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Paperback book is in new, never been read condition. No dust jacket. Inside
of book pages are crisp and clean. Pictorial cover. No signs of wear or
damage. Very very minor shelf wear on edges of papeback cover. ISBN
0312423101. 2004 edition. Publisher-Picador. 400 pages long. Size: 8 by 5.5
by 1. Additional pictures of condition are always available.
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Readers familiar with British writer Tremain's magisterial
historical novel, Restoration, or her psychologically acute study of
madness, Music & Silence, will not be surprised at the accuracy of
historical detail in this elegant and dramatic novel about the
mid-19th-century gold rush in New Zealand or by her nuanced portrait of the
disintegration of a marriage. Writing at the top of her form, she tells a
complex story centering on two immigrants to New Zealand, whose recent
marriage represents new hopes for both of them. Joseph Blackstone fled
England to rid himself of memories of a shameful act; cold and secretive, he
is emotionally constricted by guilt. Strong, spirited ex-governess Harriet
Salt has narrowly avoided spinsterdom; to her, New Zealand represents the
freedom to explore new horizons. Together with Joseph's mother, they attempt
to build a farm on the flats outside of Christchurch, but when Joseph finds
gold in the creek, he becomes obsessed by "the colour," as the fabulous
metal is known. Abandoning both women, he travels by ship to the west coast,
where he encounters hundreds of other desperate men and the clamorous,
filthy, dehumanizing conditions in which they live. Later, when Harriet
attempts to follow him by land, she cannot cross the gorge between the
Southern Alps, justly called "the stairway from hell." By the time she does
join him, each of them despises the other, yet the discovery of gold binds
them in a new way. From this point on, the narrative, already full of
subtleties and surprises, becomes riveting, as nature and human nature
collide. There's a wonderful subplot about the mystical connection of a
white boy and his Maori nurse, and an inspired depiction of a Chinese
gardener who peddles his vegetables and becomes the instrument of Harriet's
salvation. With its combination of vivid historical adventure and sensual,
late-blooming romance, it's hard to see how this novel can miss winning a
new audience for the immensely talented Tremain.
A photo gallery of pictures from this book is shown below
as well as a description of the pictures. Any questions please
email me
aldergrove@ppowner.com
