The Bone People

THE BONE PEOPLE
by Keri Hulme

 Award: Booker Winner 1985

 Date Read: October 31, 2010

 The Bone People is an odd book and I read it long before committing to read all the award winners. It has haunted me ever since. This novel tells the story of a solitary woman, Kerewin, living on the coast in New Zealand who's life is turned upside down by a speechless boy, Simon, who simply appears one day. She subsequently becomes involved with Simon's foster father, Joe, who had rescued the boy from a shipwreck. Joe clearly loves Simon, yet he is plagued by alcoholism and is horrifically abusive.

 Interspersed with Maori mythology and legend, The Bone People was a heart wrenching novel of pain, loss and the unending search for love by tragically imperfect people. The symbolism runs deep throughout this story, from the shapes of Kerwin's houses, to the stark isolation of each of the main characters to the use of violence as a  desperate means of communication. 

 My heart literally broke for Simon, the boy in this story. Separated from his family through a shipwreck and so traumatized by that ordeal and witnessing a violent event, he is unable to speak and advocate for himself. Although he tries to reach out to Kerewin, he lacks the ability to communicate his frustration and pain, she kicks him out for breaking an heirloom. He suffers terrible abuse at the hands of Joe and his world is further upended by being sent to a children's home. Although Kerwin eventually steps up and takes Simon in, I feel like all the adults in this kid's life ultimately let him down. While the ending left the possibility for redemption and happiness, I continue to wonder if these characters are truly capable of overcoming their deficiencies to forge a life together. I really hope so.

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