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Materena Mahi #1
Breadfruit
When a drunken Pito proposes to Materena, she initially thinks it's just the booze talking. As she nevertheless starts planning, she juggles everyday life only to have Pito act as though he's forgotten his proposal.
367 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
31 people are currently reading
1065 people want to read
About the author
Célestine Hitiura Vaite
7 books86 followersCélestine Hitiura Vaite was born in Tahiti. The daughter of a Tahitian mother and a French father who went back to his country after military service, she grew up in her big extended family in Faa'a-Tahiti, where storytelling was part of the every day life and women overcame obstacles with gusto and humour. Célestine now lives with her family on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
July 17, 2007
Celestine Vaite rocks! With a light hearted hand she tells a very realistic story of the lives of Pacific Islanders in the contemporary Pacific. For me personally, as a Pacific Islander woman from Guam, I appreciated the stories of Island life including some of the more political issues of colonalism from the French which manifests through the stories of Tahiti's militarism, Matarena is a product of local girl and a military man and the colonialism from Catholic church which manifests through the story of land seizures by the Priests. These are subterranean themes that run throughout her novels and can be seen if you're looking for them. Militarized culture and land seizures caused by colonialism are both issues that are universal for many of the Pacific Islands and her people.
February 14, 2021
Celestine Hitiura Vaite’s “Breadfruit” follows Pito and Materena who have three children and Materena’s ardent wish to complete the definition of their family with a wedding. Pito does propose to Materena albeit in a drunken haze, which makes her doubt him. Nevertheless, Materena is eager, and she starts planning the wedding. The story takes us through the days that lead up to the wedding. Or does it?
I’ve never read anything from Tahiti (French Polynesia) before and I was soon lost in Materena’s stories about the island and her extended family. Through these stories, Vaite covers a vast range of themes – the warmth as well as awkwardness in family relationships, romance, Tahitian politics, the economy, folklore, and myths to name a few. It’s a fascinating glimpse into a place, which is often conjured up solely as an idyllic, tropical holiday destination. Vaite shows us the things that tourists don’t see or experience with great charm through straightforward, conversational prose in English laced with French and Tahitian words.
Bit by bit we are introduced to Materena’s large circle of people encompassing family, friends, and the community. Most of the book is a string of anecdotes and stories that have been passed down through generations. I really relished these parts where we get to know many of Tahiti’s oral traditions and folktales, fittingly, through Loana, Materena’s mother.
“The legend is about a man who transforms himself into a breadfruit tree in the middle of the night so that his woman and children have something to eat.”
The legend ties in to the cultural importance breadfruit holds for the islanders. It’s a staple in Tahitian cuisine, I learnt later when I read up more on Tahiti, and is a celebrated, even sacred, symbol with great historical significance.
Now, it’s your turn to take this delightful trip to Tahiti with Materena and her family.
I’ve never read anything from Tahiti (French Polynesia) before and I was soon lost in Materena’s stories about the island and her extended family. Through these stories, Vaite covers a vast range of themes – the warmth as well as awkwardness in family relationships, romance, Tahitian politics, the economy, folklore, and myths to name a few. It’s a fascinating glimpse into a place, which is often conjured up solely as an idyllic, tropical holiday destination. Vaite shows us the things that tourists don’t see or experience with great charm through straightforward, conversational prose in English laced with French and Tahitian words.
Bit by bit we are introduced to Materena’s large circle of people encompassing family, friends, and the community. Most of the book is a string of anecdotes and stories that have been passed down through generations. I really relished these parts where we get to know many of Tahiti’s oral traditions and folktales, fittingly, through Loana, Materena’s mother.
“The legend is about a man who transforms himself into a breadfruit tree in the middle of the night so that his woman and children have something to eat.”
The legend ties in to the cultural importance breadfruit holds for the islanders. It’s a staple in Tahitian cuisine, I learnt later when I read up more on Tahiti, and is a celebrated, even sacred, symbol with great historical significance.
Now, it’s your turn to take this delightful trip to Tahiti with Materena and her family.
September 26, 2022
“Girl, waiting for a man is like waiting for a chicken to have teeth.”
Célestine Hitiura Vaite was born and raised in French Polynesia (Tahiti) and now lives in Australia. Breadfruit is her debut novel featuring the lovable Materena Mahi. When her partner Pito mentions marriage during a drunken conversation Materena finds herself mentally buying wedding cakes and planning her big day. She makes her way around Faa’a researching the cost of hiring a wedding car, a DJ and all the wedding accoutrements. Along the way she is stopped by her many cousins and neighbours, who want to avail themselves of Materena’s listening ear, or pass along a tasty tidbit of gossip from the “coconut radio.” Interspersed between the quirky family tales are Tahitian myths and legends and fragments of political history, such as the colonial theft of land, and the military presence. Materena has a close relationship with her mother Loana, and the story also drifts to Loana’s life as a single mother abandoned by her French lover, and to Materena’s grandmother and her life on Rangiroa island. An absolutely delightful read with an engaging main character, and vividly descriptive scenes that make you feel as if you just travelled to Tahiti. 5 stars for sure.
