the colour

a novel based in the 1860's in the south island of nz
the colour being the term ascribed to the precious metal
that drove men and women to join in the goldrush of those days
the main 2 characters are a couple of unhappily married uk migrants
joseph blackstone has left behind a past he wants to forget
harriet has a sense of adventure that sees her accompany her man
they have his solitary mother lilian for company as they start their new life
buying a few acres of land and building the simplest of homes
then trying to survive off the land at the mercy of nz's harsh weather
joseph discovers a few grains of the colour in their creek
and soon is obsessed by this discovery and wants more
he acts secretly but fails and so decides to join in the rush
that sees him on a very risky boat journey to the west coast
leaving harriet to tend to the farm and his ailing mother
their wealthy neighbours providing the company she needs
befriending their young son who has a secret visitor
being a maori lady who nursed him while young
but banished after an accident that continues to haunt them
at this stage of the book i was well and truly hooked
rose tremain the author has a way of providing excellent insight
so that all the characters she introduces are easily understood
the weather and beauty of the south island are deftly described
with pare the maori lady in the mix a spiritualism is also present
explaining the at-one relationship between maoris and environment
back in the story and lilian finally succumbs and passes on
joseph is unaware as he is mired in the desperation of the goldrush
so harriet takes to her horse to find him and break the news
she longs to be in the mountains and heads there on horseback
looking for a way through to the other side where joseph is
but her sense of survival is stronger than her sense of adventure
so she resorts to the risky boat-trip and arrives in hokitika
finds joseph and then assists him in his part in the goldrush
i don't recall reading about or studying this time in nz history
but the last part of this book provides such an insight
cleverly describing the conditions, desperation and determination
using the story of these 2 totally different people
the climax to the book is actually quite moving
as harriet finally finds what she didn't know she was looking for
and joseph's pays his penance as his past finally catches up with him
some books i read i get to the ending with a sense of relief
in this case i didn't want to part company with it
just so totally engrossing and satisfying
would make a great film
go peter jackson