Plot/Summary:
Newlyweds Joseph and Harriet Blackstone along with Joseph's mother Lilian arrive in New Zealand from England in search of a new life. But the harshness of farming life weakens the tenuous relationship between the couple and strengthens Lilian's desire to return to England. One day Joseph finds a small amount of gold in the stream he named Harriet's Creek and decides to keep the discovery a secret from his wife. Joseph becomes consumed by gold fever and leaves his family to travel across New Zealand in search of a rich vein of gold. Faced with unexpected independence, Harriet decides to make a journey that stretches her physical and emotional boundaries. 

Comments:
Rich descriptions of New Zealand's landscape and 19th century life evoke a world fraught with danger and possibility. Emotionally-complex characters come to life through the course of the novel as realistic products of their time.

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Reviewed by ds, 06/11. Other reviews by ds. Have you read this book? Tell us what you think!