Golden Child by Claire Adam

Golden Child

Claire Adam

The Deyalsinghs are a Hindu family living in rural Trinidad. Thirteen year old Paul has not come home and, as his father Clyde, sets out to look for him, I was overcome by a creeping sense of dread. What plays out on the page taps into all our hopes and fears as parents. The beautiful writing vividly evokes the island, yet is at odds with the reality of life for the family. A devastating, white-knuckle ride of a read, sensitively delivered.

Extract
The room looks small, dark, empty. He gets up, stretching his back, a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. The birds are singing. The whole night has passed and Paul is still not back! He fills the kettle, boils water for a cup of coffee. Not that he needs it - he feels wide awake now - but it gives him something to do. The dogs come up the back-steps and scratch at the door, wanting their morning titbit. Clyde stands by the sink watching through the window as morning creeps in. The hills behind the house were just dark shadows a moment ago; now he can make out their silhouettes against the deep blue sky, still speckled with stars.
Parallels
  • A Kind of Eden by Amanda Smyth
  • Forgetting Zoe by Ray Robinson
  • Family Affair - song by Sly and the Family Stone