Blood and Gold by Mara Menzies

Blood and Gold by Mara Menzies

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'

-- Thom Dibdin * The Stage *

'An exquisite piece of storytelling'

* The Guardian *

'[This] melding of myth, magic and history will spark new conversation about race.. An incredible, epic journey through the pain and persecution of her [Jeda’s] ancestors, before finding sacrifice, pride, love, empowerment and ultimately belonging'

* Sunday Post *

'a beguiling mixture of poetry, moving prose and magical realism'

-- Stephen McGinty * The Sunday Times *

'spellbinding… Menzies takes us on a fantastical journey through the eyes of a teenage girl growing up black in a white world'

-- Janet Christie * The Scotsman *

'Menzies’ 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'

-- Roger Cox * Scotland on Sunday *

'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'

-- Nadia Vidinova * Dundee Courier *

'My goodness... the power of illustration from Eri Griffin, the cover…  just as a product... just the quality of it... your publishers have really, really outdone themselves'

-- Tendai Huchu

'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 identity … it reminds people of the importance of the oral tradition, of passing stories on…there’s a wonderful connection there'

-- Cathy Macdonald * BBC Radio Scotland *

'Menzies' lyrical prose is rich in allegory, as she draws upon her own dual heritage… Blood and Gold is a testament to the power of words'

-- Nicole Gemine * Press and Journal *

'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'

-- Bashabi Fraser * Writers Mosaic *

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.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781780277462
ISBN 10	1780277466
Title	Blood and Gold
Author	Mara Menzies
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Birlinn General
Year published	2021-10-07
Number of pages	176
Prizes	Winner of Saltire Society Scottish Fiction Book of the Year 2022
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.