Célestine Hitiura Vaite was born and raised in French Polynesia (Tahiti) and now lives in Australia. Breadfruit is her debut novel featuring the lovable Materena Mahi. When her partner Pito mentions marriage during a drunken conversation Materena finds herself mentally buying wedding cakes and planning her big day. She makes her way around Faa’a researching the cost of hiring a wedding car, a DJ and all the wedding accoutrements. Along the way she is stopped by her many cousins and neighbours, who want to avail themselves of Materena’s listening ear, or pass along a tasty tidbit of gossip from the “coconut radio.” Interspersed between the quirky family tales are Tahitian myths and legends and fragments of political history, such as the colonial theft of land, and the military presence. Materena has a close relationship with her mother Loana, and the story also drifts to Loana’s life as a single mother abandoned by her French lover, and to Materena’s grandmother and her life on Rangiroa island. An absolutely delightful read with an engaging main character, and vividly descriptive scenes that make you feel as if you just travelled to Tahiti. 5 stars for sure.
May 6, 2017
Loved this! So funny. Oddly enough though it's set in contemporary Tahiti, it reminded me of Anne of Green Gables. It does have a lot in common with that book actually. It takes place in a rural place, the kind of town where 1/2 the population are your cousins and everyone knows everyone's business. It's also very domestic- and women-focused but issues related to larger political structures like colonization came up many times. Told in episodes that are almost short stories, the main narrative push is whether Materena will marry her long-term partner with whom she has 3 kids, although there are plenty of side stories as you get a glimpse of the lives of other characters. There are also some cool legends and stories told by older folks within the novel. I was pleasantly surprised to see some casual inclusion of both queer and trans characters! The only thing I didn't understand was that her eventual husband was mostly a useless lazy bozo although he did love her. But he doesn't really take up much narrative space.
February 1, 2016
Materena voudrait que Pito, le père de ses trois enfants, son compagnon, la demande en mariage. Elle rêve d'un beau mariage à la tahitienne, où elle arriverait à l'église en voiture, où les invités lui offriraient en cadeau un beau lit conjugal, et où un DJ s'occuperait de faire danser toute la compagnie à la nuit tombée. Mais Pito est plutôt fainéant, et ne voit pas l'intérêt de demander Materena en mariage.
Célestine Hitiura Vaite, auteure tahitienne maintenant installée en Australie, emmène son lecteur dans les rêves matrimoniaux de Materena. Sur son chemin, dans ses allées et venues entre son travail de femme de ménage professionnelle, ses visites à sa mère et aux cousins, et ses occupations d'épouse et de femme, Materena fait des rencontres, entend des histoires.
Il faut aller au-delà du quatrième de couverture pour découvrir un petit bijou qui nous vient de loin ; car l'important, ici, ce n'est pas l'histoire du mariage de Materena, mais bien une magnifique écriture du quotidien, qui transporte son lecteur au cœur de la vie tahitienne.
La douceur de l'écriture, sa naïveté, alliée à la simplicité de l'intrigue, amènent le lecteur à un sentiment d'intimité avec les personnages, et autorise même l'humour - ce n'est pas facile de rire en lisant, mais ce livre-là pourrait bien tenir le pari !
J'ai lu certaines reviews, autour de celle-ci, critiquer le livre comme n'étant qu'une "collection de vignettes". C'est vrai qu'il ne s'agit pas ici d'une intrigue suivie, mais je ne vois pas en quoi ce serait une mauvaise chose. Au contraire, la pratique du récit enchâssé, au-delà de son originalité, rapproche également le récit des aventures de Materena de la forme traditionnelle du conte, et apporte au lecteur une impression de réalité. Car qu'est-ce que c'est que la vie, au fond, si ce n'est qu'une collection d'histoires qu'on se raconte, qu'on nous raconte au fil de la journée ?
Et, pour une fois, chapeau à la traduction française. Très bien adapté, le rendu est parfaitement abordable.
Ma plus belle découverte de de début 2016, que je dois en partie au challenge du club de lecture francophone. L'Arbre à pain est le premier volume d'une trilogie, et il paraît que son deuxième tome est encore meilleur ; j'ai donc hâte de le découvrir. J'ai également hâte de lire plus de littérature tahitienne, tant ce premier roman pacifique m'a ouvert de nouveaux horizons.
Célestine Hitiura Vaite, auteure tahitienne maintenant installée en Australie, emmène son lecteur dans les rêves matrimoniaux de Materena. Sur son chemin, dans ses allées et venues entre son travail de femme de ménage professionnelle, ses visites à sa mère et aux cousins, et ses occupations d'épouse et de femme, Materena fait des rencontres, entend des histoires.
