Telynor's Library, and then some
A woman of a certain age who has three cats underfoot, and has the dream of filling her passport with stamps. Books, classical music, tea, cats, movies, art, fancy needlework, and anything else I can think of.
Gold, lies, deception, astrology, and other assorted sins in the gold fields.
I found this one to be interesting, but it failed on several levels. Twelve men, plus one, form an impromtu jury to find out happened on a night several months earlier, when a woman is found beaten and bloody, a miner is found dead in his cabin, and a young man turns up missing. Set in the New Zealand gold rush of the 1860's there are all sorts of characters -- about twenty! -- and plenty of plot twists as well as shifting back and forth in time and place. Astrology, with some serious flaws, is used as a plot device, as well as spirituality and a seance. While most of the story gets tied up by the end, I was rather disappointed by this one. I give it four stars for the writing which gets very good in spots, and the research is fairly good, but overall, this is rather overwrought. Recommended, but with reservations.
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/the_luminaries_by_eleanor_catton_2013_hardcover/content_645578985092
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