Gold by Geraldine Mills
| Gold by Geraldine Mills | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Mary Esther Judy
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| Summary: In a world laid to waste by volcanic eruptions and strict regulation, twins Esper and Starn dream of sunshine, freedom and flight. A hidden book and the work of an old master lead them on a journey fraught with danger and discovery. Gold is a thoroughly contemporary dystopian tale that reads like a classic adventure. A fantastic read for anyone aged 10 to 90, Gold is a book to be treasured. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 224 | Date: June 2016 |
| Publisher: Little Island Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 9781910411551 | |
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Twins Starn and Esper are growing up in a world made dark and silent by massive volcanic explosions. Ash now covers the planet and every aspect of life is controlled by the government, policed by the strict, heavy-handed Sagittars. They long for sunshine, fresh air and the freedom of a life only vaguely remembered by a few. But a game of dares leads them to discover an ancient book written by their great-great aunt, filled with strange writing and a treasure map. This propels them headlong into a journey across the darkened skies in a hand-built glider, in search of the gold that will vastly improve their lives. What they find there is a hidden world; one left behind when the volcanoes exploded. The revelation of the gold is not at all what they thought it would be, and is a discovery that could expose the governments' lies and save a dying planet.
With exceptional crafting and a delicate hand, Mills has created a portrait of an unnerving future world while environmental calamity has stripped all light, save from that that exists in the lives of two young boys. Through their dreams, imagination and daring, the reader is taken on a marvellous journey. Gripping and compelling, the boys venture from a world of darkness, regulation enforced by fear and mere survival to one of light, possibility, growth and freedom. The juxtaposition of the two is explored and balanced perfectly through use rhythm and cadence in the text. The use and invention, or rather evolution of language plays both on myths and legends of old as well as a contemporary understanding of how words and communication change in ever-changing times.
The characters are tangible and textural and the relations ring true. Starn and Esper are two sides of the same coin, and must follow their own wisdom and hearts while working together creating a wonderful and moving dichotomy. When one twin loses all memory, we see the struggle of the other to regain a sense of grounding and stability in this brave new world; something he can only do with the help of the other, creating a powerful statement about the true nature of inter-dependency. And while there are environmental and social messages in the story, these take a back seat to the purpose of the tale; an imaginative and wondrous adventure in the vein of such classics as Treasure Island and The Swiss Family Robinson. Never too heavy or dark and packed with adventure, it is interspersed with humour and child-like wonder. It is exciting, dramatic and filled with nuance and beauty. Written with clarity, compassion and purpose, Gold is open enough to allow the reader to fulling engage; come to his or her own conclusions; paint his or her own pictures in the realms of imagination. An amazing story, filled with life, Gold is a story to be treasured. This book simply sings!
If you enjoy this book, and I cannot think why anyone, regardless of age would not, you might also want to consider Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle or Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden.
Gold by Geraldine Mills is in the Top Ten Teens Books of 2016.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Gold by Geraldine Mills at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Gold by Geraldine Mills at Amazon.com.
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