Rachel Zilkey > Recent Status Updates

‘She even taught me to like the vines and roots and bluffs and boulders that got in my way, and suddenly they’d be behind me and nice to have known you. You walk lighter on the land when you like the land you walk on, and you can see your way through a tangle of vines or a heap of rocks or a tricky river before you even reach them. Distance becomes a different thing, too. And time.’ (p. 97-8)

'If you try to break off every twig and fern that gets in you way,' said Uncle Hec one day without looking round, 'you'll be worn away long before you've made any impression on the Urewera.' (p.67)

This book is such a great reminder about the value in the outdoors and nature with kids! Really savouring this one.

I can't get into this at the moment. Will aim to pick it up at a later time.

So very, very good!

Honestly, so far I could do without the Ivan/love interest plot, but very intelligent novel!

‘As human beings, our first commandment is:
Something needs to happen.’

Struggling. This ‘Rain’ character is supposed to be 15, but her dialogue and actions seem like that of a small child.

Wow, so good! Seriously so good.

I despise Ralph. After everything he has done, he has the guts to criticize Daphne, ‘Neurotic. He thought. ... He wasn’t sure she understood him. Perhaps her lack of education counted against her and she didn’t have the imagination. After all, she never studied anything, never acquired discipline or intellectual rigour.’ He goes on, but it makes me wonder what Daphne would have been like without Ralph.