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Twist of Gold by Morpurgo M.B.E., Michael (2009) Paperback
Twist of Gold by Morpurgo M.B.E., Michael [Egmont UK, 2009] Paperback [Paperb...
Paperback
First published February 9, 1989
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About the author
Michael Morpurgo
626 books3,007 followersSir Michael Andrew Morpurgo, OBE, FRSL is the author of many books for children, five of which have been made into films. He also writes his own screenplays and libretti for opera. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the Second World War, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, he took up teaching and started to write. He left teaching after ten years in order to set up 'Farms for City Children' with his wife. They have three farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire, open to inner city school children who come to stay and work with the animals. In 1999 this work was publicly recognised when he and his wife were invested a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to youth. In 2003, he was advanced to an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) in 2004. He was knighted in the 2018 for his services to literature and charity. He is also a father and grandfather, so children have always played a large part in his life. Every year he and his family spend time in the Scilly Isles, the setting for three of his books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
November 29, 2022
Yet another wonderful Morpurgo tale. From the potato famine and plague in Ireland, across the Atlantic and across America, Morphugo tells the tale of a hard, yet beautiful journey made by two Irish children in search of their American bound father. Another great book handling some really serious historical issues really well. 7 out of 12, Three Star read :)
February 24, 2021
2.5 stars.
I was recommended this book a long time ago and only recently did I just decide to pick it up on abebooks.com for a cheap price so I could read it! Unfortunately I got an ex library copy which I don't love too much but that has nothing to do with my rating here or on abebooks.
Anyway, about the book. It does start out a bit slow with the two main children, Sean and Annie, still at home with their sick dying mother. There is hardly any food, they are extremely poor, and are only barely getting by. It's not until the two kids meet an unexpected friend and get the chance to go to America where their father went (he was trying to work and buy land so they could start over in life with a better future) when the story picks up a little. They live through a shipwreck, crosses America in a wagon, and meets all sorts of people on the way, both good and bad. (Or if it's Little Luke, he's wholesome)
I did find that the adventures they went through were light reads, so nothing scary or dark. Sometimes the things the characters did or the way the plot twisted seemed a bit unrealistic to me, or something would happen just the right way so nearly everything worked out.
I was disappointed that Fiddler
The twist of gold, also known as the torc, was kind of strange. It was the last possession the children brought along with them and though they lost it tons of times (being stolen, etc) it always seemed to come back around to them. There is a little bit of superstition involved with it as sometimes the characters say that if the right owners have it with them, they have good luck, and if they stole it, they'll have bad luck. To me this was a little weird and I thought the adventure parts of crossing America or the ship was more interesting to read.
Content:
Language: some dam* and h*ll, and one man says ni**er twice to another man
Sexy Stuff/Romance: N/A
Violence: A shipwreck, guns are pointed but never shot, one man is bound hand and foot, and some characters are abandoned in the desert while on the wagon trail. Little to no detail at all.
Other: Lots of references to Catholicism. The book makes everyone Catholic which is a little unrealistic.
I was recommended this book a long time ago and only recently did I just decide to pick it up on abebooks.com for a cheap price so I could read it! Unfortunately I got an ex library copy which I don't love too much but that has nothing to do with my rating here or on abebooks.
Anyway, about the book. It does start out a bit slow with the two main children, Sean and Annie, still at home with their sick dying mother. There is hardly any food, they are extremely poor, and are only barely getting by. It's not until the two kids meet an unexpected friend and get the chance to go to America where their father went (he was trying to work and buy land so they could start over in life with a better future) when the story picks up a little. They live through a shipwreck, crosses America in a wagon, and meets all sorts of people on the way, both good and bad. (Or if it's Little Luke, he's wholesome)
I did find that the adventures they went through were light reads, so nothing scary or dark. Sometimes the things the characters did or the way the plot twisted seemed a bit unrealistic to me, or something would happen just the right way so nearly everything worked out.
I was disappointed that Fiddler
The twist of gold, also known as the torc, was kind of strange. It was the last possession the children brought along with them and though they lost it tons of times (being stolen, etc) it always seemed to come back around to them. There is a little bit of superstition involved with it as sometimes the characters say that if the right owners have it with them, they have good luck, and if they stole it, they'll have bad luck. To me this was a little weird and I thought the adventure parts of crossing America or the ship was more interesting to read.
