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St Catherines College (Kilbirnie)

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gerripdai

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(2,510 pages read)

  • I Must Betray You

    By Ruta Sepetys
    5 stars

    An historical thriller set during the last months of the Ceausescu Regime and the first weeks of its overthrow in 1989. This story has the authority of an eyewitness account, but is absolutely page-turningly exciting - I read it in an evening. Seventeen-year-old Cristian is desperate to escape the brutal isolation, surveillance and punishment of the society that the regime has created, yet he also has been compromised, and this only adds to the pervasive mistrust and fear of his family and community. But finally there are the first whispered hints of resistance, and a growing hope for the overthrow of the dictatorship. This fictionalised history is fast paced and gripping and ultimately hopeful. A great read!

  • Darius the Great is Not Okay

    By Adib Khorram
    4 stars

    A YA book set largely in Iran. At high school in the US Darius struggles with a depression that exacerbates a deep sense of unease and awkwardness in the face of the all-too-predictable school social milieu. A visit to his mum's homeland introduces him to family and community, a rich cultural heritage and a life-changing friendship that together bring a new inner self awareness and strength.

  • East of Eden

    By John Steinbeck
    5 stars

    Epic narrative of two families set in the Salinas Valley, this is a story of the great themes of human existence - good and evil, courage and weakness, rejection and forgiveness, and the innate responsibility to craft our own responses to life's circumstances. Wonderful unforgettable characters.

  • He Korero - Words Between Us - First Maori Pakeha Conversations on Paper

    By Alison Jones, Kuni Jenkins
    4 stars

    Early Maori-Pakeha interactions via the written word - when European first began learning Te Reo and Maori were seeing their spoken language written down for the first time. The authors explore in some depth the implications of this jolt to a previous world view - whoever knew that the roll taken at Kendall's small school in Rangihoua could carry so much meaning. A great read!

  • If Not US

    By Mark Smith
    4 stars

  • We Don't Know Ourselves

    By Fintan O'Toole
    5 stars

    A very satisfying account of the recent history of Ireland by a writer who has clearly been researching, analysing and reflecting on his subject for years. Themes are positioned within their wider political, economic, religious and societal contexts and illustrated by anecdote and personal insight. History at its best - courageous, insightful and authoritative.

  • So Late in the Day

    By Claire Keegan
    5 stars

    ..the first hints of regret and insight. Beautifully written vignette.

  • Tangi

    By Witi Ihimaera
    4 stars

    The story of a young man and the unexpected loss of his father, the novel details the richness of the tikanga surrounding the tangi while also exploring the uncertainties of family members as they deal with changed realities.

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