The Bone PeopleThe Bone People
Score Classic
What it's about
On the harsh South Island coast of New Zealand, Kerewin Holmes, a reclusive painter convinced that to care for anything is to invite disaster, finds a mute six-year-old boy, Simon, in her tower home. Through him she meets his foster father, Joe, a Māori factory worker. The three outcasts, of mixed Māori and European heritage, form a fierce, fragile bond, which is tested by violence and secrets.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Booker Prize in 1985. It's an extraordinary, demanding book that blends Māori myth with modern life.
You'll love it if you liked
The God of Small Things
A Little Life
BelovedGood to know
Its style is unconventional, with Māori words and shifting perspectives. It contains disturbing scenes of child abuse.
By the numbers
- Readers84 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller12 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #41 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #112 of the 762 classics we rank
- #348 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Bone People worth reading?
Yes. It won the Booker Prize in 1985. It ranks #348 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Bone People about?
On the harsh South Island coast of New Zealand, Kerewin Holmes, a reclusive painter convinced that to care for anything is to invite disaster, finds a mute six-year-old boy, Simon, in her tower home. Through him she meets his foster father, Joe, a Māori factory worker. The three outcasts, of mixed Māori and European heritage, form a fierce, fragile bond, which is tested by violence and secrets.
How long does it take to read The Bone People?
About 11 hours (450 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Bone People won?
Booker Prize winner (1985).
What should I read after The Bone People?
If you liked it, try The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara or Beloved by Toni Morrison.