Content:
Language: some dam* and h*ll, and one man says ni**er twice to another man
Sexy Stuff/Romance: N/A
Violence: A shipwreck, guns are pointed but never shot, one man is bound hand and foot, and some characters are abandoned in the desert while on the wagon trail. Little to no detail at all.
Other: Lots of references to Catholicism. The book makes everyone Catholic which is a little unrealistic.
October 12, 2023
2022 52 Book Challenge - 20) Related to the word "Gold"
I remembered reading this book as a child and really loving it. Without knowing the author or the title, I spent a few years trying to find it again in order to read it.
Reading it again as an adult, its not as fantastic as I remember all those years ago; the pacing is a bit off, it starts slow, it rushes the end; the secondary characters feel one note, and when it's time for the children to move on, it felt like most of them died.
The titular twist of gold has to be the luckiest thing in the entire book (which I get is the point) with the amount of times that it's stolen, lost or traded away and still somehow makes it back to the children.
I also wasn't a fan of the racist remarks in the book. While it may have been historically accurate to include, other parts of history were glossed over or excluded, and I feel like this also could have been excluded, especially as it mainly consisted of awful slur words that definitely do not add to the plot and isn't something that I'd personally want to introduce to the target audience of children.
And yet, despite its faults, I found the general plot and nostalgia quite enjoyable. The two main character, Sean and Annie, were pleasant and I did find myself wanting them to succeed.
I remembered reading this book as a child and really loving it. Without knowing the author or the title, I spent a few years trying to find it again in order to read it.
Reading it again as an adult, its not as fantastic as I remember all those years ago; the pacing is a bit off, it starts slow, it rushes the end; the secondary characters feel one note, and when it's time for the children to move on, it felt like most of them died.
The titular twist of gold has to be the luckiest thing in the entire book (which I get is the point) with the amount of times that it's stolen, lost or traded away and still somehow makes it back to the children.
I also wasn't a fan of the racist remarks in the book. While it may have been historically accurate to include, other parts of history were glossed over or excluded, and I feel like this also could have been excluded, especially as it mainly consisted of awful slur words that definitely do not add to the plot and isn't something that I'd personally want to introduce to the target audience of children.
And yet, despite its faults, I found the general plot and nostalgia quite enjoyable. The two main character, Sean and Annie, were pleasant and I did find myself wanting them to succeed.
November 6, 2015
I have not once come across a weak novel by Michael Morpurgo, and in this latest offering, we find a storyteller who knows what he's up to. Set in the time of the Irish Potato Famine, Morpurgo creates a vivid and stunning image of the poverty of Ireland and also manages to capture the air of American soil at the same time. I don't think I'll ever come across a weak book by this author, and I definitely plan to read more!
July 31, 2023
This was a book that had really high highs and really low lows, an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. The storyline was extensive but being packed into only 300 pages this made the book flow so easily at such a quick pace. This book has been on my bookshelf for over 10 years and I’m so glad I finally decided to read it.
September 28, 2023
I love all of Michael Murpurgo's books and it is an exciting read, and the ending is not what was expected it to be. I Won't Spoil it for you, You'll have to find out for yourselves.
November 23, 2024
I'm getting a little old for these kinda stories but micheal morpurgo is one of my favourite writers so I enjoyed it.
There was very many unexpected things that happen in it but the end wrapped everything up perfectly.
There was very many unexpected things that happen in it but the end wrapped everything up perfectly.
February 13, 2014
Twist of Gold’ is yet another Morpurgo gem. It tells the story of Sean and Annie who have grown up in Ireland with their family. However, with the arrival of the English, the land that they love has become a plague ridden one where many starve during the Potato Famine and where there is little hope for the future. As the novel opens, they have already lost three young siblings, their father has gone away to America in order to seek their fortune (although they have not heard from him in months) and there mother is on her death bed. As the two children attempt to survive, there seems little hope that they will until they meet a captain from the dragoons. He befriends the children, giving them what little food he can and trying to keep them safe. However, when he hears that there is a terrible fever sweeping across Ireland, he knows that they will not survive and so he does the only thing he knows to help them. Leaving their dying mother behind, he puts them on a ship to America to find their father and so begins their epic voyage from the southern tip of Ireland across the Atlantic and the entire continent of America to California in a desperate hunt for their father. The individuals they encounter on the way, the excruciating circumstances of their journey as they attempt to survive, find the father and preserve the torc, their family heirloom and good luck charm, are both amazing and utterly engaging.
