New Release

Ordinary People Like Us

Name: Ordinary People Like Us
Brand: Hachette New Zealand Ltd
SKU: 9781869718831
Price: 31.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Kelly Ana Morey

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Brief Description

The stunning final novel from one of New Zealand's finest writers. Ambitious, funny, wise and deeply affecting, Ordinary People Like Us calls to mind the immersive narratives of Elena Ferrante and Isabel Allende. 'And here I was thinking we were just ordinary people.' From the landscapes of the... Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$31⁹⁹

Elsewhere:

~~$37⁹⁹~~

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Ordinary People Like Us

$31⁹⁹

Elsewhere:

~~$37⁹⁹~~

Shirl's Pick

While reading this book I could feel the mauri from each character coming off the pages, Kelly Ana Morey created a book that felt truly epic and special. Sadly, during the process of editing the book, Kelly Ana Morey passed away in September 2025. Her friend and fellow author Catherine Chidgey along with editor Harriet Allan were asked by her kaitiaki if they could continue to edit on her behalf and I think they did an amazing job of completing this beautiful novel.

Ordinary People Like Us centers around five generations of Māori women from the 1940s to the late 1990s who, like the author, trace their whakapapa to the far north, in particular Te Hāpua. I’m usually in the Far North every summer so I loved having that personal connection. I loved getting to know Annie and her two daughters Jen and Lorna, reading their stories made me realise they are anything but ordinary, while also seeing how similar they all are and how they keep getting pulled back to the north to their Māori foundations.

I could see just how much research had gone into the book, particularly around the places and buildings that feature throughout the novel. I had so much nostalgia for spots mentioned in Auckland back in the day that I used to frequent like Verona or Brazil cafe on Karangahape rd (who did the best pancakes btw!). I also really enjoyed the spiritual aspect of hearing from whānau who have passed in the form of kēhua (ghosts), it gives a peaceful and hopeful aspect to the book and they can be a pretty cheeky bunch of characters too! This is one book to take your time with and enjoy the journey. I’ll leave you with one of my favourite lines from the book:

“You’re Māori because those women who came before you were Māori. It’s not about waving your bone carving around. There’s more than one way to paddle a waka.”

Description

The stunning final novel from one of New Zealand's finest writers. Ambitious, funny, wise and deeply affecting, Ordinary People Like Us calls to mind the immersive narratives of Elena Ferrante and Isabel Allende.

'And here I was thinking we were just ordinary people.'

From the landscapes of the Far North, through inner-city Auckland and to London in the 1970s and 90s, Ordinary People Like Us follows five generations of Maori women through a century of profound social and cultural change.

Bird. Kaa. Annie. Lorna. Jen. Pax.

Where should we start?

What is there to know?

Some fall in love easily, while others wait half a lifetime for their person. One walks a thin line between the land of the living and the call of the void. Some listen to the ghosts of the past, and each forges their unique way in the world. Gifted with an otherworldly instinct, in their most ordinary lives, they are all extraordinary.

Expansive and intimate, exploring the bonds that endure through generations, Ordinary People Like Us is a celebration of family and a powerful reminder that no matter how far we travel, it is the people who love us that keep us whole.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781869718831

Publisher: Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 September 2026

Country: New Zealand

Imprint: Moa Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 300g

Pages: 400

Collections

Best Sellers at Book Hero Best Selling Books Fiction General Fiction Gifts $20-$50 Hero Picks In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Kelly Ana Morey Literary Fiction New Release Books New Release Fiction New Zealand and Australia Published New Zealand Fiction New Zealand Published Shirl's Picks

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