Matutu

By Sally Ash

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0963988298
• ISBN13: 9780963988294
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Goodfellow Pr
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 1.0" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

A surprisingly good read

Truly, I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. Sally Ash's first novel, Hedge of Thorns, was purely a romance -- a self-described attempt at retelling the story of Sleeping Beauty. I don't generally read romances; this had been required reading for a project I'm working on, and I'd found it to be okay. (perhaps I'll make the effort to write that three star review, soon)Matutu, thus, was a bit of a surprise. While there is a romantic plot thread in this book, there is much else going on, as well: an excellent travellogue on the North Island of New Zealand; the art of story-telling, combining ancient legends with modern woes; a tale of hardship and the social welfare system; observations about indigenous vs. colonial peoples; and several stories of recovery in the face of losing one's life-long vocation.This novel works well on all of these levels. Some plots are resolved predictably, others less so. But, the story telling is particularly well done. This is definitely a case of someone's second novel being much better than their first, and better than most others out there.Some of the writing is just a bit rough around the edges; Ash still has some "voice" issues when it comes to British vs. American vs. Australian vs. New Zealander characters. But, that said, this is a still good read.