Unlike some Morpurgo novels, this is far longer (nearly 300 pages) and the plot is far more complex. However, it is no less brilliant. The characters Morpurgo creates are larger than life: Sean with his strong sense of morality and the way in which we watch him mature, Annie with her innocence and sense of justice and even the villainous individuals such as the slave selling bounty hunter or the ship’s captain are vividly drawn. We are really compelled by this story of survival in much the same way as we are in ‘Private Peaceful’ or ‘War Horse’.
This is quite a long novel and yet, after much reading around, I chose it as a group read with my bottom set (primarily boy) Year 9 group (aged 13-14) and they have absolutely loved it despite the fact it is, in terms of plot, quite complicated at times. Several of them have read ahead in desperation to know what happens next (and this is a group of boys who do not read) and there is a collective sigh and calls for can’t we read more after our 10-15 minutes of reading at the start of each lesson. This, to me, speaks volumes!
However, there was another reason I chose this novel (apart from the fact it fit nicely with the topic of travel writing that we have been studying). It also reveals something of the society and life in the 1850s in both Ireland and America. The journey across America was not only epic but had a real quality of realism – Morpurgo as always, does not shy away from disturbing detail. I wanted to give the students some background to the idea of the American Dream and the notions about slavery at this time before reading ‘Of Mice and Men’ and this novel provides the perfect opportunity for such discussion. As such, it is also challenging. It does force the reader to face uncomfortable historical truths (not least about the way in which the English treated the Irish, which seems to find a parallel in the treatment of black people in terms of slavery at this time in Southern America).
No this is not a great piece of literature and there were some moments that felt as if they dragged a little. However, there is so much here: famine, loss, gambling, slavery, the American dream, ideas about the treatment of children, maturation, family. It is a wonderfully engaging story and one I would highly recommend to a young audience. Morpurgo just has a knack of not merely capturing a world that would be otherwise entirely unfamiliar, but forcing us to engage with and love his characters and, particularly at the end, grabbing us emotionally and forcing us to shed a tear.
Unlike some Morpurgo novels, this is far longer (nearly 300 pages) and the plot is far more complex. However, it is no less brilliant. The characters Morpurgo creates are larger than life: Sean with his strong sense of morality and the way in which we watch him mature, Annie with her innocence and sense of justice and even the villainous individuals such as the slave selling bounty hunter or the ship’s captain are vividly drawn. We are really compelled by this story of survival in much the same way as we are in ‘Private Peaceful’ or ‘War Horse’.
This is quite a long novel and yet, after much reading around, I chose it as a group read with my bottom set (primarily boy) Year 9 group (aged 13-14) and they have absolutely loved it despite the fact it is, in terms of plot, quite complicated at times. Several of them have read ahead in desperation to know what happens next (and this is a group of boys who do not read) and there is a collective sigh and calls for can’t we read more after our 10-15 minutes of reading at the start of each lesson. This, to me, speaks volumes!
However, there was another reason I chose this novel (apart from the fact it fit nicely with the topic of travel writing that we have been studying). It also reveals something of the society and life in the 1850s in both Ireland and America. The journey across America was not only epic but had a real quality of realism – Morpurgo as always, does not shy away from disturbing detail. I wanted to give the students some background to the idea of the American Dream and the notions about slavery at this time before reading ‘Of Mice and Men’ and this novel provides the perfect opportunity for such discussion. As such, it is also challenging. It does force the reader to face uncomfortable historical truths (not least about the way in which the English treated the Irish, which seems to find a parallel in the treatment of black people in terms of slavery at this time in Southern America).
No this is not a great piece of literature and there were some moments that felt as if they dragged a little. However, there is so much here: famine, loss, gambling, slavery, the American dream, ideas about the treatment of children, maturation, family. It is a wonderfully engaging story and one I would highly recommend to a young audience. Morpurgo just has a knack of not merely capturing a world that would be otherwise entirely unfamiliar, but forcing us to engage with and love his characters and, particularly at the end, grabbing us emotionally and forcing us to shed a tear.
