Book summary

Turned down by nearly every major New Zealand publishing house, THE BONE PEOPLE finally was published by a small feminist collective, and went on to win the 1985 Man Booker prize. The novel, with deals simultaneously with both personal and cultural trauma, focuses on Kerewin, an isolated, artistically paralyzed painter; Simon, a mute six-year-old with a penchant for larceny; and Joe, his abusive adoptive father. In one violence-filled night, all three character betray one other, with Joe beating Simon and Simon stabbing Joe. However, through a complicated and surreal process of catharsis, the three find a path towards healing. Using a mixture of Maori mythology and Christian symbolism, Keri Hulme has created a richly textured and lyrical tale of violence and redemption.