Books
  • Gold cover
  • Photos of Gold
  • Interior map
    • Gold cover
    • Photos of Gold
    • Interior map

    Gold

    By Geraldine Mills

    Quick Overview

    Dystopia meets classic adventure story in this fantastic story of brotherhood, freedom and gold hunts!
    • €6.74
      Unit price per 

    "Up, up, up we go. It is only when we are at eye level with the branch covered in the palest of blossoms that he stops it."

    A novel full of big ideas. This story pulls in themes of family, emigration, ecology and political oppression. Oh, and a gold-hunting adventure involving a flying machine!

    Gold tells the story of twin boys Esper and Starn who live in a grim world that has been almost laid waste by massive volcanic explosions. Very little grows in Orchard, which used to be a fruit-growing area, but with the death of insects and birds, pollination of the fruit trees is a tedious and precarious undertaking.

    When the boys discover an intriguing old manuscript in a locked room in their apartment, which tells of gold on one of the forbidden islands the people can see from the coastline, they determine to go on gold-hunt. They manage to construct a glider that takes them far from their home territory, and so begins a whole new adventure for the boys, as they travel from island to island in search of gold. Their adventures are many and they come close to death. They do in the end, find the gold – but it is nothing like what they expected.

    PRAISE FOR GOLD

    Mills perfectly contrasts the two halves of the story, using a vocabulary unique to Orchard to describe that world and completely new ways for the boys to describe the islands’ vivid, unfamiliar flora. Heavy concerns—bad government, environmental challenge are compassionately woven into a story with Mills’ poetic lyricism showing through. Also of note is Lauren O’Neill’s gorgeous cover illustration. The twins’ quick-paced, action-packed journey will sweep readers right along with them. Kirkus Reviews , starred review

    Chosen as one of Bookbag’s top ten books of 2016

    An imaginative and wondrous adventure in the vein of such classics as Treasure Island and The Swiss Family Robinson. Never too heavy or dark and packed with adventure, it is interspersed with humour and child-like wonder. It is exciting, dramatic and filled with nuance and beauty. Written with clarity, compassion and purpose, Gold is open enough to allow the reader to fulling engage; come to his or her own conclusions; paint his or her own pictures in the realms of imagination. An amazing story, filled with life, Gold is a story to be treasured. This book simply sings! The Bookbag

    A mile a minute adventure story. Wildly inventive and imaginative. Geraldine Mills is an exciting new voice in children’s literature. Patricia Forde, author of The Wordsmith

    Also for this age group, Gold by Geraldine Mills is a thoughtful, well-written dystopian adventure story which deals with big themes like politics and ecology and was inspired by watching the landscape in Connemara and knowing how easily it could all be destroyed. Sarah Webb, Sunday Independent

    A wonderful book, a page-turner from the beginning The Connacht Tribune

    A truly remarkable book with those elements that touch both children and big children. While there are the 'grown-up’ concerns in the story, environment, social disarray, finance crisis, etc. these issues never overwhelm what is at its heart and soul an adventure story. The writing itself is lyrical and inventive, with a clear love of language and its construction and evolution. Utterly contemporary in its concept, it holds on to the same tradition as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Swiss Family Robinson, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. There are echoes from mythology and folk tales. The tale is complex, and yet, so simple and clear. And it is magnificent. My advise, get yourself a copy of Gold and read. Have an adventure. Mary Esther Judy, Dubray Bookseller

    Mills writes with an ease, captures the voices of the young boys really well, with an engaging tone that will appeal to any reader of 8+ I thoroughly enjoyed Gold, enjoyed the joining the boys on their adventure as they battled again many elements including people. Gold raises lots of situations that should trigger healthy discussions between younger readers and adults. Highly recommended for a summer read which can be enjoyed by all the family. Sheila, bookseller at Dulwich Books

    Reviewed on TV3 and chosen as one of their summer reads by Aine Toner, former bookseller at Dubray and editor at Woman’s Way, who said it was ‘wonderful’, was ‘totally blown away’ and that there was ‘something magical about it.

