The Changeover in Kiwi Readers

May 29, 2016 P.D.R. Lindsay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s, childrens-classics

It angers me that Margaret Mahy, one of our greatest children's writers and beloved around the world, has so many books out of print and not even in e-book form. I hope her family are busy collecting back her texts from the various publishers and go it alone. I shouldn't have to find her good YA books in 2nd hand book shops.

'Changeover' is her first real YA novel and deals with her usual themes of love and caring and magic in the real world. She always said this was her first real New Zealand bo ...more

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Jul 18, 2018 Angela rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, coming-of-age, supernatural-paranormal, new-zealand-or-new-zealand-author, romance, sibling-relationships, marriage-divorce, mother-daughter, 1001-childrens-books, witches-witchcraft-witch-trials

The Changeover is Margaret Mahy at her best. I loved Margaret Mahy ever since I, like many other lucky kiwi kids, had the wonderful experience of hearing her read one of her stories aloud at the local library (sadly, I can’t recall which story she read to us now, but I do remember being captivated - maybe as much by her fluroscent wig and interesting clothing as the story itself, but still...) I read and enjoyed many of her stories during my younger years, but sadly for my younger self this was The Changeover is Margaret Mahy at her best. I loved Margaret Mahy ever since I, like many other lucky kiwi kids, had the wonderful experience of hearing her read one of her stories aloud at the local library (sadly, I can’t recall which story she read to us now, but I do remember being captivated - maybe as much by her fluroscent wig and interesting clothing as the story itself, but still...) I read and enjoyed many of her stories during my younger years, but sadly for my younger self this was my first reading of The Changeover.

The Changeover is a wonderfully descriptive story, alive with magic - it is a 'supernatural romance' but that is secondary to the story of the main character Laura and her love and devotion for her little brother Jacko, which brings her to access the magic and strength that largely already exists within herself through a 'changover' ceremony, in order to rescue him from a demonic creature who is after his youth and vitality and ultimately his life force. It sounds pretty grim, it is pretty grim in parts, but no more so than many of the fairy stories that sparked Mahy's imagination and eventually inspired this story. It also has some pretty important themes like choosing compassion over cruelty/ letting go and moving on rather than seeking revenge.

From a personal perspective, this book brought bucketloads of nostalgia even though as I have already stated I did not actually read this story during my childhood. But as a former 80s kid/90s teen from Christchurch, so much in this book felt so familiar, from Saturday shopping in New Brighton to Space Invaders at video game parlours, even Laura's family was just like the families of the kids I hung out with - most of us came from single parent or step families; lots of us had much younger or much older siblings, often had much younger sibs trailing behind us round the shops/parks/each other's houses while parents were at work/otherwise engaged; obviously none of us had mobile phones but quite a few didn't even have landlines and if we wanted to talk to each other outside of school hours we actually had to physically seek each other out. None of this would seem unfamiliar to anyone of my generation or up but much of it is quite foreign to my own youngsters. My kids have less freedom (but hey they also have much better tech and access to some very cool playgrounds like the amazing Margaret Mahy Playground!) Yet, miss 13 also enjoyed The Changeover so it isn't so dated that it can't still entertain those from younger generations.

4 and a half stars but I'll round it up to 5 as that is likely the rating I would have given it when I was the target age, and it is still a great read even for an adult reader. ...more

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