Il faut aller au-delà du quatrième de couverture pour découvrir un petit bijou qui nous vient de loin ; car l'important, ici, ce n'est pas l'histoire du mariage de Materena, mais bien une magnifique écriture du quotidien, qui transporte son lecteur au cœur de la vie tahitienne.
La douceur de l'écriture, sa naïveté, alliée à la simplicité de l'intrigue, amènent le lecteur à un sentiment d'intimité avec les personnages, et autorise même l'humour - ce n'est pas facile de rire en lisant, mais ce livre-là pourrait bien tenir le pari !
J'ai lu certaines reviews, autour de celle-ci, critiquer le livre comme n'étant qu'une "collection de vignettes". C'est vrai qu'il ne s'agit pas ici d'une intrigue suivie, mais je ne vois pas en quoi ce serait une mauvaise chose. Au contraire, la pratique du récit enchâssé, au-delà de son originalité, rapproche également le récit des aventures de Materena de la forme traditionnelle du conte, et apporte au lecteur une impression de réalité. Car qu'est-ce que c'est que la vie, au fond, si ce n'est qu'une collection d'histoires qu'on se raconte, qu'on nous raconte au fil de la journée ?
Et, pour une fois, chapeau à la traduction française. Très bien adapté, le rendu est parfaitement abordable.
Ma plus belle découverte de de début 2016, que je dois en partie au challenge du club de lecture francophone. L'Arbre à pain est le premier volume d'une trilogie, et il paraît que son deuxième tome est encore meilleur ; j'ai donc hâte de le découvrir. J'ai également hâte de lire plus de littérature tahitienne, tant ce premier roman pacifique m'a ouvert de nouveaux horizons.
February 16, 2015
Breadfruit is the first novel by Tahitian author, Celestine Hitiura Vaite and the first book in the Materena Mahi series. Having lived with her man, for twelve years, certain things, including a drunken proposal from Pito himself, are making her think about a wedding. And she is starting to like the idea. But although Materena begins making tentative plans, no further mention is made, and she eventually gives up on the idea. Or does she? As Materena makes various wedding-related enquiries, she also learns a lot about her family’s history.
As she navigates Materena’s life towards the longed-for union, Vaite weaves together a collection of seemingly unrelated anecdotes about life and love, Tahiti-style, as well as Tahitian legends and gossip about friends and family (the many aunties and cousins one has in Tahiti) that often ends up on the Coconut Radio. She touches on topics as diverse as brooming, totems, mother-in-law’s cake, the shape of the nose, new carpet, mattress allergy, mosquito coils, private property, gendarmes, a transvestite girlfriend, a birthday frying pan, religion, politics, words of love, family diplomacy, birth of babies and she also describes a novel form of Tahitian caller ID. A light-hearted look at life in Tahiti. 3.5 stars
As she navigates Materena’s life towards the longed-for union, Vaite weaves together a collection of seemingly unrelated anecdotes about life and love, Tahiti-style, as well as Tahitian legends and gossip about friends and family (the many aunties and cousins one has in Tahiti) that often ends up on the Coconut Radio. She touches on topics as diverse as brooming, totems, mother-in-law’s cake, the shape of the nose, new carpet, mattress allergy, mosquito coils, private property, gendarmes, a transvestite girlfriend, a birthday frying pan, religion, politics, words of love, family diplomacy, birth of babies and she also describes a novel form of Tahitian caller ID. A light-hearted look at life in Tahiti. 3.5 stars
May 24, 2020
I rarely go to literary festivals these days. Almost never. This is very odd, because I have read books since I was a kid and my favourite fantasy was always to meet a writer in person and have a nice literary conversation and get a signed copy of a book. But after going to book launches and standing in queues trying to get my copy of a book signed and feeling that the whole thing was being rushed and the crowd was too much, the romance of book launches and literary festivals disappeared for me. But there was a time I loved literary festivals, in principle, without having attended one. I discovered Célestine Vaite's 'Breadfruit' during my visit to my first ever literary festival, which ended up being my first and last one. Célestine Vaite was scheduled to give a talk at this particular litfest, but I somehow missed that. But I got this book of hers, when I discovered that she was a Tahitian writer. I had never read a Tahitian writer at that time (still hadn't before I read this book) and Tahiti always sounded like a fantasy place for me, after reading Somerset Maugham's novels and discovering Paul Gauguin. This book lay on my shelf for years and a few days back I decided that the stars have aligned and the time has arrived. I read this book for #ReadTheWorld21 hosted by @end.notes and @anovelfamily, which has a Pacific Island focus in May.
'Breadfruit' tells the story of Materena. Materena is a professional cleaner. She lives with her partner Pito and they have three kids. The book is divided into many short chapters, and each chapter describes an anecdote from Materena's life or about someone she knows, her family members, cousins, friends. Tahitian extended families are big and so Materena has lots of cousins, and so there are lots of fascinating stories. Célestine Vaite's prose is simple and spare, and the stories are charming and are filled with humour. But as Optimus Prime says, there is more to the stories than meets the eye. Within that deceptively simple style, Célestine Vaite tackles fascinating topics – the themes covered include family life, the relationship between mothers and daughters, love, the importance (or unimportance) of marriage, the relationship between native Tahitians and French expats, the complicated politics in Tahiti and the resentment some people feel against the French government, the Tahitian economy and how hard it is to get a good job, how Tahitians straddle between Catholicism which they practise now and the ancient Tahitian religion which was practised by their ancestors – these and other interesting themes are explored in the book. The author says in the interview at the back of the book that many of these stories were inspired by actual happenings. It shows when we read the book.
'Breadfruit' is a charming depiction of Tahitian life from an insider's perspective. Célestine Vaite rips away the tropical fantasy image we have of her homeland and shows us the real Tahiti. It is beautiful. I loved it. Célestine Vaite wrote two more sequels to 'Breadfruit'. I can't wait to read them. The last book of the trilogy came out in 2007. I was hoping that Célestine Vaite would have written more books since then. But it appears that there are no more books after that. None. Nada. It is like Célestine Vaite just disappeared. I don't know what happened. Three books is just a very slim body of work. I hope she comes back one of these days and writes a fourth book. And then a fifth one. And more.
Have you read 'Breadfruit'? What do you think about it?
'Breadfruit' tells the story of Materena. Materena is a professional cleaner. She lives with her partner Pito and they have three kids. The book is divided into many short chapters, and each chapter describes an anecdote from Materena's life or about someone she knows, her family members, cousins, friends. Tahitian extended families are big and so Materena has lots of cousins, and so there are lots of fascinating stories. Célestine Vaite's prose is simple and spare, and the stories are charming and are filled with humour. But as Optimus Prime says, there is more to the stories than meets the eye. Within that deceptively simple style, Célestine Vaite tackles fascinating topics – the themes covered include family life, the relationship between mothers and daughters, love, the importance (or unimportance) of marriage, the relationship between native Tahitians and French expats, the complicated politics in Tahiti and the resentment some people feel against the French government, the Tahitian economy and how hard it is to get a good job, how Tahitians straddle between Catholicism which they practise now and the ancient Tahitian religion which was practised by their ancestors – these and other interesting themes are explored in the book. The author says in the interview at the back of the book that many of these stories were inspired by actual happenings. It shows when we read the book.
'Breadfruit' is a charming depiction of Tahitian life from an insider's perspective. Célestine Vaite rips away the tropical fantasy image we have of her homeland and shows us the real Tahiti. It is beautiful. I loved it. Célestine Vaite wrote two more sequels to 'Breadfruit'. I can't wait to read them. The last book of the trilogy came out in 2007. I was hoping that Célestine Vaite would have written more books since then. But it appears that there are no more books after that. None. Nada. It is like Célestine Vaite just disappeared. I don't know what happened. Three books is just a very slim body of work. I hope she comes back one of these days and writes a fourth book. And then a fifth one. And more.
Have you read 'Breadfruit'? What do you think about it?
April 25, 2021
There's life beyond the mainstream!
The slow-paced, ordinary narrative sets up the ambience of the story beautifully! A couple of pages and one is already transported to Tahiti, its people and its culture. The author used her own family to compose the protagonist - Materena Mahi - and many stories were based on things she witnessed growing up in French Polynesia. The book thoroughly describes scenes of a blatant real life, not sparing a single detail of expectations of marriage, romantic relationships, family (the abundance of), feminism (or the lack thereof), toxic masculinity, the dormant relation of domination between the coloniser and the colonised, among others. Tahitians are fervent catholics, yet keeping their ancient beliefs and traditions alive. For all this, Breadfruit is a real page-turner! As for its name... there are some many references about the breadfruit that one may think that the title is due to the fact that every Tahitian house needs to have a breadfruit tree, for when poverty and hunger hit hard. However, the reason is a different one: a reason that changes completely the course of the protagonist's destiny. So clever and sensitive!
The slow-paced, ordinary narrative sets up the ambience of the story beautifully! A couple of pages and one is already transported to Tahiti, its people and its culture. The author used her own family to compose the protagonist - Materena Mahi - and many stories were based on things she witnessed growing up in French Polynesia. The book thoroughly describes scenes of a blatant real life, not sparing a single detail of expectations of marriage, romantic relationships, family (the abundance of), feminism (or the lack thereof), toxic masculinity, the dormant relation of domination between the coloniser and the colonised, among others. Tahitians are fervent catholics, yet keeping their ancient beliefs and traditions alive. For all this, Breadfruit is a real page-turner! As for its name... there are some many references about the breadfruit that one may think that the title is due to the fact that every Tahitian house needs to have a breadfruit tree, for when poverty and hunger hit hard. However, the reason is a different one: a reason that changes completely the course of the protagonist's destiny. So clever and sensitive!
