The Axeman’s Carnival by New Zealand author, Catherine Chidgey contains a novel twist to the trope of a stranger entering a family’s life and acting as a catalyst for change. The stranger in The Axeman’s Carnival is a magpie who is also the first-person narrator of the story.
The first sentence of the book put paid to my initial reluctance to read about a magpie. Its poetic description of how it felt to hatch from his egg, fall from the nest, and be rescued by human hands compelled me to read on to find out what happened to the bird and to enjoy more of Chidgey’s sensual prose.
The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey
Te Herenga Wake University Press, 2022, 346 pages.
ISBN: 978-1-77692-005-1
The magpie’s rescuer, Marnie, is married to a sheep farmer, Rob, a man of changeable moods. Rob is not happy when Marnie brings home the magpie, gives him a name (Tama) and installs him in the nursery prepared for a human baby.
In the early part of the novel, Tama tells how he came to learn about human ways and the world of the wild. He loves Marnie and mistrusts Rob. He imitates their speech and allows himself to be dressed up by Marnie who then displays him on social media.
All the while, Tama watches Rob prepare for the Axeman’s Carnival. Rob sharpens his blades and practises for the carnival showing an intensity and physical strength which adds to a mounting atmosphere of dread. The tension increases at the carnival at which younger, fitter axemen challenge Rob’s local supremacy. The climax is unforgettable.
I recommend this book for several reasons. One is the novelty of using a clever magpie as the narrator and hero of the book. I also admired the Chidgey’s descriptions of the New Zealand High Country and her knowledge of magpies which she incorporates seamlessly into the narrative. Finally, I enjoyed the humour created by Tama’s observations of humans, his inappropriate repetition of overheard language, and the tricks created by Marnie to entertain the magpie’s global audience.
The Axeman’s Carnival is a highly original take on themes of domestic violence and the strangeness of human behaviour in relation to social media.
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Great review. It captures authentic kiwi notes I think. I hope more people will ask their libraries to acquire it so the author can be more widely known.
Thanks so much for your positive comments. I agree that this author should get more attention in Australia. The Axeman’s Carnival is for sale through several Australian book stores and sites but I’m not sure whether it is widely available from libraries.
I’ll certainly be reading more of her work.
This was another outstanding Nz novel published last year Fiona Farrell’s The Deck
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-deck-9781776950003