Review: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

Weighing in at 832 pages, intricately written and dense with Victorian period detail, The Luminaries is the longest book ever to win the Booker prize. Its themes include murder, theft, opium, romance and astrology – just for starters. Its plot and characters are equally complex. But if you commit, the rewards will be as rich as the seams of gold that drive a lot of the action. Gorgeous writing and creative daring make for a fascinating journey back in time, and into the hearts of its compelling protagonists.