August 27, 2025
Sometimes you read a book and the characters resonate with you, even if they live different lives and perhaps in far-off places. I adored Materena immediately upon meeting her in this Tahitian novel. She is strong, resourceful, and funny. She shares children with Pito, although like many islanders they remain unmarried. One-night Pito is drunk and asks Materana to marry him so she has to decide how to handle this. This book is funny and heartwarming while exposing us to life among a colonized people. I highly recommend this book. I plan to continue with the next one sometime.
November 19, 2021
This is the story of a mid-20th century woman as revealed through her relationships. I was probably in the wrong space for this novel because I failed to engage with the protagonist.
July 4, 2011
After reading Vaite's first novel Frangipani, I had high hopes and expectations for her second in this group on novels. Where the first seemed to follow a linear storyline and mode of telling the story between mother and daughter, this felt more like a series of short stories. Each is leading to Materena's real desire for Pito to be serious in his proposal to her, not to mention her hope that this means that he really loves her in a truly romantic sense. This romantic hope threads through each story nicely and lends to the whimsical look at Matarena's Tahitian culture all the more.
The book is very light-hearted and warm, which makes it easy for readers to love Matarena and hope for her best. Having felt a connection with her first book because of the time I'd spent in Hawaii and how similar some of the cultural references and relationships seemed, I enjoyed watching each character develop. The story unfolded in these shorter chapters, but I'll admit that sometimes this lost my attention, as I wanted each story to tie directly to Matarena's desire for Pito to marry her. The stories didn't necessarily all have to do with the relationship, per se, but built around them to show us the community and family they lived among. Although it didn't grab me in the same way as the first book, I still really enjoyed the novel and feel that Vaite has an important voice in telling stories that show us Tahitians and their vibrant and amazing culture.
The book is very light-hearted and warm, which makes it easy for readers to love Matarena and hope for her best. Having felt a connection with her first book because of the time I'd spent in Hawaii and how similar some of the cultural references and relationships seemed, I enjoyed watching each character develop. The story unfolded in these shorter chapters, but I'll admit that sometimes this lost my attention, as I wanted each story to tie directly to Matarena's desire for Pito to marry her. The stories didn't necessarily all have to do with the relationship, per se, but built around them to show us the community and family they lived among. Although it didn't grab me in the same way as the first book, I still really enjoyed the novel and feel that Vaite has an important voice in telling stories that show us Tahitians and their vibrant and amazing culture.
September 8, 2021
The perfect book to read for pleasure. As it is written, each chapter is a bit like a small short story. It's very nice to read small bits; to rush through it would possibly spoil the little delights in each chapter.
I almost gave my copy to my adult daughter, but liked the book so much I couldn't part with it. I could easily see picking it up now and then to just a chapter or two. Of course I went ahead and ordered a copy of the book for her so that she could enjoy the book as well.
Recommended!
I almost gave my copy to my adult daughter, but liked the book so much I couldn't part with it. I could easily see picking it up now and then to just a chapter or two. Of course I went ahead and ordered a copy of the book for her so that she could enjoy the book as well.
Recommended!
July 15, 2014
I enjoyed this story and loved the main character. It is told with lightness and humour and also shows the culture and life of French Polynesia very well. Both Materena and the rather unreliable Pito are engaging characters and the minor conflicts between Pito and his mother-in-law and the various family interactions are amusing. It is written in simple, childlike language but that suits the story and characters and the effect is charming.
I will be reading the others in the series. (This is the first in a trilogy and is sometimes titled "Breadfruit".) I originally read Frangipani, which is the second in the trilogy, when it made the (then) Orange Prize list, but it is better to read them in order.
I will be reading the others in the series. (This is the first in a trilogy and is sometimes titled "Breadfruit".) I originally read Frangipani, which is the second in the trilogy, when it made the (then) Orange Prize list, but it is better to read them in order.
January 23, 2016
Materena lives in Tahiti with Pito and their three children. On night, while drunk, Pito proposes marriage. Materena is ecstatic and begins planning their wedding. However, Pito never brings up the subject again and Materena realizes it is not to be and they settle back into their routine until, Pito does something and Materena realizes that she is better off not married because if she tires f him she can't just send Pito back to his mother. Time goes on and Pito finds something that makes him think Materena is considering leaving him. He is shocked. He now understands he does want to be married, Materena refuses. He tries for six months to get her to change her mind.
This is a wonderfully told story about life in Tahiti. Each chapter contains a little story about an event or family member.
This is a wonderfully told story about life in Tahiti. Each chapter contains a little story about an event or family member.
