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Title:
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Last Living Cannibal, The |
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Authors:
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Ngarewa, Airana |
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Genre:
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Fiction: New Zealand |
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Pages:
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352 |
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Year:
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2025 |
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Publisher:
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Moa Press |
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Language:
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English |
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Description:
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Muru is not revenge. Muru is about balance. You put your hands on one of theirs and they had every right to take from you and yours whatever they meant to take, short of a life.
Aotearoa in the 1940s, and the Maori men of Taranaki will not join the Maori battalion because they have lost too much already. Koko is the oldest man in the village, a legend who has lived through the land wars and imprisonment in Dunedin. They whisper of him as the Last Living Cannibal. Koko dotes on his grandson Blackie, and when Blackie is beaten at school, Koko takes up the fight.
But the ghosts of his past are never far away, and when they come calling, they come with muru in mind…
Richly set in Taranaki during the 1940s, The Last Living Cannibal is the epitome of a classic Aotearoa novel, from one of this generation’s most promising writers. Moa Press, Taken from the book blurb.
Comments from BDS Reviewers:
Having embarked on a Te Reo Maori journey, I found the story both educational and entertaining. Tikanga is woven throughout, and it is interesting to see how everyday life at the pa translates into the formality of tangi at the marae.
It is an education in N.Z. history, and also the wonderful story of a family.
The author masterfully builds tension while incorporating much humour. Although my first book of the New Year, I think it will stand as one of the best of my year.
There are several big pluses about this book: it is very well-written, combining depth and humour in a readable style. It has a strong storyline, reflecting real-life challenges within families and tribes. It weaves in much Maori tikanga and history without being overbearing.
It's a wonderful, quirky, meaningful and different story with many areas of discussion. I like the description of of all believing in one god - Methodists and Anglicans, all the same really.
It is a N.Z. book by a young Maori author, and for anyone with an ounce of interest in Maori culture, this book will be a satisfying read.
I can imagine that this book may be polarising. The long-term effects of colonisation on Maori are not always acknowledged, and some may prefer to ignore this turbulent yet far-reaching aspect of N.Z. culture.
It carries elements of surprise and satisfying story twists.
Koko is an engaging character and his story is interesting and very readable.
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Categories:
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Fiction, Fiction NZ, Just Added, 2027_2 Titles |
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