Traitor
Daisley, StephenThis is an extraordinary New Zealand story: from the shores of Gallipoli and the horrors of the Western Front, then home to rural New Zealand. At its heart is David Monroe; soldier, pacifist, conscientious objector, stretcher bearer, shepherd. The strong characterisation, sparse writing style and taut plot combine to create a beautiful yet tragic story of war and love. [Larger font]
Comments from Groups
A very well written book told in a series of flashbacks spanning nearly 50 years of a man's life. A sad, compassionate and tragic story. All our group loved this book. Auckland 037 Mixed responses to this book. Most chose to finish the book and were pleased they did. Some poetic imagery. Christchurch 312 Not a popular choice, some could not finish it. Brightwater 001 This book left most of us a little stunned. We found the style of writing difficult to follow and the war segments distressing. Te Pahu 001 One member said it was the best and most moving description of the effects of war she has ever read. It was an emotional journey. Mixed feedback regarding the format of the book; the constant changing of time periods challenged some. Whitby 003
Pages
295
295
Year
2010
2010
Reviews
13-04-2023
Most members thought Traitor was a stunning first book. Some felt it dragged a bit in the middle. We all found it very evocative. The descriptive writing was very good. The sense of place and time were strong. The beauty of the Sufi's words and acts contrasted and showed up the brutality of war.
16-02-2022
We all enjoyed it more than we expected to. It threw up a lot of issues. Might have been interesting to have a man in our group to discuss with.
16-02-2022
Most found this a very powerful, emotional portrayal of war and its far-reaching effects on soldiers, their families and their communities. Rated 4/5 by all but 2 members who either did not finish the book, or who did not like it.
16-02-2022
Beautifully written and very moving descriptions, especially of the remote areas of the North island of N.Z. The compassion David Munroe showed to Mahmoud, was extremely touching. Mahmoud gave a voice to the poetry in David's soul. Excellent.
16-02-2022
A fascinating picture of the meeting of two cultures, and the horrors of war with its aftermath of personal and psychological issues.
16-02-2022
Mixed reviews. Some people enjoyed the story, characters, and especially the N.Z. content. Others disliked the graphic content.
16-02-2022
A memorable book, evocative, sensitive and quite beautiful writing.
16-02-2022
Some found it difficult to get into, but all enjoyed the story very much.
16-02-2022
It had great potential but failed to deliver. Several of our group members gave up as they found the time changing and lack of punctuation very challenging.
16-02-2022
Most of us loved this book, and thought it was the best book of the year so far. Very good book to talk about.
16-02-2022
A sad story but beautifully written. Appropriate for the month when we commemorate ANZAC Day. A number of our members didn't get past the first few pages, but those who finished the book were pleased that they had. David's life as it moved backwards and forwards through the book, created a story of love and loneliness. His experiences during WWI were raw and at times ugly, and gave us a sense of what it was really like for the young men who went off expecting adventure. Those members who read the book were touched by the character David, and his experiences, and highly recommended it.
16-02-2022
Most enjoyed the book. Three did not. Lack of punctuation marks was a big cause.
16-02-2022
Very moving tale of after-war trauma.