Breadfruit

Celestine Vaite
Back Bay Books; Little, Brown and Company (2000)
ISBN 0316016586
Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (8/06)

“Breadfruit” is the tale of Tahitian woman, mother, and professional cleaner Materena Mahi.  It is the middle book in a trilogy about this heroine.  The first book is “Frangipani” and the expected third will be “Tiare”.  In this book, Materena is proposed to by her man Pito after thirteen years and three children together.  She does not take this drunken proposal too seriously, but it gets her thinking about marriage and how she would like to have a ring on her finger and a marriage certificate on the wall.

Author Celestine Vaite writes knowingly about Tahitian people and their ways as only someone who has had personal experience could.  She was born and grew up in Tahiti.  She fell in love with an Australian surfer at age sixteen, whom she married and followed to Australia where they now live with their four children. 

The story follows Materena as she broods over the thought of a wedding in silence.  This is not something she wants to put out on the “coconut radio”, the local term for the gossip chain.  In this small Tahitian village, Materena is constantly running into streams of cousins, aunts, and other friends and relatives.  The book links all of the stories they remember and share as they pass each other on the street or visit in each other’s homes.

Vaite’s writing style is simple and perfectly portrays the lifestyle of these Tahitian villagers.  My favorite part is the cultural lesson you get in a fun way.  She throws in native words and phrases among the English in a way that makes it possible to understand their meaning instantly.  The names of the characters and Tahitian words are so different and sing-songy, I was tempted to read the book aloud to really get into the flow.

“Breadfruit” was great as a stand alone book, but now that I know there are more I am eager to read the first and third starring Materena and her family.  This funny and fast-paced love story was a wonderful summer read.  As Materena would say, “Ah oui girlfriend, pick up a copy today!”

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