Beth Mahony is a stay-at-home mother of two daughters, Lucy and
Charlotte. She's also a blogger, whose alter ego, Lizzie, paints a
picture of a busy, happy life. Originally from Australia, Beth and her
family have lived in New Jersey for ten years. When an opportunity to
relocate to Australia arises, the Mahonys decide to return to their
native country. The move comes at the perfect time: Charlotte, the
youngest daughter, has been accused of being the ringleader of a clique
of girls whose dangerous initiation rites leave a child in hospital.
In Newcastle, Lucy and Charlotte attend a prestigious all-girls school,
and Beth and her husband gradually settle into their new life. The
almost immediately popular Charlotte is thrust back into the spotlight
when she is blamed for cyberbulling a classmate to the point of suicide.
With Charlotte refusing to take the blame, the bullied child's parents
seeking retribution, and her husband and mother-in-law doubting
Charlotte's innocence, Beth is forced to examine her children's actions
critically―at a heartbreaking cost.
The Golden Child tells the story of two families' heartbreaking
realization that there are no guarantees when it comes to parenting. The
novel grapples with modern-day specters of selfies, selfishness, and
cyberbullying to uncover the anxieties of both girl- and motherhood.
