Loving Ways

A great read that tells the story of 3 siblings, Alan, May and David brought up by their father Robert Macpherson, a hard authoritarian father who views these children and their different mothers as nothing more than chattels. The children along with their respective mothers come into and leave the lives they led with Robert Macpherson as damaged people. The reader learns of their brutal upbringing and the trauma that stays with them throughout their lives. This trauma and the consequences of it come together with disastrous impact when as adults they come together as their aged father lies on his deathbed. The character of Robert Macpherson resonated with me as a reader and one cannot but help feel that Gee may have had experienced or show more researched well the effects of strict authoritarian parenting. show less

This is the story of a fractured family. It is narrated by the three children of Robert MacPherson, Alan, May and David. All three had different mothers and bear the scars of their childhood years. Robert once a tug master, now a retired orchardist is dying. He is nursed by May's daughter Heather who is also running the orchard. He asks her to contact his son Alan. Alan returns to the Nelson region after an absence of 35 years having had a successful army career but has never married. May, after troubled early years has achieved peace and happiness with Evan, as they work togethher in their pottery. However their brother David is a disturbed and angry man.
The tale builds, as the individual family members come together, resulting in a show more shockingly brutal act of violence. The story is in contrast against the indescribable beauty of the Nelson - Marlborough region.
This is Maurice Gee at his best. His wonderfully crafted characters, damaged and recognisable, create an empathy with the reader. show less