |
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Generally we enjoyed this book. Being Christchurch based, it was interesting for us to learn about the early days in Wellington. |
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By: AUCK 015
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2023-12-14 13:58:59 |
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'Harbouring' clearly illustrates the differences between the culture of Maori and the Europeans. In hygiene matters particularly, the Maori were better adapted. It makes us realise the stories we have been told as children are inaccurate. The New Zealand Company was negligent and almost criminal in its attempts to colonise N.Z. for their own profit. |
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By: FEILD 005
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2023-11-28 11:34:32 |
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The majority really enjoyed this book. We did wonder what the new immigrants thought was going to be here! Very interesting insight into our early history. One of our best discussion nights. |
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By: FEILD 005
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2023-11-23 11:40:37 |
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The majority really enjoyed this book. We did wonder what the new immigrants thought was going to be here in the way of homes for them. Very interesting insight into our early History. One of our best discussion nights. |
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By: WELL 237
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2023-11-16 10:28:33 |
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Very interesting read. Some of the group have got hold of copies of the author's other books. |
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By: TAUR 062
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2023-11-02 11:37:21 |
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The group as a whole enjoyed this book. It was enjoyably written. We appreciated the way the different perspectives were presented. Great insights into the lives of the immigrants and the Tangata Whenua. Great book! |
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By: INVER 001
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2023-10-12 11:25:00 |
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The majority of our group really enjoyed learning about our history. Especially liked the fact that Hineroa and Martha were portrayed as strong female characters. Lots of disturbing facts emerged about treatment of indigenous people by the settlers - good history for younger ( and older) generations to understand what really happened. |
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By: WELL 007
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2023-09-20 09:35:02 |
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An interesting book for our group. Set in our area as the mouth of the fish of the North Island. We found the three characters involved in telling their stories were all well developed. We were intrigued by the author's use of 'Harbouring' as the title with both the Wellington harbour providing shelter for ships, as well as the characters' secret thoughts. |
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By: WAIKA 001
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2023-08-16 12:10:55 |
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Very positive reaction to the book which was enjoyed by all. It was so interesting reading about the Wakefield Company, and the early settlement of Wellington and Kapiti. As a Kapiti group, the story and links to the history of our area was factual and interesting. Excellent writing. |
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By: WELL 042
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2023-07-06 13:23:52 |
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We all enjoyed this book - especially as it's set in our home town! We recognised many of the landmarks and streets. We also agreed we had learned a lot about Wellington's history, not to mention the dire conditions in Wales at that time. |
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By: WHANG 028
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2023-06-27 11:06:59 |
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All members enjoyed this book, especially the N.Z. history running parallel with the storyline. Our discussions centred a lot on the inner strengths that came out of Martha and Hineroa and the adaptations made with both cultures dealing with a changing world. The Treaty of Waitangi was discussed at length also. |
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By: MATAM 002
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2023-06-22 13:30:48 |
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Our group loved this story and how the author brought our history alive. |
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By: CHCH 545
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2023-06-14 13:28:25 |
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We enjoyed the historical parts/Maori history, and the diverse characters held our interest. If there is a sequel we would love to read it. |
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By: LOWER 002
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2023-06-07 11:48:43 |
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A comfortable read, and the local history was a bonus. Some thought it was a bit overtly instructive - but respected the depth of the research involved. |
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By: HURUN 001
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2023-05-03 14:06:18 |
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Most commented on their lack of knowledge of this period in N.Z's past, and had researched for further facts. |
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By: HAMIL 029
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2023-03-20 14:24:38 |
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Most members thoroughly enjoyed this book about early C19th NZ history with both fictional characters and some who really existed. It was especially interesting to those who know Wellington well. Jenny Pattrick is a popular writer with group members; this is, perhaps, not her best book but it is still a very entertaining and well-researched novel. |
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