About
Author: Witi Ihimaera (New Zealand)
Genre: Social Fiction, Mythical
Setting
Place: New Zealand
Time: 1980s
My Rating (see what this means)
My Subjective Rating: 3
My ‘Objective’ Rating: 2.36
Short Blog Notice:
I avoid writing full length blogs for all books. I still create a page for my completionist proclivities.
These can be books when I feel I don't have something new I can add over existing online content
OR when I don't like the book.
Introduction
Witi Ihimaera’s book ‘The Whale Rider’ is a sweet short tale following a Maori legend – and a girl heir Kahu who is refused her legacy just because she is not a boy.
Evocatively written – the book follows an otherwise simplistic tale covering a variety of themes including Maori origin myths, sexism, tradition vs. modernism among others.
Narrated by Kahu’s uncle and a Blue Whale – the book jumps beautifully between social commentary and mythological mysticism