The Luminaries

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Longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize 2014 and the Man Booker Prize, this novel set in 1866 follows Walter Moody, who arrives in New Zealand to seek his fortune in the goldfields. Upon his arrival, he encounters a secretive meeting of twelve local men discussing a series of unsolved crimes, including the disappearance of a wealthy man, a suicide attempt by a whore, and the discovery of a fortune in the home of an unfortunate drunk. Moody becomes embroiled in a complex web of fates and fortunes that mirrors the intricacies of the night sky. This extraordinary work of fiction, written in a masterful historical style, vividly captures the mid-19th-century world of shipping, banking, and the gold rush's rise and fall. It blends elements of ghost stories and gripping mysteries, showcasing the talent of a young author. Eleanor Catton, born in 1985 in Canada and raised in New Zealand, completed her MA in Creative Writing in 2007 and has received numerous accolades, including the Adam Prize and the 2010 New Generation Award. She has also held a teaching position at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and currently resides in Wellington, New Zealand.