December 9, 2021
Twist of Fold by Michael Morpugodeserves a 4 star in my opinion. It is basically about 2 Irish kids sean and Annie who have one chance to escape a potato famine and plague in Ireland. They have gone through multiply problems along with their ways like surviving a ship wreck. Although this adventure was just the beginning. I liked how the problems weren't as normal as a real-life problem which really gave it a bit of a kick. I. also enjoyed it. how the other created a setting in my mind without. giving it away. If you are in fantasy books I would really recommend you this book.
December 1, 2025
I actually prefer soul silver to heart gold, 4 stars
March 18, 2013
Michael Morpurgo often bookends his novels with a framing device: an adult looking back into childhood, for example.
Here there is half of his usual outline: the beginning tells us that this is a child's memory of a grandmother's story. To a degree, it is unnecessary, though it does let us know that the 'twist of gold' - the ancient torc of the O'Brien's must somehow have stayed in Annie's hands all the way from Ireland to California. On the various occasions it is lost and stolen, this provides a level of suspense as it seems immensely unlikely it can ever be retrieved.
*spoilers ahead*
Annie and her brother Sean leave Ireland during the Potato Famine, just ahead of the plague. Helped by a kindly English dragoon, they are given passage on a ship bound for Boston. They continue to fall in with people whose hearts are of gold as often as they fall in with black-hearted scoundrels. The captain of the ship is a rogue who confiscates the torc but they are helped by one of the crew to get it back. A fiddler teaches them to play and dance on the long voyage - skills that come in handy when they have to make their own way in Boston after failing to discover their father's whereabouts.
They are taken in by Miss Henry and Miss Martha after befriending the ex-slave, Little Luke. They send them to their wastrel brother who runs a paddleboat on the Mississippi. He eventually heads up the wagon train heading for California - but, as hard decisions have to be made, faces a mutiny in the desert. There he loses his life.
A poignant book full of utterly engaging characters. Did I say four stars? On second thoughts, five.
Here there is half of his usual outline: the beginning tells us that this is a child's memory of a grandmother's story. To a degree, it is unnecessary, though it does let us know that the 'twist of gold' - the ancient torc of the O'Brien's must somehow have stayed in Annie's hands all the way from Ireland to California. On the various occasions it is lost and stolen, this provides a level of suspense as it seems immensely unlikely it can ever be retrieved.
*spoilers ahead*
Annie and her brother Sean leave Ireland during the Potato Famine, just ahead of the plague. Helped by a kindly English dragoon, they are given passage on a ship bound for Boston. They continue to fall in with people whose hearts are of gold as often as they fall in with black-hearted scoundrels. The captain of the ship is a rogue who confiscates the torc but they are helped by one of the crew to get it back. A fiddler teaches them to play and dance on the long voyage - skills that come in handy when they have to make their own way in Boston after failing to discover their father's whereabouts.
They are taken in by Miss Henry and Miss Martha after befriending the ex-slave, Little Luke. They send them to their wastrel brother who runs a paddleboat on the Mississippi. He eventually heads up the wagon train heading for California - but, as hard decisions have to be made, faces a mutiny in the desert. There he loses his life.
A poignant book full of utterly engaging characters. Did I say four stars? On second thoughts, five.
July 6, 2021
I've always been a fan of Michael Morpurgo's books, and as a teacher I encouraged my pupils to read him. This book starts off during the Great Famine in Ireland where a member of the Dragoons takes a break from evicting people from their homes to help feed a hungry family. Right, fine.
Well I moved on, and a couple of pages later the narrator explained that the starving Irish people did not know you could eat fish.
Really, Michael? Something that our Stone Age ancestors knew was unknown to the Irish peasantry?
Could the fact that Irish people were prevented from fishing the rivers have anything to do with it? That the fishing rights were often owned by the landlords - many of them absentee landlords living in the UK?
What next Michael?
Maybe you'll say that populations that suffered genocide were responsible for their own destruction?
Well I moved on, and a couple of pages later the narrator explained that the starving Irish people did not know you could eat fish.
Really, Michael? Something that our Stone Age ancestors knew was unknown to the Irish peasantry?
Could the fact that Irish people were prevented from fishing the rivers have anything to do with it? That the fishing rights were often owned by the landlords - many of them absentee landlords living in the UK?
What next Michael?
Maybe you'll say that populations that suffered genocide were responsible for their own destruction?
May 11, 2013
One of those occasions where you shouldn't revisit a happy memory - we read this as a family when it was published in 1983 and loved it. Two children's adventures travelling from Cork to California to escape the Famine and find their father are full of incident and every kind of 19th century American image is ticked off: riverboat captains, wagon trains, mountain men, kindly black servants, to the extent that it becomes a bit cliched. That and the insufferable 'tis-es and to be sures that issue constantly out of the mouths of the Irish characters. It's so obviously written by a non-Irish person who has no real idea that it's a bit insulting. Just write them like normal people! And the ending is nonsensical. You can't go home again, begorrah.
September 23, 2011
Ever since my cousin introduced my to War Horse, I have picked up any book I can find by this author. The stories always draw you in, they are not always the sweetest by any means but are told in a way a child can understand without being very upsetting. This one is no exception. Sean and Annie are traveling across 'Merica to find their father and meet some nasty characters, as well and some lovely characters along the way. If this was based in the modern day I think it would be a very different story! It was not entirely believable at times but reading a Morpurgo book always leaves you with a warm glow by the end.
September 19, 2011
i had to keep on re-starting this book as it didn't catch my interest at first, but when i was left with nothing else to read, i finished it. It's set in the famine in Ireland. Brother and sister, Sean and Annie, have a chance to escape the famine, but they have to leave their dying mother behind and search for their father.
Micheal Morrpurgo was my favourite author for a very long time when i was younger, and still have a lot of love for a few of his books but this one would not be one of my favourites.
Micheal Morrpurgo was my favourite author for a very long time when i was younger, and still have a lot of love for a few of his books but this one would not be one of my favourites.
September 1, 2013
Annie was brilliant. She was the pinnacle of innocence and reminded me of myself when I was younger. Sean represented strength and determination very well also. These characters were absolutely fantastic. However I felt like the plot, although littered with obstacles, seemed to let the children off lightly on occasion. They got away with far too much and met far too many 'nice' people who were willing to help them on their journey at the risk of their own lives. But hence it's a childrens novel, right? So I can't complain too much :) I liked it.
October 19, 2015
A great book for a bedtime read. I read this to my 9 year old son and 8 year old daughter. They loved identifying with the two main characters. The story is a historical fictional epic adventure with sadness and joy in equal measure, a roller-coaster way to a happy ending. There are various good and bad characters in this tale which overall is heartwarming and in the Murpugo style we are used to - emotional, believable, learned, at times harsh, but full of hope.
September 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, struggled to put it down and it left me wanting more with each chapter. The Irish theme throughout is close to my heart with having family who lived through that terrible time of famine. Excellent book, thoroughly reccomend it anyone!
January 31, 2013
MM is always worth the time to read.
August 16, 2022
I'm usually a big fan of historical fiction, so I was excited to delve into this book. It follows siblings Sean and Annie as they leave their home in Ireland during the potato famine and set off to America in search of their father.
It had a slow start, spending a few chapters describing their life at home and building the friendship between the Dragoon and the two kids to explain how they came to board the ship to America. This was interesting to read about so I didn't mind the slower pacing. The passages following, about their experience on the ship, were the most interesting of the entire book for me. I loved reading about their friendship with the Fiddler and their mission to retrieve the golden torc back from the Captain.
The story is packed with more adventures after this as they slowly make their way towards the place they believe their father will be. They meet many different individuals and a lot of the new adventures seems to stick to a pattern; they meet a nice stranger willing to help them, somehow get the golden torc stolen by a new antagonist, and then eventually retrieve the torc with the help of the stranger who ends up dying. This made the story a little predictable at times but it was still enjoyable to read. The dialogue as a whole did also feel long-winded at times; there are paragraphs of speech where the same sentence is repeated multiple times which felt unnecessary and tedious to get through.
The ending was positive but felt rushed. They finally reach their destination and Annie notices a grave which she briefly believes to be their father's, but her fears are quickly dispelled as he comes out to greet them. They have a wholesome reunion and then learn that their mother, who they left dying back in Ireland, is also at the house alive and well. It was a cute ending, but didn't appeal to me personally. I honestly would have preferred it if the grave had been their father's, but I suppose that would have been too depressing for a book aimed at children.
Overall, this was a decent book with just a few elements that missed the mark.
It had a slow start, spending a few chapters describing their life at home and building the friendship between the Dragoon and the two kids to explain how they came to board the ship to America. This was interesting to read about so I didn't mind the slower pacing. The passages following, about their experience on the ship, were the most interesting of the entire book for me. I loved reading about their friendship with the Fiddler and their mission to retrieve the golden torc back from the Captain.
The story is packed with more adventures after this as they slowly make their way towards the place they believe their father will be. They meet many different individuals and a lot of the new adventures seems to stick to a pattern; they meet a nice stranger willing to help them, somehow get the golden torc stolen by a new antagonist, and then eventually retrieve the torc with the help of the stranger who ends up dying. This made the story a little predictable at times but it was still enjoyable to read. The dialogue as a whole did also feel long-winded at times; there are paragraphs of speech where the same sentence is repeated multiple times which felt unnecessary and tedious to get through.
The ending was positive but felt rushed. They finally reach their destination and Annie notices a grave which she briefly believes to be their father's, but her fears are quickly dispelled as he comes out to greet them. They have a wholesome reunion and then learn that their mother, who they left dying back in Ireland, is also at the house alive and well. It was a cute ending, but didn't appeal to me personally. I honestly would have preferred it if the grave had been their father's, but I suppose that would have been too depressing for a book aimed at children.
Overall, this was a decent book with just a few elements that missed the mark.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2025
This book helped me realise how heritage can shape both who we are and how we see ourselves. When Mother says, “I have told you children, as your father has told you often enough, that a long, long time ago our family was a great family, rich in land, that we fought alongside the kings and everywhere we rode was our own. All that is left of our birthright now is the golden torc that belonged to the first of the O’Brian chieftains over a thousand years ago,” we learn that the torc is not just jewellery but the last surviving link to a proud history. This reveals how people define themselves by where they come from, and even when status and wealth are lost, memory preserves dignity. The deeper insight here is that identity is not only about present circumstances but also about honouring the struggles and achievements of those before us, which gives families strength to endure.
However, the meaning of the torc goes further when Mother adds, “So long as we keep it we will never forget who we are. And wherever the O’Brians go the golden torc must go with them – you know that well enough.” Here the torc is less about remembering past glory and more about protecting the family’s future sense of belonging. It shows that objects can act as anchors, carrying identity forward into unknown places. The insight here is that heritage is not static: it must be actively carried and protected if it is to survive. Morpurgo suggests that in times of hardship, holding on to such symbols gives people hope that they will remain connected to who they are, no matter how much their world changes.
From the first quote we learn that the torc represents history and the pride of ancestry, while from the second we learn it functions as a promise that identity will endure into the future. Together these ideas show that family heritage is both backward-looking and forward-looking — it gives us dignity by reminding us where we come from, and it gives us hope by ensuring we never forget who we are. Ultimately, this book helped me realise that true wealth lies not in possessions or power but in the ability to carry one’s identity across time and place.
However, the meaning of the torc goes further when Mother adds, “So long as we keep it we will never forget who we are. And wherever the O’Brians go the golden torc must go with them – you know that well enough.” Here the torc is less about remembering past glory and more about protecting the family’s future sense of belonging. It shows that objects can act as anchors, carrying identity forward into unknown places. The insight here is that heritage is not static: it must be actively carried and protected if it is to survive. Morpurgo suggests that in times of hardship, holding on to such symbols gives people hope that they will remain connected to who they are, no matter how much their world changes.
From the first quote we learn that the torc represents history and the pride of ancestry, while from the second we learn it functions as a promise that identity will endure into the future. Together these ideas show that family heritage is both backward-looking and forward-looking — it gives us dignity by reminding us where we come from, and it gives us hope by ensuring we never forget who we are. Ultimately, this book helped me realise that true wealth lies not in possessions or power but in the ability to carry one’s identity across time and place.
March 7, 2023
Twist of Gold tells the story of Sean and Annie, and their tumultuous adventure from Ireland to America, in search of their father. In Ireland, the potato famine is raging, with people dying in poverty and squalor. To escape, Sean and Annie leave for America. Along the way, they encounter many good and bad people, but ultimately overcome all their troubles to finally find home.
To say that this is a children’s book, is too simplistic and doesn’t give it justice. It covers many important themes, such as the horror of the Irish potato famine, the greed of men wanting to take advantage of the immigrants terrible situations, racism in America, and a comment upon the American dream. It’s definitely a book that sparks conversations. And while it often simplistically, and a little fantastically, resolves all issues that the children face, it does address them. Morpurgo does use racially-aggravated language, perhaps shockingly at times, but I do think in context it’s necessary and demonstrates attitudes at the time. An issue that I think is not addressed well, is the attitude towards Native Americans. It’s a well-addressed issue in history books and scholarly works that Native Americans were villanised by white immigrants and often treated terribly. Morpurgo plays into this narrative, as they are constantly othered and referred to as the “devil” and something to be feared. It’s frustrating when he works so well to highlight the plight of the Irish, and how many used the immigrants as money makers and abused people trying to escape for a better life. So I find it frustrating that both sides can’t be illustrated fairly.
Overall, this is a book that is filled with pain, but also hope. Sean and Annie get their happy ending, despite the difficulties they face along the way. And overall, it’s an important book for older children to read, and one I enjoyed very much.
To say that this is a children’s book, is too simplistic and doesn’t give it justice. It covers many important themes, such as the horror of the Irish potato famine, the greed of men wanting to take advantage of the immigrants terrible situations, racism in America, and a comment upon the American dream. It’s definitely a book that sparks conversations. And while it often simplistically, and a little fantastically, resolves all issues that the children face, it does address them. Morpurgo does use racially-aggravated language, perhaps shockingly at times, but I do think in context it’s necessary and demonstrates attitudes at the time. An issue that I think is not addressed well, is the attitude towards Native Americans. It’s a well-addressed issue in history books and scholarly works that Native Americans were villanised by white immigrants and often treated terribly. Morpurgo plays into this narrative, as they are constantly othered and referred to as the “devil” and something to be feared. It’s frustrating when he works so well to highlight the plight of the Irish, and how many used the immigrants as money makers and abused people trying to escape for a better life. So I find it frustrating that both sides can’t be illustrated fairly.
Overall, this is a book that is filled with pain, but also hope. Sean and Annie get their happy ending, despite the difficulties they face along the way. And overall, it’s an important book for older children to read, and one I enjoyed very much.
July 23, 2024
This is basically a bit of everything for the full Immigrant Experience; the protagonists go through the emigrant crossing, poverty and living on the streets, kindly rich spinsters straight out of a contemporary children's story, slave catchers and bounty hunters, wagon train, riverboat gambling, crossing the desert, panning for gold, pelt trading... and the whole thing is structured around the titular golden torc which is supposedly an artefact from the days of legend. I did feel that the present-day framing story was a bit of a mis-step, since not only does it feel unnecessary as an introduction, featuring characters we never see again, but it completely destroys any sense of tension as to whether the torc will eventually return to the children's possession when they lose it. But perhaps the author felt that this reassurance would be less traumatic for the intended age-group. (That said, there's a fairly high death count along the way - the protagonists may have plot armour, but nobody else does!)
It feels very much like a 19th or early 20th century novel, with familiar stock characters (except the Sergeant of Dragoons at the start, who was unexpected) and settings, but they are all vividly drawn. So many boxes were being ticked off that it did end up with a bit of an educational feel, though, like those Diary of a Tudor Girl/Boy in the Blitz/Victorian Chimney-Sweep stories...
It feels very much like a 19th or early 20th century novel, with familiar stock characters (except the Sergeant of Dragoons at the start, who was unexpected) and settings, but they are all vividly drawn. So many boxes were being ticked off that it did end up with a bit of an educational feel, though, like those Diary of a Tudor Girl/Boy in the Blitz/Victorian Chimney-Sweep stories...
December 16, 2017
I have very mixed emotions about this story. As an Irish girl, I think that the accents Morpurgo gave to each character were not very accurate, I feel that he neglected researching Irish culture and wrote each character as an Irish stereotype: the fiery girl with a sharp tongue that can do the Irish jig, the brave irishmen that plays a fiddle. I would have loved more depth within each character, there is more to them than their traditions.
However, the actual story line was interesting. I loved the journey and the characters met on the way. The ending was also very cool and had a bit of a plot twist. Though one thing I found myself doing is not reading the book as much. Usually when I read a cannot put the book down until it finishes, with this story I did not really want to read as much and it took me very long to finish.
However, the actual story line was interesting. I loved the journey and the characters met on the way. The ending was also very cool and had a bit of a plot twist. Though one thing I found myself doing is not reading the book as much. Usually when I read a cannot put the book down until it finishes, with this story I did not really want to read as much and it took me very long to finish.
June 7, 2021
Actually begun reading June 6th 2021. Received as a gift, as I am working on finding and rereading my childhood favourites, and this didn’t disappoint! First read when I was still in Primary School, aged 9-11, I believe. I didn’t remember much of the story and plot, beyond siblings, an Irish fiddle and America. Michael Morpurgo is an excellent writer for children, however this was in places quite emotional and in depth. Whilst I would recommend this to older children, from sort of 10 onwards, it really depends on the parent’s discretion, what the child wants to read and whether they can handle the book. There are some difficult words, but not many and there is a despicable character who verbally abuses another due to his ethnicity, but it is shown that his actions were wrong and he gets his comeuppance. To say anymore would be spoiling it completely. A good read.
April 25, 2021
A brother and sister struggling to survive on a journey to find their father.
This is my comfort read, and has been since I first read it as a preteen. It's sad at times, but mostly sweetly hopeful, exploring the potato famine and stretching out to touch the culture of the time.
An adventure with characters you'll love and a unique story. The only thing that's a little disappointing are the new covers. The one I've got is a beautiful hardcover with an illustration of Annie and Sean. The two children on the cover were why my grandmother bought it for me in the first place and reflected the story perfectly. If I'd seen the new covers in the store I'd have no interest. It's not right for such a great book.
This is my comfort read, and has been since I first read it as a preteen. It's sad at times, but mostly sweetly hopeful, exploring the potato famine and stretching out to touch the culture of the time.
An adventure with characters you'll love and a unique story. The only thing that's a little disappointing are the new covers. The one I've got is a beautiful hardcover with an illustration of Annie and Sean. The two children on the cover were why my grandmother bought it for me in the first place and reflected the story perfectly. If I'd seen the new covers in the store I'd have no interest. It's not right for such a great book.
April 30, 2023
The book is an absolute wonder. It consists of drama, action, emotion.
It is a story of family. A story of Achievements and short victories that do not last long which makes the book so satisfying that in the end all the sacrifices of the many characters in the book end up in a final victory and later you wish you can live the story.
I felt so still and dumbstruck. The story was an emotional roller coaster. I felt my heartbeat racing as I read each page in fatal anticipation.
This book is truly a magnificent masterpiece.
It is a story of family. A story of Achievements and short victories that do not last long which makes the book so satisfying that in the end all the sacrifices of the many characters in the book end up in a final victory and later you wish you can live the story.
I felt so still and dumbstruck. The story was an emotional roller coaster. I felt my heartbeat racing as I read each page in fatal anticipation.
This book is truly a magnificent masterpiece.
July 7, 2023
Sweet, feel-good read.
Full of coincidence and hope this tale of two children looking for home is endearing. A well paved and easy read that despite the happy ending and twists of fate manages to avoid being twee or forced. Believable despite the good fortune and coincidence that holds it together.
I read as my daughter had to read the War Horse for school...she enjoyed so I felt we should try more by the same author. This is not as emotionally packed as War Horse but equally well written with engaging characters.
Full of coincidence and hope this tale of two children looking for home is endearing. A well paved and easy read that despite the happy ending and twists of fate manages to avoid being twee or forced. Believable despite the good fortune and coincidence that holds it together.
I read as my daughter had to read the War Horse for school...she enjoyed so I felt we should try more by the same author. This is not as emotionally packed as War Horse but equally well written with engaging characters.
March 2, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about a young nineteenth century Irish brother and sister. The story of their escape from starvation during the potato famine, their near death adventures while traveling to and across America to find their father, and of the selfless generosity and kindness of friends made along the way, was inspiring. A 'feel good' tale and an easy read that moves along at a cracking pace.
September 22, 2019
I read this as a child in Year 6, and would definitely recommend it for year 6 children too. Set in Ireland and America, it tells the story of Irish children travelling to America to find their father and survive in a world where hunger and instability is rife. Some very sad and moving moments, but suitable in teaching older children about the harsh realities of humans and the past.
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