The Luminaries

More about the book

Longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize 2014 and the Man Booker Prize 2013, as well as the Canadian Governor General's Literary Award 2013, this novel is set in 1866, where Walter Moody arrives in New Zealand to seek his fortune on the goldfields. Upon arrival, he encounters a secretive assembly of twelve local men discussing a series of mysterious events: the disappearance of a wealthy man, a suicide attempt by a woman, and the discovery of a fortune in the home of a drunken man. Moody becomes embroiled in a web of interconnected fates and fortunes, intricately woven like the night sky. This extraordinary work of fiction is written in a precise historical style, vividly capturing the mid-19th-century milieu of shipping, banking, and the gold rush's highs and lows. 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, earned her MA in Creative Writing in 2007 and has received multiple accolades, including the Adam Prize in Creative Writing. She has also been a fellow at the Iowa Writers' Workshop and teaches Creative Writing and Popular Culture. Catton currently resides in Wellington, New Zealand.