Get Isle Of Tears Executed By Deborah Challinor Readable In Paperback

well written book about a period of New Zealand history of particular interest to me, The only slightly jarring note, for me, is the odd inaccurate use of Te Reo but I am nit picking as most would miss what annoyed me,

I will keep on the look out for others by this author The first half of this book is great, The second half was rushed and all over the place, But I loved Isla, and was pulling for her the whole time, A good read and a way of learning more about some of nz's history at the same time, I loved this book and could not put this down, a nice easy weekend read and beauitfully written piece of New Zealand history, I plan to read all the books from Deborah Challinor, Can't wait, What I love most about Deborah Challinor's writing, is her ability to tie in New Zealand's Maori heritage and early history of the English arrivals, with a really great story.
I've learnt so much more than I ever did during Social Studies at school! :

This book started so well and I was drawn into Isla's life from the very beginning, but then, close to the end, it sort of fizzled out.
It was as if the author had too much to get through and had been told to condense it downpages, Sadly, it affected the ending, making what could have been a great book into an okay one, At one stage, we'd left Isla who was in good health to take in another character's point of view, and the next time we saw her, she'd somehow broken her leg, but we hadn't been taken along on the journey to see how or even when exactly.
The information came through a secondary character's point of view that she had hurt herself, so it came as a shock to the reader and I was left feeling disconnected to her situation.


Still this was an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to this author's next one that's sitting on my bedside table, Enjoyed the history side of it as wanted to learn more about the maori wars, Did think the rest of it was a bit too far fetched for my liking, e, g. how could she know her way through heavy bush and get there so fast etc, Maybe that's me just being a bit picky, but it just didn't really ring true and spoilt my overall enjoyment of the book, I guess that's why I usually go for non fiction! Very interesting historical novel about a scottish girl who's parents are killed by pakeha during the Maori land wars.
. . adopted by a group of indigenous people she becomes pakehamaori and as a consequence embroiled in wars that dominated New Zealand history ins, A lot of factual information embedded into a story about tragedy and love in equal measure, I read this to complete areading challenge to fulfill the 'read something local' category and this is VERY local to me as the author is right here in the Waikato!.
I admit readily that I approached it with reluctance and, er, extreme reluctance at that, but was quickly won over by the writing style and the stunning historicity that was laid out with loving care.
I learned SO much about New Zealand'sth century wars and wept for the devastation that occurred, A good book. I'm very pleased it was recommended to me by my favorite librarians who helped me with offering suggestions for my reading challenge, Rolled along at a good pace, and was nice easy entertainment,

I feel I would have absolutely loved this book when I was aboutyears old, but my tastes have have changed a bit since then, and I found the substantial amounts of "tragedy" a little hohum Main character was likeable, but I didn't really connnect with her.
I just started reading this book and I am really enjoying it, I am halfway through it an have a hard time putting it down, This was better than I expected a good counterpoint to most European accounts of the New Zealand/Land/Maori Wars, and gave the impression that the author had done her research.
I agree with the other reviewers who thought that the ending felt rushed, to be fair there was a lot of story to get resolved in there! Definitely an enjoyable read.
I thought the cover art was very bland though just a generic epic romance cover big model head, vague scenery with little sense of the cultural background that was so interesting in the book! I'm not a great fan of historical fiction probably the only novels in that genre that I've read recently have been because they've been highly recommended by a friend or have been part of a groupread or challenge but, having said that, I do admire the enormous amount of research that goes into making one of these novels authentic.


Deborah Challinor is a successful author and a historian, and so I expected this to be wellwritten and engaging, and it was I very much enjoyed it.
It's set in thes when the New Zealand Land Wars began between the Maori, who had been the people of the land for over a thousand years, and the European settlers or should I say the European government and soldiers, and details thoroughly the deceit and political manouevrings and prejudice and greed.
Et cetera.

But we follow the life of Isla, a Scottish girl, eldest in the family of Agnes and Donal, immigrants who are eking out an existence well, a reasonable existence but they'll never get rich on the land in Taranaki.
When the parents are brutally murdered, Isla and her siblings, Niel, Jamie and Jean, first believe it to be the work of marauding Maori who then capture them and lead them far away.
They quickly are told, and eventually believe, that in fact the Maori are adopting them, knowing they would be unable to look after themselves,

And so they live with the Ngati Pono fictional and become immersed in their lives, Having no allegiance to the English and we know about the centuries of conflict between Scots and the English it's not at all difficult for them to do that.
And when their tribe joins in battle, Isla and Niel are actively involved,

Isla's story is a fascinating one, We journey with her through grief and love and so many new experiences, She's plucky and resourceful and also beautiful, which doesn't hurt at all in an adventurous novel with love and strife throughout and genuine in her feelings and reactions.
What a lovely heroine, and what an excellent book, It wasand Isla McKinnon, her brothers Niel and Jamie and sister Jean had a happy life, Living with their parents on their small farm

in New Zealand, where theyd been since leaving Scotland, and then four years in Australia, they had little money, but the produce from their farm, and Rosie the cow who supplied them with milk, meant they were content.
Until the day the children, and Laddie the dog, were herding Rosie home and heard gunfire their lives were never the same,

The local Maori, the Ngati Pono tribe, were their saviors when they took the children in, raising them as part of their family, The two youngest, twins, were sheltered by the women while Niel was taught to fight, and Isla as the eldest, matured and blossomed under Meres guidance, Tai was an important part of the tribe and his interest in Isla was obvious from the start, But when war was declared between the Maori and the British Colony, lives would once again change irrevocably,

Isle of Tears by Aussie/New Zealand author Deborah Challinor is another fascinating historical fiction novel which I thoroughly enjoyed, Isla is an excellent character, feisty, tough and determined to keep her family safe, while Mere is a gentle woman with a strength of character that made her looked up to by her tribe.
A wonderful story which I highly recommend, I really enjoyed this book and gave me a little insight to life in early NZ, Another genuinely good read from Deborah Challinor, Glad to have stumbled across it at the library,
An interesting perspective on the time around the New Zealand Wars, with a point of view highly sympathetic to Maori excellent,
Really loved Isla as a character, I love New Zealand history and historical fiction and Deborah Challinor blends both as the queen of this genre Isla McKinnon a young Scottish girl and her three siblings were taken by the Maori when her parents were brutally murdered.
The children thought they were being kidnapped but eventually find out that the Maori realise they are far too young to look after themselves and were taken into their community.
They were taught the Maori language and their way of life, Isla is chosen by a handsome young Maori to be his wife and are separated because of the New Zealand Land Wars which I'd never heard of before I read this book.
It was difficult to read with all the NZ names but well worth the struggle, I absolutely loved this book, It captivated me from the very first page and I loved the fact that it is based in New Zealand during the Maori land wars, Deborah Challinor is most definately my favourite NZ author, really good and moving book i really enjoyed it I really enjoyed this one great storyline, great characters, I liked learning about the aspects of early Maori culture, which i didnt previously know much about, I recommend reading this one, A vivid and compelling story of enduring love and divided families from one of our bestselling historical novelists,

When armed conflict drives a wedge between Maori and Pakeha, not everyone can choose sides easily, For Isla McKinnon, the choices are bitter, Taken in by local Maori when her parents are brutally murdered, she has grown to womanhood and taken a Maori husband, In a thrilling tale of love and loss from the land wars when simmering tensions between Maori and the encroaching Pakeha settlements exploded into bloody warfare love and trust are put cruelly to the test.
Separated from her husband and her family and restored to Auckland society, Isla must learn to survive in both worlds, Inevitably, she must decide between them, and lose part of her heart forever, AAA What a fantastic book, It had everything very moving Born in Huntly, she holds a PhD in New Zealand history from the University of Waikato, Challinor has worked as a fulltime writer and historian since, Primarily known for her historical novels, Deborah Challinors first published books were non fiction history books, including the best selling Grey Ghosts: New Zealand Vietnam Vets Talk About Their War Hodder Moa Beckett,.
Her first historical novel, Tamar, was published inand has been reprinted six times, Tamar is set in Auckland, Hawkes Bay and South Africa and covers the period fromuntil the Boer War, The series continues with White Feathersand Blue Smoke, Union Belletells the love story of a young woman caught up in thewaterfront strike, Born in Huntly, she holds a PhD in New Zealand history from the University of Waikato.
Challinor has worked as a fulltime writer and historian since, Primarily known for her historical novels, Deborah Challinors first published books were non fiction history books, including the best selling Grey Ghosts: New Zealand Vietnam Vets Talk About Their War Hodder Moa Beckett,.
Her first historical novel, Tamar, was published inand has been reprinted six times, Tamar is set in Auckland, Hawkes Bay and South Africa and covers the period fromuntil the Boer War, The series continues with White Feathersand Blue Smoke, Union Belletells the love story of a young woman caught up in thewaterfront strike, and Kittyis set in the Bay of Islands in nineteenth century New Zealand.
Both novels have been at the top of the New Zealand fiction bestseller list, Attention to historical detail is an important part of writing for Challinor, I base my novels on actual historical events, and its very important to me to research those events in depth and to present them accurately, she says, ing Union Belle in North and South magazine in April, Warwick Roger commented that: You can smell the beer and cigarette smoke in the public bar of the Huntly Hotel, hear the band at the Saturday night dances at the miners hall its a book I kept sneaking back to whenever I had a spare quarter hour, eager to advance the story.
Fire HarperCollins,, Challinor's seventh novel, is set in Auckland during the hype leading up to the royal visit of, but is based on the Ballantynes department store fire ofin Christchurch.
A powerful and dramatic story of passion, ambition and greed, it became a number one bestseller, Amber, the sequel to Kitty, was published later inand also became a bestseller, Amber opens in New Zealand in, on the eve of the Northern War in the Bay of Islands, in which Kitty is caught up, Sent to Auckland away from the fighting, Kitty encounters an orphaned part Maori girl she names Amber, Together they return to the Bay of Islands, where both Kitty must risk her own life to save Ambers, Isle of Tears HarperCollins NZ Ltd,is a story aboutyear old Scottish immigrant Isla McKinnon and her younger brothers and sister, When they are orphaned they are adopted by Taranaki Maori and become caught up in the wars in Taranaki, the Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, A revised edition of Challinors Grey Ghosts HarperCollins NZ was published in, This edition included a new chapter on how the New Zealand Vietnam veteran community has fared since the book was first published in, sitelink.