Patricia Grace takes you on a journey with Rua in Dogside Story. Rua is a 24 year old, one legged, Maori man living in a Maori only community. Rua has ostracised himself from the community by living in a remote “falling-down” house, ostensibly to give himself a “physical life”, to become self sufficient after his accident where he lost his leg. Despite this, he is heavily involved in community life and is the community’s main source of fish – he has a deep connection with the ocean and loves nothing better than to fish or collect crayfish from among the rocks.

In Dogside Story Rua comes to terms with a secret he has been carrying for years. During Rua's journey, Patricia Grace depicts a fascinating portrayal of modern day Maori culture – how the culture deals with modern laws which overshadow and conflict with Maori ancient laws, the importance of family, how the community works together, the connection with the sea and the importance of music. I loved this book from the first word to the last - it is beautifully written and has a very unique way of looking at the world. ( )

Set just before the turn of the millennium in 2000, Dogside Story takes place in a rural Maori community historically born of a family feud. The novel deals with family, using communication to resolve community problems, and the erosion of traditions as the younger people adopt the ways of the white people or move away to the cities. Storytelling is important to the community and many wonderful stories are woven into the narrative. I struggled with this book due to dialogue which is rich in accents and lingo as well as the large cast of characters who I found difficult to sort out. That of course is reader error and should not reflect poorly on this lyrical, insightful,and humorous novel. ( )