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Conrad Cooper's Last Stand
Set in the 1970s in Auckland when the Bastion Point Maori protests were going on. Conrad is a Pakeha boy who reads about Tane, Maori god of the forests, and starts 'praying' to Tane to help with his family situation - mother lives with a control-freak policeman. Conrad gets the idea that he would like to become a Maori, just like his neighbour who came from Ireland has just become a New Zealand citizen. He wants to know about Bastion Point but no-one will explain it to him clearly so he goes up there to ask a man who used to teach at the school.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 24, 2015
This new novel from the award winning Leonie Agnew is set in New Zealand in 1978 - the time of the Bastion Point occupation by Maori. The NZ government had decided that this land was not being used by the local iwi so they would take it for themselves. Local Maori camped out on the land and were eventually evicted - Pulled off one by one by the police.
But although this was a serious issue in NZ history and the general theme is also serious, this is a funny novel and the fact that Leonie is a teacher, shines through. The kids in this novel are so natural and say the most hilarious things. You'll have to read it to see what I mean. Conrad is a likeable character dealing with a over-bearing, control freak of a step dad who (I think) is very close to using violence to get his own way. Conrad's mum is like so many mums, stuck in a never-ending rut with seemingly no way out. (No job or skills to get one. No security for her and her son - so she stays.)
At the beginning of the novel, Conrad decides Tane (the maori god of the forest) would be a good god to ask to help him out with his family problems. After all, not many people know about Tane, so he won't be so busy. But even after several people tell him Tane isn't real, Conrad continues to ask questions. Why can't he talk to Tane if he is a Pakeha? Why does the colour of his skin matter? When he goes to ask Mr Kelly (a maori teacher from his school) about it, he gets even more confused. And the fact that Mr Kelly is one of the protesters/occupiers of Bastion Point, makes things even more complicated. Especially when his step-dad Baz is a policeman and against the occupation in the first place.
I enjoyed this even more than Leonie's Super Finn, but thought the retro mentions throughout the book will be more enjoyed by adults than the intended readership.
But although this was a serious issue in NZ history and the general theme is also serious, this is a funny novel and the fact that Leonie is a teacher, shines through. The kids in this novel are so natural and say the most hilarious things. You'll have to read it to see what I mean. Conrad is a likeable character dealing with a over-bearing, control freak of a step dad who (I think) is very close to using violence to get his own way. Conrad's mum is like so many mums, stuck in a never-ending rut with seemingly no way out. (No job or skills to get one. No security for her and her son - so she stays.)
At the beginning of the novel, Conrad decides Tane (the maori god of the forest) would be a good god to ask to help him out with his family problems. After all, not many people know about Tane, so he won't be so busy. But even after several people tell him Tane isn't real, Conrad continues to ask questions. Why can't he talk to Tane if he is a Pakeha? Why does the colour of his skin matter? When he goes to ask Mr Kelly (a maori teacher from his school) about it, he gets even more confused. And the fact that Mr Kelly is one of the protesters/occupiers of Bastion Point, makes things even more complicated. Especially when his step-dad Baz is a policeman and against the occupation in the first place.
I enjoyed this even more than Leonie's Super Finn, but thought the retro mentions throughout the book will be more enjoyed by adults than the intended readership.
September 22, 2014
When ten year old Conrad finds out about Tane, the Maori god of the forest, he decides to pray to him in the hopes that Tane will fix some of his family problems. Of course, being Pakeha this is met with all sorts of reactions from his friends, family, and teachers. Conrad Cooper’s Last Stand, by Leonie Agnew is set in Auckland in 1978, at the time of the Bastion Point occupation. Told from the point of view of Conrad narrating to Tane, the book is a touching, funny tale that has surprising complexity.
I say this because although the book is aimed at 8-10 year olds, you almost need to be an adult to appreciate it. Conrad takes everything literally (as many children do at that age), and many of the jokes will go right over children’s heads. For adults though, it is a pleasure to read, and I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions.
Read the rest of my review on NZ Booklovers
I say this because although the book is aimed at 8-10 year olds, you almost need to be an adult to appreciate it. Conrad takes everything literally (as many children do at that age), and many of the jokes will go right over children’s heads. For adults though, it is a pleasure to read, and I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions.
Read the rest of my review on NZ Booklovers
April 2, 2022
I can see why this text was selected for a New Zealand Read Aloud by intermediate school teachers.
I love Conrad's innocent desires to make his life better and to understand it, all the while following the rules (especially if not doing so will land him in trouble)! Right from the get go it is humorous: 'Dear Tane, I've never prayed to a god, so hope this is okay. If I get it wrong, don't strike me down with a thunderbolt or anything - I'm just a kid. There's no jail for kids, just grownups, so maybe gods have the same rules, like it doesn't count until you're sixteen. Hope so.'
It's a story about discovery, mythology, stepfathers, love, discipline, fear, honesty, land ownership, mana, mislaid yet well meaning plans, caring neighbours, and concussion.
As a reader of a certain age, I related to the comment on the level of Maori taught at school 'I can sing "Oma Rapeti" and count to ten' as well as the trip to the corner dairy where Conrad bought a single 'orange-flavoured K-Bar' and selected various one-cent lollies, 'Can I have two milk bottles, one of those spearmint leaf thingies, a milkshake lolly...'
The ending perfectly blended the myth with Conrad's life and helped the reader understand that some relationships benefit from change.
