Review by Frank Plowright

After a lurid, symbolic cover it’s well into the opening chapter before Chrissy Williams introduces the background to her story. By then we’ve seen we’ve seen a youngish woman arrive on an island at night in the company of older women who’re immediately set upon for their luggage. Jay has premature onset menopause, and in the world featured that means she’s no use to society. The island is where all menopausal women are sent, and Jay’s fortunate enough to have attracted the attention of Rose, a giant among them.

The idea is grim, and the title trivialises it, but Williams has put a fair bit of thought into the society that would emerge on such an island, and introduces various factions with their own ways of operating. Jay’s fallen into relatively kindly company, and switching the narrator with each successive chapter ensures each of the main cast becomes known to readers.

Atmosphere is supplied from the start by artist Lauren Knight and colourist Sofie Dodgson restricting light. The opening pages occur at night, and much of what subsequently happens is in gloomy areas. Knight’s people are different enough to be distinguished in the half-light, and this is a story where it doesn’t matter that the backgrounds are simple, as anything else would undermine the idea of people fighting for survival without resources.

Eccentricity is inbuilt from the start, again likely when civilisation is in effect restarting, but Williams has a place for everyone never mind if they initially seem only present for colour. A mystery writer, for instance, makes a startling deduction. Williams also ensures the story is far more than the sensationalistic back cover blurb would have you believe. Women do fight for survival, but they also talk with each other and the skills they’ve learned don’t just disappear with menopause. Jay being younger perhaps distils the point being made.

Having set things up so efficiently and introduced a varied cast, there comes a point where the wider world intrudes, and it leads to an unsatisfying ending. Williams has rather trapped herself with an excellent chapter-ending revelation, but it opens a door that should have remained shut. Still, that’s only the last few pages and everything until that point is compelling.

Williams also comes up trumps with the sheer variety of material at the back of the book from the uses of dandelion and nettles to an explanation of clowns. Golden Rage is very much an unexpected treat and also unexpected is that it continues in Mother Knows Best.