Synopsis from Goodreads:
When fourteen-year-old Jordan and her younger brothers learn they'll have to ride a rickety plane home for the holidays, they're a little scared. But when it crashes on a wild and deserted peninsula in New Zealand, they are completely terrified. And injured. Worst of all, they're completely alone. Or are they? Whose voice is Jordan hearing telling her what to do next?
Two hundred years ago, a hunter, Jordan's age, slave to Maori warriors hunting for the Moa bird, is in a dangerous spot, as well. He has the gift of sight, but what is the strange silvery bird that he sees crashing into the sea? And who is the girl with golden hair who is in trouble? He needs to escape the warriors, but he is driven to help the girl. If she will only listen. . . .
In this suspenseful, captivating book, renowned author Joy Cowley brings two very different worlds together, giving us a rare glimpse at the remarkable human spirit that connects us all.
My notes:
This is an exciting story that will grip the reader. The ending is a relief and Joy Cowley develops the characters and concludes the storylines and themes well.
There are some gore and violence in this book. The pilot is killed during the plane landing. He is impaled with a branch through his chest. His death and a dead body are mentioned numerous times. One of the brothers suffers an injury to his shoulder where a branch has to be removed. A gaping wound remains. Later Jordon has to cut, drain, suck and clean this wound. Jordon also suffers a serious cut to her head. Blood is mentioned a lot. Hunter is involved in the hunt for a moa. A moa is found, killed and dismembered. He finds the body of the moa and describes the remains. He buries the body.
Hunter, the Maori boy has a gift from the gods called the gift of sight. He sees visions and can sense what is ahead. It is what makes him an excellent hunter. With this gift, he is able to see across time. He sees Jordon and her brothers crash land on the beach and he is able to communicate thoughts to Jordon to help her make the right decisions to survive. Other spirituality includes prayers of thanks before eating, burying the dead, hunting, and mentions of Maori gods and legends. This book is an excellent example of the everyday life of ancient Maori.
Like many books written today for young people, the reading level is low. I felt the book content was definitely 12+, but the reading level was much lower. This book may help a reluctant reader.
If you are looking for a book about New Zealand history, especially Maori culture and history pre-European settlement, then this is a good pick.