I love Conrad's innocent desires to make his life better and to understand it, all the while following the rules (especially if not doing so will land him in trouble)! Right from the get go it is humorous: 'Dear Tane, I've never prayed to a god, so hope this is okay. If I get it wrong, don't strike me down with a thunderbolt or anything - I'm just a kid. There's no jail for kids, just grownups, so maybe gods have the same rules, like it doesn't count until you're sixteen. Hope so.'
It's a story about discovery, mythology, stepfathers, love, discipline, fear, honesty, land ownership, mana, mislaid yet well meaning plans, caring neighbours, and concussion.
As a reader of a certain age, I related to the comment on the level of Maori taught at school 'I can sing "Oma Rapeti" and count to ten' as well as the trip to the corner dairy where Conrad bought a single 'orange-flavoured K-Bar' and selected various one-cent lollies, 'Can I have two milk bottles, one of those spearmint leaf thingies, a milkshake lolly...'
The ending perfectly blended the myth with Conrad's life and helped the reader understand that some relationships benefit from change.
April 6, 2022
This book is really interesting with it set in an actaul place and it is not made up. It started off really boring but later through it started to get really interesting, cause it was set in 1976 and it went on for 506 days and ended in 1978. 222 people were arested
November 23, 2023
Brilliant and heart breaking.
August 23, 2024
This book and Conrad will forever have a special place in my heart! I love the way this story was told. Conrad is so funny, so innocent!
October 17, 2023
So nice to read a book set in New Zealand, about distinctly kiwi characters and local issues.
The book captures the atmosphere of Auckland in 1978 perfectly (as I remember it). It addresses important issues such as racial injustice and domestic violence, which are dealt with skillfully and with a sense of humour.
The author has created complex and memorable characters in Conrad, his wild buddy Jasper, feisty Susie, endearing Mrs O'Leary, Mr Kelly the teacher/come Maori activist, Conrad's scary stepdad, and his down-trodden mum - characters so real they reminded me of people I had known in my own life.
The plot was intriguing, and kept me guessing through to its satisfying conclusion.
I think this is a great book for kids, because it's funny but not superficial, and parents are likely to enjoy it too.
The book captures the atmosphere of Auckland in 1978 perfectly (as I remember it). It addresses important issues such as racial injustice and domestic violence, which are dealt with skillfully and with a sense of humour.
The author has created complex and memorable characters in Conrad, his wild buddy Jasper, feisty Susie, endearing Mrs O'Leary, Mr Kelly the teacher/come Maori activist, Conrad's scary stepdad, and his down-trodden mum - characters so real they reminded me of people I had known in my own life.
The plot was intriguing, and kept me guessing through to its satisfying conclusion.
I think this is a great book for kids, because it's funny but not superficial, and parents are likely to enjoy it too.
January 30, 2015
I was intrigued by the setting of this book. I really don't know enough about Bastion Point and always find that reading fiction is a great way to get more of a feel for history that I can then attach to non-fiction accounts.
In addition, I wanted to see how a young pakeha NZ author would deal with racism and the attitudes of the very early 1980s while writing in NZ in the 2010s, while still keeping an accurate voice. I was also intrigued by Conrad's praying to Tane - I wanted to see how that worked without being appropriative.
From my privileged pakeha perspective I think Leonie Agnew did a really good job. Conrad, with the very naivety of his voice, exposes much of the racism, sexism and agism of the time. It's a damn good story too, with the parallel of Gaz taking over Conrad's mother and home, and Conrad trying to beak them free.
In addition, I wanted to see how a young pakeha NZ author would deal with racism and the attitudes of the very early 1980s while writing in NZ in the 2010s, while still keeping an accurate voice. I was also intrigued by Conrad's praying to Tane - I wanted to see how that worked without being appropriative.
From my privileged pakeha perspective I think Leonie Agnew did a really good job. Conrad, with the very naivety of his voice, exposes much of the racism, sexism and agism of the time. It's a damn good story too, with the parallel of Gaz taking over Conrad's mother and home, and Conrad trying to beak them free.
April 18, 2014
An interesting idea and I can quite understand Conrad's confusion about the political Maori protest action, issues of cultural appropriation etc. I'm going to pass on to a Maori teacher to find out his opinion about how the Maori issues are dealt with here. I recognised odd things that were in the text relating to the 1970s but I wonder if things like Dukes of Hazzard will mean anything to the children reading the book. Interesting issues, particularly Conrad's slow realisation that there's not something wrong with him for not getting on with his step-father, I'm just not entirely convinced that children will comprehend the other very big issues here.
December 26, 2014
This book was written by the teacher who runs our school book club. I read it for the first time a couple of days ago and I thought that it was a good and very in depth story about this kid who is having troubles at home and he learns a bout a Maori god called Tane Conrad starts telling Tane about his troubles. I think that this is a great book and I highly recommend it even if you are not into children's books just read this one it will make you look at life in different ways. It sure did for me.
July 26, 2023
Conrad Cooper is discovering that the world is not simple to navigate. With a manipulatively controlling aggressive step-father to contend with life is like walking on eggshells. The Bastion Point occupation to reclaim stolen land has racial tensions high. For a boy who takes thing literally, misunderstandings abound. Funny, sad with well drawn characters I really enjoyed this book. To really gain from issues raised in this book, I recommend for 11y+.
March 21, 2015
A bit slow to start but turned into an excellent story. Written in the 1st person present tense narrative style which took a bit of getting used to but soon got into the flow
March 29, 2019
This time I read it to my class. An excellent read aloud.
July 29, 2015
Nothing short of brilliant!!! Highly recommended for ages 10-adult. Wonderful, poignant & funny story beautifully written.
June 5, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book as it helped me understand a local event in a way that I was able to digest easily.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews