Simie Simpson reviews Charlie Tangaroa and the God of War, Tania Roxborogh’s sequel to the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year winning Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea.
I feel like this review could be summed up in one word. Dang.
Charlie Tangaroa was a wild ride and I am sad it has ended, satisfied with the ending, keen for more and super stoked that I can now circle back to the first book and start this journey all over again. I never normally read series out of order; it doesn’t make sense to me how people can do this (you monsters), so I was a little reluctant to review the second book in the series as I knew I wouldn’t have time to read the first. I can assure you this is a fully formed, complete read. Just enough is explained so you understand Charlie’s backstory and the context of current events without making you feel like you know too much to go back. While you don’t have to have read the first in the series, why wouldn’t you? This book is worth laying the foundations for.
Charlie is a wonderful character—he has a good heart and strong moral compass. He’s a ‘good’ kid but not so good he will annoy you or feel unrealistically perfect. He might be a kōmitimiti (of mixed parentage) with powers but he still harasses his younger brother at times. I can’t fault the characters in this book, at all—they are largely likeable and definitely believable. Charlie, Mere, Grandpa, Robbie, Paketai and Charlie’s friends are all characters you want to return to and follow in further adventures. Some characters will have you guessing as to whether they are all that they seem, while others are thoroughly unpleasant. The characterisation is very skillful and even minor characters who are lightly drawn leave you in no doubt about who they are.
Māori mythology is not so much woven through this story, but one of the pou that hold it together.
While running an errand, Charlie, Robbie and Mike find Cole, a scientist, has been stabbed. They quickly realise he has uncovered something important that may impact everyone in their town. Charlie, Grandpa, Robbie and Paketai set out to find what has been unearthed, help save the town and deal with feuding atua, sketchy mining operations, ponaturi and patupaiarehe. This was a fast paced adventure that will have you cancelling appointments to finish.
There is nothing wrong with a story that is ‘just’ a fast paced adventure read—they skim along the surface and are exciting, enjoyable reads. However, Charlie Tangaroa and the God of War is more than an adventure or mystery. Māori mythology is not so much woven through this story, but one of the pou that hold it together. Matauranga Māori is explained by characters and the reader inevitably learns more about Māori mythology and tikanga as Charlie does. There are themes of family—Charlie’s relationship with his ponaturi father, Paketai, and his worry about his brother Robbie leaving for Auckland are threads that continue throughout the story while the adventure is in full swing.
Sometimes in books you can tell the author has a message to deliver and this can come across as heavy handed and didactic. Rather than whacking readers around the chops with environmental, political and moral messages, Charlie Tangaroa will leave kids to think about what is being said, to encourage them to question the status quo and the motives of those in power and even those who may appear to be fighting for the same things as yourself. Tolerance and allowing for differing points of views is a strong message throughout. Kaitiakitanga, environmental themes and what is good for iwi, communities and the country are also incorporated into this story seamlessly.
I was thinking about the wide audience base for this book as I read it (I mean, apart from adults who read kids books). I reckon anyone from a good junior reader to 14 year olds would love this story. There’s nothing graphic or age inappropriate for younger readers but it has enough layers and depth for older readers. Fans of Percy Jackson, Alex Rider, mysteries, adventure stories, mythology, and books about Aotearoa are natural readers for the Charlie Tangaroa series—it has it all. And while there are elements of all these stories that will appeal to readers of them, make no mistake, Charlie Tangaroa is unique and in a league of its own. It is also very cinematic—you can absolutely imagine this as a movie or tv series as you read it. Someone make that happen, please.
I reckon anyone from a good junior reader to 14 year olds would love this story.
The illustrations by Laya Mutton-Rogers are wonderful; they are beautiful and gave me all the feels. I am not sure if it is the nostalgia they evoke, reminding me of books I read as a kid; or that I’m feeling a bit ripped off at how there are never illustrations in adult fiction. I could have had a few more of them, but they were spaced out enough to be a pleasant surprise each time—like a goldfish I had forgotten about them, and every time I came across one I was like, ‘oooh illustrations!’. Don’t judge me; it’s the end of the year, my brain is tired.
One thing I want to address with the author here is the dog. Without giving you any spoilers, I can say that I spent so much of this book in fear for Old Pete’s dog, Jackson, as someone was going around shooting dogs and Jackson went missing. This is way too much canine related anxiety for me in one book and I frequently had to stop myself skimming to find out what happened to Jackson. Is the dog okay, you ask? You’ll have to read it to find that out for yourself.
Simie Simpson
Simie Simpson (Te Ati Awa) has worked in the New Zealand book industry for almost two decades, as a librarian, a sales manager for Walker Books New Zealand and a bookseller. She is the programmes manager for Read NZ Te Pou Muramura.