The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is catalogued as juvenile fiction, but I definitely think it takes an older and more patient reader. There are a lot of mystical descriptive passages and Maori vocabulary is integrated throughout the story. It is a fascinating tale of the changing relationships between New Zealand's Maori people, nature, and themselves. Kahu is a selfless folkloric heroine placed in a current setting. Readers who know up front that this is not a straight-forward American-style novel will enjoy Whale Rider.

Note: The character of Kahu's Uncle Rawhiri (from whose p.o.v. much of the story is told) is really lovely. He's part of a motorcycle gang, goes off to Australia and Papua New Guinea to have his own adventures, but always keeps his niece, Kahu, in his thoughts and heart. I thought he was the strongest and most humanly drawn character in the book.

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