Checkerboard Hill

by Jade Kake

When a family member dies in Australia, Ria flies from New Zealand and returns to the family and home in Australia
she suddenly left decades before as a teenager. Waiting for her return are her husband and son in New Zealand.
Neither family has met the other, and Ria has always kept her Māori, Australian, New Zealand identities and lives
separate. But the family tensions, unfinished arguments, connections to places and meeting of former friends, lead
Ria to revisit her memories and reflect on the social and cultural tensions and racism she experienced, and the
decisions she made. The novel confronts the complexities of families, secrets and trauma and the way these play
out across generations. It also explores the ways in which Māori cultural traditions and tikanga are transmuted
and transformed across the Tasman, across time and space.

276 pages, Paperback

Published March 31, 2024

Reviews

[Charlotte Baken · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Margaret Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what I thought of this book.story of Ria , a Maori artist who was born in Australia, who at age about 17 or 18 as far as I could work out moved to NZ. We dont know where or to whom she goes to book just has her Married to James and has 7 years old son. Gets a phone call from Australia obviously important news but we don't know what or why she returns home for a few chapters. .She gets Mixed reaction from relatives. She tells her mother who wants to know why she has come back that she has returned for Michael. There does not seem to have been any interaction between NZ and Australian family at all.
Michael who we are led to believe is her younger brother has died and she is there for his tangi. The book tells of the racial slurs on Maori in Australia.
Jumps from current to past and difficult to know at times where you are. Ria faces her demons and we soon learn what the relationship betwen Michael and her really was. She was 16 and after he was born Ria left him with her mother and moved to NZ.
Parts of the book deal with Maori Tikanga and several lines in the book are in te reo. After the Tangi and other revelations, Ria returns home to her husband James and son Aria. The last chapter suddenly has members of the Austrslian family here in NZ to witness Aria having a traditional Moho. tattooed in the traditional way with tools made of bone. Sounded painful.

[Marcus Hobson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventy pages into this novel and it was still unclear what is going on or indeed what is haunting Ria, the central character.
We are living in a world of constant memories - seeing everybody through Ria's eyes, and through her memories and even her dreams. This is not about the plot but about the emotions - the internal rather than the things around Ria
There are some fantastic family dynamics portrayed as distant family members gather for a funeral in Australia. The secrets and the unfinished business begin to take over the present and the story comes alive. Before we reach this point there were some moments of confusion for me - where Ria remembers becoming lost in the bush and makes herself a 'nest' in which to fall asleep. From that point the difficulty is to know if we are in a memory or a dream or the memory fo a dream.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel made me realise that although I of course know of the Kiwi and Māori diaspora to Australia, I have never given much thought to generations of whānau living there and maintaining the culture as best they can. There's a line that really stood out to me when the main character Riri realises that she's never given much thought to the culture of her Aboriginal friends. Very poignant. I can't wait to see what Jade Kake writes next!

[Barbara Ellena · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often that I finish a book and then immediately re-read it. The story unfolds in a way that had me wanting to start again at the beginning with the knowledge I had from the first reading to get a fuller picture.
Thoroughly recommend this very absorbing, quick read as it is a rich and raw story.

[Pumbis95 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book on the Libby app as a “skip the line copy” and I am so glad I read it.. read is being kind I DEVOURED this book and finished it only moments ago. My brain is still processing the words and I feel like I’ve been taken on this journey with Ria. The book is stunning, I cannot wait to read it again.

[MouoMusings · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very interesting because the author gives you a lot to keep turning the page but there's always something underlying that makes you think there's more to the story. And there is. It's beautiul story of grief, shame, familial, and cultural bonds.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this Jade!

[Susana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book weaves past and present seamlessly as it explores family, grief, forgiveness and identity.