Talk:The Bone People

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I just capitalized the title

The title WASN'T CAPITALISED.

[edit] The Title

I own a copy, and it's capitalised. -- Greaser 04:03, 2 February 2006 (UTC)

If it isn't supposed to be capitalised then this article name is wrong. We need to move to "The bone people" and tell people that the article is actually called "the bone people". I wasted my time making edits. Skinnyweed 19:56, 1 March 2006 (UTC)

The correct title of the book is the bone people. Not in title case, as The Bone People. This was done, by the author for what she obviously felt wer valid reasons.

If you own a copy with the incorrect title, it is indeed a poor cousin.

Whether the title on the book itself uses initial capitals, no capitals at all or, in the case of the copy I own (Picador, 1985) is a matter of the publisher's - or even the graphic designer's - style and very unlikely to reflect the views of the author. Amended accordingly. specialknives 00:06, 9 August 2006 (UTC)

The author used title case for a reason - this had nothing to do with some graphic designer's whim. In NZ literary and academic circles, you will generally see the novel referred to, correctly, as the bone people, especially by those close to the book http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/subjects/nzp/nzlit2/hulme.htm http://www.vuw.ac.nz/staff/marian_evans/about-us/aboutus.html Amended accordingly Notalent (talk) 07:04, 25 December 2007 (UTC)

Kerewins cancer?

I just finished the book yesterday and as far as I can remember Kerewin doesn't know she has cancer until after she burns the tower down, unless of course I completely missed the point? She's not running from Simon and Joe because shes sick but they have all been separated and she wants to leave to get away from another mess like she did before. Anyway that's what I think maybe we should edit tht second paragraph of the summary. Drac90 15/8/06 9.50

[edit] Kerewin as a Self-Insertion Character / Mary Sue

I notice a prior version of the article contained: "Kerewin Holmes - Kerewin is a reclusive artist who is running away from her past. The character's name seems intentionally similar to the author’s. This could mean that the author wishes for some reason to draw parallels between herself and Kerewin. Kerewin also shares the author's appearance and lifestyle, but the character's realism and obvious flaws such as short-temperedness and alcoholism suggest that Kerewin is not a Mary Sue." But it's been removed.

That the character is a self-insertion of some sort is damn obvious to anyone who's seen the name, and it's one of the biggest examples I've seen in a recognised literary work. Not mentioning that it's a self-insertion, is trying to retain some scrap of modesty that the book doesn't have.

The only thing I'd question is the statement 'is not a Mary Sue', and the reasons given. Alcoholism and short-temperedness isn't a character flaw in the authors eyes, given that all the sympathetic characters in the book have no problem with it (same goes for smoking - a Doctor offers a Cigar to a 6-7 year old, if you've read it, and all the sympathetic characters think people are being a bit 'PC' for not letting a kid smoke or drink). If anything, the only flaw acknowledged in Alcoholism is having a hang-over, and 'Kerewin' generally drinks people under the table, and yet, doesn't. Let's not forget her expertise at any skill mentioned (architecture, herbalism, guitar, painting, carpentry, chess - is there anything she *isn't* good at? Why, no!), and her ability to handle 'at least 6 attackers' with ease, due to her elite Aikido skills. ;P C'mon, it's a gem! -- A. Nonymous, Wellington. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 222.154.238.36 (talk) 02:05, 3 March 2008 (UTC)