Kahu, her great-grandfather, and the whale rider

I stepped into this one backwards. I saw the movie first, then looked for the book. I read the book, then just recently listened to the audiobook thanks to a friend who had it on her ipod. If you like stories of ancient tradition or stories where characters struggle against ancient tradition, this is a good one. The Whale Rider offers a look into the world of a tribe that decends from the legendary "whale rider" and the struggle of Kahu to overcome tradition and be recognized for who she is (and who she can become). This is a good story, and one I would recommend.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

15 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

a joy!

Inspiring story for anyone; suitable for "tween agers", but my parents and i really enjoyed it on a drive to California. We had loved the movie, and the book was another joy. The Maori sounding music between chapters added to the mood.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Not as good as the movie, surprisingly.

This is one of the exceedingly rare cases where the book is not as good as the movie.

If you've not seen the movie "Whale Rider" don't bother reading this until you've seen it. The movie is great and really tells the story perfectly. You'll want to experience it first that way.

For fans of the movie, like me, the most interesting thing about this book is how it differs from the movie. It does differ from the movie in some fundamental ways. In fact, I got the distinct impression that the aspects of the movie that made it as good as it was must have come mainly from Niki Caro's vision, rather than Witi Ihimaera. That's not to say Ihimaera didn't have the seminal idea and a good story to tell, but it seems that Caro saw the real potential here. It's almost as if the movie and the book have different agendas -- different points to make about the world, people in general, the human condition, life, etc.

So even though I wasn't crazy about the book, I recommend it highly for fans of the movie so that you can evaluate the significance of how they differ. It may lead to an even greater appreciation for the movie.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Maori legend retold - for kids and adults

A gem that glistens. Beautiful. A contemporary rewriting of an ancient Maori legend. Its messages speak of the strength of women, but even more importantly of the oneness of the past and present, the rational and the irrational, what we understand and don’t understand and of all life on earth. This is young adult literature for adults.

The audiobook narration by Kiwian Jay Laga’aia was well done. There is music throughout the recording, but it is the same snippet repeated over and over again. When will we get audiobooks with varied music and numerous songs? Anybody listening out there?

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

It tries way to hard

The book deals with several issues faceing today's indigenous people, but the way it does so feels forced and one-sided, which sort of spoils the point.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

beautiful

made me smile, cheer and cry. a beautiful and inspiring book. makes me so proud to be indigenous. love this book.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

Loved it

My friend from NZ talked about the Whale Rider movie to me a few years ago and I’ve been wanting to watch it. I am planning a trip to NZ to visit her next year which prompted me to look it up and I decided to listen to the audio book before watching the movie. I loved the story! I felt that it gave me a glimpse into Māori culture, and loved the strong female characters. I also loved the choice for narrator and think that I got more out of the story listing to Jay Laga’aia reading it than if I had tried to read it myself not knowing the correct pronunciation of the Māori names and phrases. I am even more excited to see the film version now!

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

Beautiful and captivating

I loved be carried along with the wisdom of the female characters. A beautiful ride.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

Love it

I loved this book just as much as I loved the movie when I was younger. Not sure how to explain it but it makes you feel something

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !

Interesting story that sometimes made me mad

This is a book about a Maori family with an extraordinary talent passed down through the generations. The great-grandfather is angry that a great-granddaughter has been born because he wanted it to be a boy. It made me angry that he would not accept her, despite her love for him.

The book is told first person through her uncle which surprised me. It diverges from her story for a while so you need to stick with it until the end.

I'm not sure I would want my tween granddaughter reading this, maybe a little older teenager. But I'm glad I've listened to it and I hope to see the movie.

The story is more 4.5 stars, but I'm rounding up.

Merci. Votre vote a été pris en compte.

Vous avez donné votre avis sur cette évaluation !