Auē (Becky Manawatu, Scribe)

Auē is a heartbreaking yet gripping drama about a family living amid intergenerational domestic violence and gang warfare on New Zealand’s South Island. At its heart, the book is the story of two brothers—eight-year-old Ārama and his older brother Taukiri, who are left effectively as orphans after their father is murdered and their mum goes into hiding. Their situation is compounded by Taukiri’s decision to leave his younger brother with their Aunty Kat and Uncle Stu while he tries to work through his grief alone. Unbeknown to him, Kat herself is living a life of misery at the hands of her violent husband. Ārama’s longing for his brother, and Taukiri’s guilt for abandoning him, make for painful reading. Just as tragic is the retelling of their parents’ story, one that begins so happily for the couple, but in the end can’t escape the violent ghosts of their past. Despite the misery faced by its characters, the book maintains a sense of hope: the brothers channel their culture and their designation as river warriors. The relationship between Ārama and his new neighbour Beth is particularly tender, with both children trying and often failing to fit into the unique, changing conditions of their lives. Becky Manawatu’s debut novel, first published in New Zealand in 2019 to wide acclaim and since winning numerous awards, stands out for its stark yet careful approach to depicting confronting and uncomfortable subjects. It’s reminiscent of Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain and Romy Ash’s Floundering in its exploration of tragedy through the innocent eyes of a child.

Brad Jefferies is the digital editor of Books+Publishing.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews