Wairarapa College

95,164 pages read and 2,597 team points

Team members

Jane Ogilvie

4,034 pts

(3,127 pages read)

New Yorker magazine (weekly)

By Various

0 stars

Always illuminating long-form journalism. Especially interesting in the era of Trump and acolytes.
Orbital

By Samantha Harvey

5 stars

Gleaming and glorious prose.
Kataraina

By Becky Manawstu

5 stars

Incredibly powerful, deeply moving and a fitting companion to Aue. The way she weaves the story together is particularly impressive.the language is evocative and complex, but never feels forced.
Lessons in Chemistry

By Bonnie Garmus

3 stars

I really liked the dog.
Tell Me Everything

By Elizabeth Strout

5 stars

A wonderful exploration of relationships and the place of story. It has woven its way back into my thoughts often since reading it.
In Our Own Backyard

By Anne Kayes

4 stars

Cleverly constructed to bring together two major disrupters- 1981 Springbok Tour and the Covid lockdowns. Racist issues raised are particularly pertinent today… it reminded me that ‘history does not repeat, it rhymes’. Relationships are also a key focus. Sound research and great way to learn about- or remember - this pivotal period of NZ history.
Meet You At the Main Divide

By Justine Ross

4 stars

Jaunty writing and an absorbing story. So many challenging questions posed, lots of detail and wide ranging discussion of climate change and how we manage our land and food production, yet accessibly presented.
The Messenger

By Markus Zusak

2 stars

An interesting way to explore the idea of the Everyman Accidental Hero, with some funny and poignant moments. But so uneven… the plot was barely credible in places, I found the resolution unconvincing, and the prose often tortured. Reviewers praise the writing, but often it was leaden or overwrought. For example, at a romantic moment ‘her eyes dangled at him’. Really? The metaphors groaned and clunked, sometimes needing to be read again to make sense.
Nothing More to Tell

By Karen McManus

1 stars

Teen fiction. Totally forgettable. Will read the first in the series in case it is better.
The House of Doors

By Tan Twan Eng

5 stars

A convincing exploration of a range of relationships, as well as fascinating insight into an interesting historical period. As well as making me brush up on Chinese history, it had me re-reading Somerset Maugham. Rather convoluted structure and some leaden prose(although some magical descriptions as well) but still very engaging and rewarding.

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Wairarapa College

95,164 pages read and 2,597 team points

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