56 pages 1 hour read

Alan Duff

Once Were Warriors

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990

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Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Alan Duff’s Once Were Warriors is a powerful narrative exploring the challenges faced by New Zealand’s Maori community. The novel’s raw and gritty portrayal of poverty, domestic violence, and cultural disintegration has been both praised for its authenticity and criticized for its bleakness. Readers appreciate Duff’s unflinching storytelling but note the heavy themes can be distressing.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Once Were Warriors?

Readers who appreciate gritty, raw explorations of societal issues and familial struggles will find Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff compelling. Fans of The Street by Ann Petry or The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz, which both delve into themes of cultural dislocation and resilience, would enjoy this profound narrative.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre
Historical Fiction
Modern Classic Fiction
Classic Fiction
Themes
Relationships: Family
Society: Community
Topics
Trauma / Abuse / Violence
History: World