Mutuwhenua

The full title of this 1978 novel is Mutuwhenua: When the Moon Sleeps, and is by Maori author Patricia Grace. It was her first full length novel - albeit only a short 155 pages long. Mutuwhenua is the Maori name for the last day of the cycle of the moon. Typically it is thought of a day of particularly bad luck.

Some spoilers below, but the bulk is mentioned in the blurb on the book, and in the GR listing.

The book tells the story of the life and then marriage of Ripeka, a young Maori woman to a Pakeha (white New Zealand) man - Graeme. Ripeka has chosen a European name for herself - Linda.

The novel explores identity and sacrifice in relationships. Having this written from a Maori perspective was unique at the time of publication (and perhaps still is).

Ripeka/Linda has to stand up to her family in order to pursue her relationship with Graeme, but they eventually understand they need to evolve their views in order that they don't drive her away, in the same way her cousins have all left the family and live elsewhere, unwilling to return. After they are married, the must move for Graeme's work (as a school teacher), and when Linda falls pregnant she re-evaluates the European way she is living, away from her family support, and is tormented by nightmares. Through all this her love for Graeme and his love for her remain strong, but she struggles to share her inner fears and thoughts, despite her mothers urging to discuss it with him.

In the final act of the book Ripeka/Linda leaves her baby with her mother to be raised by the extended family, and it is clear that to is Graeme who must make the cultural adjustment, not her. Typically in novels (and life) we see the Maori making the cultural adjustment towards Pakeha life, so this is a novel that turns that on its head.

This is a novel that leaves gaps the reader has to fill in. It jumps to a new situation which is alluded to but not explained. I found myself flicking back a couple of pages at times to check what I missed, only to find I had missed nothing. This was clever, as there was enough context, but there were a couple of leads in the story not pursued (or I didn't pickup the explanation) - at one point a twin is mentioned, and I expected explanation of this later in the novel, but if it was there I missed it. Notwithstanding this, it was a quick and thought provoking read.

4 stars