January 9, 2009
In Breadfruit, a sequel to Frangipani, we find Materena Mahi planning for a fabulous wedding, after receiving a wedding proposal from a drunken Pito--who may have forgotten his original proposal the morning after. Although the couple, and their three children have been together for fourteen years, this is the first time she is planning a wedding. As she visits with various friends and family members, we get a feel for what rural life in Tahiti is like, while she is busy gathering helpful advice from her friends and family about planning for her wedding.
The story is full of quirky characters, told in short chapters about the exploits of Materena and her family and friends. It is filled with lots of funny tales that will have you chuckling out loud.
The story is full of quirky characters, told in short chapters about the exploits of Materena and her family and friends. It is filled with lots of funny tales that will have you chuckling out loud.
August 25, 2022
We here are given a close look at Tahitian life through the eyes of Materena and her man Pito, their children, extended family and friends. It is a relaxed and lighthearted collection of vignettes connected by a loose thread of Pito's first drunken proposal to her (after years of a de facto marriage), and Materena's hopes and plans of marriage over subsequent months though Pito never acknowledges having proposed. You are charmed rather than engaged as you read. Yes, you learn a great deal about the relaxed daily life of Tahitians, the coconut radio, the proper way to drop by and visit, the day to day rhythms, what is taboo. However, it never left me yearning to visit and experience Tahitian life for myself.
December 3, 2016
The pace of this book is gentle, with plenty of space for stories and anecdotes about the lives of Materena and her friends, which I LOVED. I felt like I was getting to know a whole community by hearing the little details of their lives, and I’m always a sucker for women sharing their stories with other women. The style is conversational and compulsively readable, and the narration is incredibly funny and observant about people and their quirks. I also really enjoyed learning about Tahitian history and culture.
Read the full review at Starship Library.
Read the full review at Starship Library.
June 25, 2009
I usually don't read this kind of books. This one was a wildcard I chose from a bargain bin. Now I love that bargain bin, maybe I should have bought more books, because this one was great.
Materena is an enchanting character. I find her resourceful and independent, so I am excited to see what else she will do in other books. This was a delightful reading and I look forward to read more of Materena's adventures.
Materena is an enchanting character. I find her resourceful and independent, so I am excited to see what else she will do in other books. This was a delightful reading and I look forward to read more of Materena's adventures.
February 20, 2009
A nice, feel good, vacation read (or when you wish you were on vacation but aren't)
December 19, 2015
I loved it. Beautiful, tragic, heartwarming.
September 2, 2018
I've decided I have to go to Tahiti after reading Breadfruit and my previous book, Frangipani. I love the characters, the sweet stories, the cultural differences -- everything.
September 12, 2022
A mostly sweet collection of interconnected stories that reflect the everyday lives of people in Tahiti. The displayed prejudices against transgender people was off-putting.
December 1, 2023
Disclaimer: I received this book from my library. Support your local library! All opinions are my own.
Book: Breadfruit
Author: Celestine Vaite
Book Series: Materena Mahi Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Diversity: Tahitian MC and characters
Recommended For...: romance readers, contemporary readers, chick lit readers
Publication Date: September 4, 2006
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Relevance: 18+ (alcohol consumption, romance, Catholicism, slight homophobia, sexual content, DNFed read)
Explanation of Above: There are a couple of scenes mentioning alcohol consumption. There is sexual content slightly shown and mentioned. There is some romance. There are Catholicism mentions and showings of the religion. There is one slight homophobic remark (being a fairy in reference to manhood) but it might be a cultural thing so I’m not sure if it is meant to be homophobic or not. This is also a DNF read, so not all the content warnings and relevance items are included.
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Pages: 367
Synopsis: When a drunken Pito proposes to Materena, she initially thinks it's just the booze talking. As she nevertheless starts planning, she juggles everyday life only to have Pito act as though he's forgotten his proposal.
Review: I had to DNF this read. The writing was choppy and for a good portion of the book I thought that it was the second in a series. The book had fabulous descriptions and details, but I really hated every characters but the MC. I really hated the love interest too and I just kept thinking that the MC could do better. I kept getting really mad about the situation that the MC is in. I want her to do better and it’s hard to read a romance book where you can’t get into the story at all.
Verdict: It wasn’t for me, but it might be for you!
Book: Breadfruit
Author: Celestine Vaite
Book Series: Materena Mahi Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Diversity: Tahitian MC and characters
Recommended For...: romance readers, contemporary readers, chick lit readers
Publication Date: September 4, 2006
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Relevance: 18+ (alcohol consumption, romance, Catholicism, slight homophobia, sexual content, DNFed read)
Explanation of Above: There are a couple of scenes mentioning alcohol consumption. There is sexual content slightly shown and mentioned. There is some romance. There are Catholicism mentions and showings of the religion. There is one slight homophobic remark (being a fairy in reference to manhood) but it might be a cultural thing so I’m not sure if it is meant to be homophobic or not. This is also a DNF read, so not all the content warnings and relevance items are included.
