Blood and Gold: A Journey of Shadows [Paperback]

Winner of the Saltire Society Fiction Book of the Year'a beguiling mixture of poetry, moving prose and magical realism' - Stephen McGinty, The Sunday TimesJeda 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 mothers 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.Blood and Gold is a powerful, dynamic fusion of African and Scottish myth and fantasy which explores the themes of racism, immigration and colonialism, and the acceptance of self, grief and loss. A beautifully weighted set of nested stories for contemporary times. 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 [Jedas] ancestors, before finding sacrifice, pride, love, empowerment and ultimately belonging. A beguiling mixture of poetry, moving prose and magical realism. Spellbinding& Menzies takes us on a fantastical journey through the eyes of a teenage girl growing up black in a white world. Menzies great achievement here is to tap into the subtle power of allegory to make us consider familiar subjects with fresh eyes. [She] simpl#¦