The Colour: A Novel

The story is set in the late 1800's. Joseph Blackstone flees England with his new wife Harriet and his aging Mother in tow. He was looking to start a new life in New Zealand and flee from a darkness that clouds his conscience and existence. On the other hand, Harriet was restless and was sick of her humdrum life as a governess -"weary of owning nothing and going nowhere and spending her days by other people's meager fires. He wooed her with dreams of escape. She sat on the heart rug with her head on his knee and he described to her the paradise he would create on the other side of the world. It was his words which made her cling to him when he touched her."Joseph buys uncultivated land in rugged New Zealand and constructs a humble home out of cob (lumps of clay and dirt) with his remaining capital. They intend to raise livestock and crops however Joseph happens to find gold in a creek running through his property - and begins to pan on the sly - not sharing his secret with his wife and Mother. Joseph and Harriet drift apart - what little drifting there was to be from a marriage that was hastily arranged - with love not being at the core of the union.Joseph eventually finds little Colour on his property and decides to abandon his mother and wife to join the gold rush. The story moves on to depict the struggles of Joseph finding gold - circumstances leading to Harriet to travel to join Joseph and the gold rush and engaging story developments that pull you along to the finish.Author's imagery throughout the novel is spectacular:"But Joseph understood that the men of a gold rush were like moths, going towards a golden light, and in time - inevitably - that light began to die, and so they hurried blindly on to the next and the next, always hopeful, but always aware of the enormity of the pursuing dark."The main characters' introspection is woven through a terrific story:"Harriet preferred not to think about Joseph. She discovered that almost every memory she had of him produced in her a feeling of disquiet. Though she had to work harder, she found life much easier without him."The book is alive - you smell the smells, you feel the emotions, your skin tingles with the heat and cold, your body aches with the hardships. Tremain is a master storyteller who puts you on-site as the story unfolds and she takes you along the journey with the principal characters. Great story...

This is a richly satisfying book on many levels...1. It's terrific historical fiction. I learned a lot about New Zealand during the Gold Rush.2. It also works as literature. Characters are sharply drawn. Descriptions are elegant and thought-provoking. The plot has numerous unexpected twists and turns.3. It's inspirational, in its own way. We learn about personal empowerment through example. We also see how some people refuse to evolve or learn from their mistakes -- just like in real life.4. I really bonded with the main character. This caused me to want to spend time with the book and enjoy the character's company.5. The characters are very human, but also memorable. They have unique quirks that make them endearing.What's more, you feel triumphant at the end. Highly recommended.

Three generations of men in my family have been/are involved in the gold mining industry. When I found a novel by Rose Tremain, a favourite author, about the 19th century gold rush of New Zealand, I had to buy it. And I'm glad I did!Whether she's describing the harsh wilderness that awaits the newly-wed English couple, Harriet and Joseph Blackstone, and Joseph's mother Lilian, on their arrival; the dangerous man-made wilderness of a mining camp, or the toll both take on the human psyche, stripping away all inessentials and reducing individuals to their most basic nature, Tremain's writing doesn't disappoint.With subtle twists and turns, the characters that inhabit this story must face deep truths about themselves. Those, like Joseph, who at first appear strong and reliable, disintegrate under the raw influence of the colour (gold) and their own secrets (Joseph's relationships with both Rebecca and Will are excruciatingly revealing.) Others, like Harriet, discover unexpected inner fortitude, while Chen Pao Yi, the Chinese vegetable peddler, reveals a quiet strength and sensitivity that is Harriet's salvation.Tremain's skill comes to the fore in her characterisations: although the cast of secondary characters is at times overwhelming, each character is drawn with such exquisite talent that their world is captivating.Without any overt moralising, THE COLOUR ends with a clear message: those who face life with a sense of entitlement (whether based on their gender, race, social status or sense of victimhood) will find life futile and meaningless, while those who face life's challenges with hope, courage and kindness will prosper both spiritually and materially.Tremain has written a novel that is both profound and entertaining. A remarkable achievement.(my paperback edition has a different cover)

The Colour was a book club selection for my club. Looking at the synopsis, I was skeptical. However, I found the characters, particularly Harriet and Lilian, very sympathetic and realistic. The story was quite gripping as I didn't know how the book would end. Reading about a part of the world whose immigrant/settler history is not known in this country was really intgriuing. A good read.

A novel of the New Zealand gold rush. The women characters are stronger than the men, but gold, and the gold rush are in fact the main character/s. The strength of the novel is in its narration about the time and gold, rush, with the people along the way, less central, almost incidental.

Just got back from New Zealand on a travel holiday and wanted to read about the history of the south island. For a historical novel, this was an interesting read.