Itacate has been born into the last years of the Aztec Empire. Evil portents appear in the sky, more and more people are being sacrificed to appease the Gods. Meanwhile, Itacate is risking offending the gods by learning her father’s craft. Being a goldsmith is forbidden for a woman, but her father’s eyesight is failing and her brother has no talent for the craft. Then Itacate’s own brother is taken and held ready for sacrifice. One day rumours begin to spread about the arrival of white-skinned men mounted on unknown beasts in the empire. And it is not long before the men arrive in the city.

The Goldsmith’s Daughter continues Landman’s theme of the destruction of ancient American civilisations by Europeans. The style of the book is also reminiscent of Apache. The Aztec city and the way of life are very well conjured and it is clear the book has been carefully researched. It is a dark and harrowing tale of doom and death, and should have wide appeal given the current fashion for dark stories. Indeed the book has already been longlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize.

2008-06-24