The bone people

the bone people is a novel by New Zealand writer Keri Hulme. It won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1985.

The story is about the relationship between a rich woman, Kerewin Holmes, who lives by herself and is cut off from her family, a mute boy, Simon P. Gillayley (age unknown), who presents himself at her window, and his carer, Joe Gillayley. The three get tangled up in a way that makes them unable to live with each other, but also unable to do without one another.

The story is set on the South Island of New Zealand, and features strong descriptions of the landscapes, the weather, and the atmosphere. The book also contains Maori words and phrases, as all characters involved speak both English and Maori.