The Mires, Tina Makereti (Review by Stacey Lorenson)

The Mires, Tina Makereti’s debut novel, deftly articulates realistic struggles of three mothers and their lives in Aotearoa, New Zealand, doing their best to build a better life for their families. The Mires provides an immersive examination of belonging, generational and cultural obstacles, hope, and preservation of our environment. Keri, single mother of Maori decent, has a teenage daughter, Waiere who finds solace communing with nature while grappling with her gift of empathic sight. Walty, her energetic four-year-old brother, is the first to make friends with their new next-door neighbors, Sera and Adam. Sera and Adam have been assigned their new flat by the government after surviving a rigorous 2-year immigration process. They guard their newly found safety as they transition from survival mode to learning the language and customs of their new country. Janet, an older Pakeha (white New Zealander), is trying to navigate the changing community around her. A longtime resident, Janet is known for her brusque opinions and gossipy observations of her neighbors. Her 30-year-old son, Connor, makes an abrupt reappearance in her life as he insists on moving back into the family home. Janet senses something is not quite right and Waiere’s intuition senses danger is near. Makereti skillfully depicts emigree experience, colonialism, and economic differences as she connects characters through human curiosity and a necessity for community. Each mother attempts to solve their feelings of loneliness and isolation. I enjoyed the gradual unfolding of this story as Sera, Janet and Keri dispel prejudices by finding common ground and a need for each other. The Mires is a very thought-provoking novel that tackles complex social issues making this an ideal selection for a book club.