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Pages: 367
Synopsis: When a drunken Pito proposes to Materena, she initially thinks it's just the booze talking. As she nevertheless starts planning, she juggles everyday life only to have Pito act as though he's forgotten his proposal.
Review: I had to DNF this read. The writing was choppy and for a good portion of the book I thought that it was the second in a series. The book had fabulous descriptions and details, but I really hated every characters but the MC. I really hated the love interest too and I just kept thinking that the MC could do better. I kept getting really mad about the situation that the MC is in. I want her to do better and it’s hard to read a romance book where you can’t get into the story at all.
Verdict: It wasn’t for me, but it might be for you!
August 18, 2024
I've read the second book of this trilogy a long time ago and wasn't really a fan of it because it felt like chick-flick. The author actually wrote this trilogy in English. She's from French Polynesia but has settled in Australia. I wanted to read a book in French that was set in French Polynesia, so I've decided to read the first book of this trilogy. I still didn't like the content of the story - it's supposed to be funny, but I kind of felt sad to read about the underlying toxicity between the characters' relationships. The protagonist Materena was so desperate for male validation. The majority of the men just want to drink and hang out with each other. Their attitude with money was mostly negligent. I guess that's the everyday dark side of paradise. The main plot of the story is Materena wants to get married. Her baby daddy Pito (they already have 3 children together) never told her he loved her, made a marriage proposal when he was drunk and seems to have forgotten about it. The book was structured in a way that each chapter told a story of a different cousin or a story that was recounted to Materena. I'm not a fan of that type of story-telling. However, the writing of the book is very easy and it was a good way for me to get back into reading in French. So one entire star is given for that.
August 19, 2024
A plodding tale of domestic trivia in Tahiti - 45%
This is not the kind of book I would normally read, I do not think I am the target audience, and this will undoubtedly colour my view.
Materena is a 'professional cleaner' on Tahiti living with her 4 (I think) children and her partner Pito. The latter drunkenly proposes to her, and the rest of the novel is Materena alternately daydreaming/covertly organising the wedding and telling or listening to tales of everyday life on the island.
It reminded me a lot of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, and I abhor those books. If you enjoyed them, you will likely get on with the book a lot better than I did.
On the plus side there are some fascinating details of life on the island, told in an authentic voice (which one could expect as Vaite was born and grew up on Tahiti).
On the downside, it is all just a bit tedious. Nothing really happens, either in a literal sense or in terms of character development. I longed for some kind of substance to offset the everyday minutiae. It also showcases that curious mix of misandry and antifeminism. Men are all useless lumps who drink to much and are selfish, but hey, let's hand them a cold beer and clean around their feet while they read an Akim comic anyway.
In summary this novel may well be for you. It wasn't for me.
This is not the kind of book I would normally read, I do not think I am the target audience, and this will undoubtedly colour my view.
Materena is a 'professional cleaner' on Tahiti living with her 4 (I think) children and her partner Pito. The latter drunkenly proposes to her, and the rest of the novel is Materena alternately daydreaming/covertly organising the wedding and telling or listening to tales of everyday life on the island.
It reminded me a lot of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, and I abhor those books. If you enjoyed them, you will likely get on with the book a lot better than I did.
On the plus side there are some fascinating details of life on the island, told in an authentic voice (which one could expect as Vaite was born and grew up on Tahiti).
On the downside, it is all just a bit tedious. Nothing really happens, either in a literal sense or in terms of character development. I longed for some kind of substance to offset the everyday minutiae. It also showcases that curious mix of misandry and antifeminism. Men are all useless lumps who drink to much and are selfish, but hey, let's hand them a cold beer and clean around their feet while they read an Akim comic anyway.
In summary this novel may well be for you. It wasn't for me.
May 21, 2022
I chose this book to fulfill a 2022 book challenge prompt: read a book by a Pacific Island author. Breadfruit is the story of Materena and Pito, two Pacific Islanders not married but with three children. One night Pito drunkenly asks Materena to marry him - and then he promptly forgets that he asked her. From this point on, we are treated to the daily life of these islanders as well their legends, their strong familial ties but open ideas of love and marriage as Materena prepares for her marriage. Materena is obsessed with love and seeks to have Pito recognize her in a meaningful way. Pito disdains and mocks marriage but as the story progresses he realizes how much Materena means to him and his life and while he is no “catch,” the bonds of 12 years of living together are something he doesn’t want to break. The title of the book comes from a tree that offers Tahitian families food in times of scarcity. So, too, do the bonds of love and friendship give “food” to families as evidenced in the book. The beauty of this book is in its simplicity and looking at everyday life for what it is: savoring family, friends, children, and love. There are many laughs in the reading and you come to love this family.