    Articles by the author on writing Gold

    A Whole New Readership: Gold by Geraldine Mills – article for writing.ie on transitioning from an author of adult poetry and short stories to an author for children

    On writing Gold by Geraldine Mills – a piece for The Irish Times on the inspiration behind the novel

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    Description

    "Up, up, up we go. It is only when we are at eye level with the branch covered in the palest of blossoms that he stops it."

    A novel full of big ideas. This story pulls in themes of family, emigration, ecology and political oppression. Oh, and a gold-hunting adventure involving a flying machine!

    Gold tells the story of twin boys Esper and Starn who live in a grim world that has been almost laid waste by massive volcanic explosions. Very little grows in Orchard, which used to be a fruit-growing area, but with the death of insects and birds, pollination of the fruit trees is a tedious and precarious undertaking.

    When the boys discover an intriguing old manuscript in a locked room in their apartment, which tells of gold on one of the forbidden islands the people can see from the coastline, they determine to go on gold-hunt. They manage to construct a glider that takes them far from their home territory, and so begins a whole new adventure for the boys, as they travel from island to island in search of gold. Their adventures are many and they come close to death. They do in the end, find the gold – but it is nothing like what they expected.

    Praise

    PRAISE FOR GOLD

    Mills perfectly contrasts the two halves of the story, using a vocabulary unique to Orchard to describe that world and completely new ways for the boys to describe the islands’ vivid, unfamiliar flora. Heavy concerns—bad government, environmental challenge are compassionately woven into a story with Mills’ poetic lyricism showing through. Also of note is Lauren O’Neill’s gorgeous cover illustration. The twins’ quick-paced, action-packed journey will sweep readers right along with them. Kirkus Reviews , starred review

    Chosen as one of Bookbag’s top ten books of 2016

    An imaginative and wondrous adventure in the vein of such classics as Treasure Island and The Swiss Family Robinson. Never too heavy or dark and packed with adventure, it is interspersed with humour and child-like wonder. It is exciting, dramatic and filled with nuance and beauty. Written with clarity, compassion and purpose, Gold is open enough to allow the reader to fulling engage; come to his or her own conclusions; paint his or her own pictures in the realms of imagination. An amazing story, filled with life, Gold is a story to be treasured. This book simply sings! The Bookbag

    A mile a minute adventure story. Wildly inventive and imaginative. Geraldine Mills is an exciting new voice in children’s literature. Patricia Forde, author of The Wordsmith

    Also for this age group, Gold by Geraldine Mills is a thoughtful, well-written dystopian adventure story which deals with big themes like politics and ecology and was inspired by watching the landscape in Connemara and knowing how easily it could all be destroyed. Sarah Webb, Sunday Independent

    A wonderful book, a page-turner from the beginning The Connacht Tribune

    A truly remarkable book with those elements that touch both children and big children. While there are the 'grown-up’ concerns in the story, environment, social disarray, finance crisis, etc. these issues never overwhelm what is at its heart and soul an adventure story. The writing itself is lyrical and inventive, with a clear love of language and its construction and evolution. Utterly contemporary in its concept, it holds on to the same tradition as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Swiss Family Robinson, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. There are echoes from mythology and folk tales. The tale is complex, and yet, so simple and clear. And it is magnificent. My advise, get yourself a copy of Gold and read. Have an adventure. Mary Esther Judy, Dubray Bookseller

    Mills writes with an ease, captures the voices of the young boys really well, with an engaging tone that will appeal to any reader of 8+ I thoroughly enjoyed Gold, enjoyed the joining the boys on their adventure as they battled again many elements including people. Gold raises lots of situations that should trigger healthy discussions between younger readers and adults. Highly recommended for a summer read which can be enjoyed by all the family. Sheila, bookseller at Dulwich Books

    Reviewed on TV3 and chosen as one of their summer reads by Aine Toner, former bookseller at Dubray and editor at Woman’s Way, who said it was ‘wonderful’, was ‘totally blown away’ and that there was ‘something magical about it.

    Articles by the author on writing Gold

    A Whole New Readership: Gold by Geraldine Mills – article for writing.ie on transitioning from an author of adult poetry and short stories to an author for children

    On writing Gold by Geraldine Mills – a piece for The Irish Times on the inspiration behind the novel

    Reader Reviews

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