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Abridged
Blood and Gold - Abridged by Mara Menzies
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Blood and Gold - Abridged

A Journey of Shadows

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Narrator Mara Menzies

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Length 4 hours 51 minutes
Language English
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Winner of the Saltire Society Fiction Book of the Year
'a beguiling mixture of poetry, moving prose and magical realism' - Stephen McGinty, The Sunday Times
Jeda is a girl on the cusp of adulthood, living in Edinburgh; with a white father and a black mother, she feels self-conscious and out of place. Her feelings of alienation allow the stories of the shapeshifting Shadowman, who embodies all that is negative, to feed on her doubts and insecurities. The death of her mother, Rahami, gives the Shadowman an opportunity to control Jeda through her grief and his lies, but her mother's last gift to her daughter was a box of stories. When the box is flung open, the stories escape, setting in motion an incredible journey.
Jeda learns more about her African ancestry through tales of slavery, cruelty and colonisation, but she also discovers pride and love and sacrifice, ultimately embracing her dual heritage and her unique place in the world. Filled with tragedy, wonder and magic, Blood and Gold explores the themes of loss and oppression, while asking us to examine our own identities, attitudes, and humanity.

Mara Menzies is a narrative artist who draws on her rich, dual Kenyan/Scottish cultural heritage to create worlds that explore contemporary issues through legend, myth and fantasy. She lives in Edinburgh.

Mara Menzies is a narrative artist who draws on her rich, dual Kenyan/Scottish cultural heritage to create worlds that explore contemporary issues through legend, myth and fantasy. She lives in Edinburgh. Eri Griffin is a freelance illustrator based in Edinburgh who works with publishers and design agencies across the UK and Europe.

Audiobook details

Author:

Narrator:
Mara Menzies

ISBN:
9781788857307

Length:
4 hours 51 minutes

Language:
English

Publisher:
Birlinn

Publication date:

Edition:
Abridged

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Limited-time offer

Get two free audiobooks!

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Reviews

'Blood and Gold explores hard-hitting issues such as the legacy of colonialism, slavery and the challenges of growing up in two cultures, through an unconventional mix of fantasy, legends and stories inspired by personal experiences' 'A beautifully weighted set of nested stories for contemporary times' 'My goodness... the power of illustration from Eri Griffin, the coverโ€ฆย  just as a product... just the quality of it... your publishers have really, really outdone themselves' 'An exquisite piece of storytelling' '[This] melding of myth, magic and history will spark new conversation about race ... An incredible, epic journey through the pain and persecution of her [Jedaโ€™s] ancestors, before finding sacrifice, pride, love, empowerment and ultimately belonging' 'a beguiling mixture of poetry, moving prose and magical realism' 'spellbindingโ€ฆ Menzies takes us on a fantastical journey through the eyes of a teenage girl growing up black in a white world' 'Menziesโ€™ great achievement here is to tap into the subtle power of allegory to make us consider familiar subjects with fresh eyes. [She] simply invites us to consider the universal concepts of justice and injustice, greed and selflessness' 'A box of stories, a world of escape that takes Jeda on a fantastical journey where she learns about her African ancestry, the complex cruelty of colonisation and ultimately acceptance of her own unique identityย โ€ฆ it reminds people of the importance of the oral tradition, of passing stories onโ€ฆthereโ€™s a wonderful connection there' 'Menzies' lyrical prose is rich in allegory, as she draws upon her own dual heritageโ€ฆ Blood and Gold is a testament to the power of words' 'The clever, magical realist blend of narrative devices allows legend and myth to hold inescapable truths in their kernel. It is a story that needs to be told in its entirety, retrieving the past to bolster the present and build an enduring future...this is a tour de force that is captivating and magical' Expand reviews
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