Book Review: The Axeman’s Carnival

The Axeman’s Carnival
by Catherine Chidgey
Review by Josh

Told through the eyes of the cunning, clever, witty and all-round delightful Tama the magpie, this book soars from the first page to the last. Set on a South Otago farm, baby Tama is saved by Marnie and brought home to her not-so-bird-friendly husband Rob.

Every aspect of farm life – long dry summers, sweaty days spent sheering sheep, beers on the front porch – is observed afresh and curiously askew through Tama’s vivid imagination. His avian perspective on the lives of the humans around him is utterly unique and thought-provoking, and the story’s uneasy, tense undertone throughout keeps you reading on.

A quintessential New Zealand tale, The Axeman’s Carnival is, like Tama, an absolute delight, brimming with ideas, critique and a fair amount of cheek.

You can listen to Josh’s review from RDU below: