The Colour - by Rose Tremain (Paperback)

About the Book

Newlyweds Joseph and Harriet Blackstone emigrate from England to New Zealand, along with Joseph's mother Lilian, in search of new beginnings and prosperity. But the harsh land near Christchurch where they settle threatens to destroy them almost before they begin.

Book Synopsis

From the critically-acclaimed historical novelist Rose Tremain comes the The Colour

Newlyweds Joseph and Harriet Blackstone emigrate from England to New Zealand, along with Joseph's mother Lilian, in search of new beginnings and prosperity. But the harsh land near Christchurch where they settle threatens to destroy them almost before they begin. When Joseph finds gold in a creek bed, he hides the discovery from both his wife and mother, and becomes obsessed with the riches awaiting him deep in the earth. Abandoning his farm and family, he sets off alone for the new goldfields over the Southern Alps, a moral wilderness where many others, under the seductive dreams of the "colour," rush to their destinies and doom.

Review Quotes

"Exhilarating...splendidly eventful...the story swells." --The New York Times

"Every bit as enthralling as any of her previous work...The Colour is a beautifully written novel that teems with life on every page." --The Boston Globe

"Writing at the top of her form. . .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." --Publishers Weekly (starred)

"Fully rounded human beings and a nimble prose style... Peerless imagination." --Newsday

"[A] gripping pioneer story...The result is a page-turner that's also a work of startling beauty." --Kirkus Reviews (starred)

About the Author

Rose Tremain is the author of several novels, including Music & Silence, and her work has been translated into fourteen languages. She lives in Norfolk, England, with the biographer Richard Holmes.