"Into The River" was banned in the school libraries of New Zealand, but not anymore. The New Zealand Film and Literature Board has announced that the award-winning coming-of-age story by Ted Dawe is back in the shelves, stating that the proscription of the book was "unjustifiable" and "illegal."

"Whilst many parents may choose not to allow their children to read such material, there are no grounds to restrict the book from teenage readers," the decision about the book, which is complained for its "age-inappropriate" and "harmful" content, picked up by The Guardian read.

The board also explained that there's no denying of the "unacceptable, offensive and objectionable" behaviors such as underage sex and drug use , which are the very elements being complained, taking up pages of the book but it reminded that the title "does not in any way promote them."

Dawe, on the other hand, couldn't be more "thrilled" and "delighted" about the news. In an interview with New Zealand Herald, the critically acclaimed writer said that the lift of the temporary ban on his controversial young adult tome "restored my faith in New Zealand's legal system."

"I believe in freedom of speech, and freedom of expression. Everybody should hold an opinion. [Conservative lobby group] Family First are entitled to theirs, just as I am to mine. I don't subscribe to theirs, but they're certainly entitled to one," Dawe said as quoted by Stuff.

"As an artist, it's our job to hold a mirror up to society," the author explained, adding that it is not always about what one wishes to see and not always about keeping "a very PR version of our own country."

The ban was prompted after Family First complained about the explicit themes in "Into the River." Needless to say, the group, which vows to champion the public good, wasn't at all happy about what it called as a "flip-flop decision."

"A dangerous precedent has been set and parents will now feel disempowered and that their concerns will be ignored regarding similar books which they may not want their young teenagers and pre-teens to be reading," the group's national director Bob McCoskrie said.

Dawe, who is shocked about the organization's protest of "Into the River" and prohibition of books in general, says that "it's not Family First's job to parent other people's children" adding that this responsibility is reserved to the parents themselves.