Mara Menzies

Storyteller Mara Menzies has written a novel that brings together African and Scottish culture in a unique and brilliant fusion. Blood and Gold: A Journey of Shadows tells the tale of Jeda, the daughter of an African mother and a Scottish father, and it uses myth, magical realism and memory to conjure a riveting narrative. When Jeda’s mother dies, she leaves her daughter a box of stories which help her to make sense of her identity and to cope with her future in Scotland. Filled with tragedy, wonder and magic, this story explores the themes of loss and oppression, while asking us to examine our own identities, attitudes and humanities.