October 16, 2018
Vous voulez être dépaysés tant par l'écriture que par le sujet, je vous le conseille, les yeux fermés
C'est une plongée dans la vie quotidienne et familiale des îles fin des années 70... Une immersion dans leur culture avec les rites, les légendes mais aussi la vie moderne et l'influence française.
C'est un langage de tous les jours, une écriture parfois un peu naïve mais toujours maîtrisée avec des mots qui sonnent le paradis tahitien ( le lexique à la fin du livre vous aidera à tout comprendre)
Laissez vous le temps de l'adaptation et vous serez emportés ce roman un peu inclassable selon nos critères... Tellement loin de ce qui s'écrit en Europe ou en Occident.
C'est une bouffée d'oxygène
Ce n'est pas dénué d'humour, les personnages sont attachants parce qu'ils nous parlent, nous ressemblent parfois...
Ce sont des tranches de vie avec comme fil rouge, une demande en mariage qui n'en est pas une...
C'est l'histoire de Materena et Pito, le père de ses trois enfants et de leurs familles envahissantes certes mais indispensables à leurs vies...
C'est une trilogie mais le roman peut se lire comme un One Shot.
C'est une plongée dans la vie quotidienne et familiale des îles fin des années 70... Une immersion dans leur culture avec les rites, les légendes mais aussi la vie moderne et l'influence française.
C'est un langage de tous les jours, une écriture parfois un peu naïve mais toujours maîtrisée avec des mots qui sonnent le paradis tahitien ( le lexique à la fin du livre vous aidera à tout comprendre)
Laissez vous le temps de l'adaptation et vous serez emportés ce roman un peu inclassable selon nos critères... Tellement loin de ce qui s'écrit en Europe ou en Occident.
C'est une bouffée d'oxygène
Ce n'est pas dénué d'humour, les personnages sont attachants parce qu'ils nous parlent, nous ressemblent parfois...
Ce sont des tranches de vie avec comme fil rouge, une demande en mariage qui n'en est pas une...
C'est l'histoire de Materena et Pito, le père de ses trois enfants et de leurs familles envahissantes certes mais indispensables à leurs vies...
C'est une trilogie mais le roman peut se lire comme un One Shot.
May 8, 2022
It took me a while to get into this one, but I think that’s partly because I had no idea what to expect, and I was just coming off of reading The Girl on the Train, followed by The Guest List (both unexpectedly similar to each other, and both 100% different from Breadfruit).
Breadfruit is kind of slow-paced and cozy, and really let’s you get to know each of the characters. By the end, I could say that I truly enjoyed it, and will seek out the other two books when I’m looking for another low-drama, comfortable look into Materena’s life in Tahiti. Materna feels very real, and is someone I would like to be friends with; very caring and genuine, but she’s not too perfect - she has her flaws and quirks too.
I tried to make sure I was reading the first of the three books first (because that’s how I roll!), and this one is listed on Goodreads as #1, but it looks like maybe Frangipani is actually the first(?). Thankfully, it didn’t seem to matter much; Breadfruit stands solidly on its own.
(2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book by a Pacific Islander author)
Breadfruit is kind of slow-paced and cozy, and really let’s you get to know each of the characters. By the end, I could say that I truly enjoyed it, and will seek out the other two books when I’m looking for another low-drama, comfortable look into Materena’s life in Tahiti. Materna feels very real, and is someone I would like to be friends with; very caring and genuine, but she’s not too perfect - she has her flaws and quirks too.
I tried to make sure I was reading the first of the three books first (because that’s how I roll!), and this one is listed on Goodreads as #1, but it looks like maybe Frangipani is actually the first(?). Thankfully, it didn’t seem to matter much; Breadfruit stands solidly on its own.
(2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book by a Pacific Islander author)
March 29, 2022
I wanted to like this book. While it had well drawn characters and plenty of charm I thought it lacked momentum. Each chapter could almost stand alone. Nothing seemed to build on anything. It's not till the last two chapters that the plot comes together, but so much of the book feels like an unnecessary diversion. I wasn't really convinced by the ending. Why does Matarena say no to marriage for six months when she had apparently wanted it throughout the story? And what does she find desirable about her all but useless bloke?
One thing this book did was get me to think about marriage and how easy it is to be a useless, uncaring husband/partner, completely unaware of the woman's hopes and needs.
One thing this book did was get me to think about marriage and how easy it is to be a useless, uncaring husband/partner, completely unaware of the woman's hopes and needs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2025
Sometimes you read a book and the characters resonate with you, even if they live different lives and perhaps in far-off places. I adored Materena immediately upon meeting her in this Tahitian novel. She is strong, resourceful, and funny. She shares children with Pito, although like many islanders they remain unmarried. One-night Pito is drunk and asks Materana to marry him so she has to decide how to handle this. This book is funny and heartwarming while exposing us to life among a colonized people. I highly recommend this book. I plan to continue with the next one sometime.
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