The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

Whangara, New Zealand

This short novel tells the story of Kahu, a young girl from the Maori tribe of Whangara. She was the first child born of her generation, meaning that, if she were a boy, she would be slated to become chief. However, Maori customs do not allow for women chiefs, so the tribe must look elsewhere for their next leader.

This book does a good job of weaving Maori legend with the challenges of heading towards the 21st century. The Maori tribes' fates are interwoven with the fates of the whales and they both need a leader and savoir.

The book is quite short. The characters could have been better developed with a longer novel. You don't really get a sense of what is happening in the world other than of Kahu growing up (and the fact that her great-grandfather can't stand her). Regardless, it's a nice tale. You can really feel the love between the characters. The audiobook includes some Maori music, which provides a nice touch between chapters.

It's not a life-changing book, but it is a nice story. And anything that includes whales gets at least a B+ in my book. Apparently, I also used to really like the movie when I was younger, but I do not remember anything about it. I'll need to try to re-watch it after reading the book.

Review by the Numbers:

Overall: 4/5

Writing: 4/5

Plot: 4/5

Character Development: 2/5

Message: 3/5

- New Zealand (Reading My Way Around the World Challenge)

- A Book About Indigenous Experiences (My Diversity Challenge)

- A Book Set in Australia or New Zealand (Book Voyage Reading Challenge 2021)

- A Magical Realism Book (2021 PopSugar Reading Challenge)