Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy #1)
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.
Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.
She also has a secret.
Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.
When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.
The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush–era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.
My Review
I am always chastising myself for judging a book by its cover, but that is precisely the reason why I chose to read Walk on Earth a Stranger. At one glance, I assumed it would be some magical fantasy and was on board. However, I soon found out that Walk on Earth a Stranger was not only historical fiction, but American historical fiction, which is my very least favorite of all. If I had paid enough attention to know what the book was about, I would have passed it over in a heartbeat.
It is a strange feeling to be humbled by a book.
Walk on Earth a Stranger is an excellent story driven by the insurmountable Leah "Lee" Westfall. There is not much about this book that I didn't like, and I stayed up all night reading it. It makes me shudder to think that I may have missed this book completely. I'm thinking maybe I should allow a book cover to guide me from time to time.
Lee's talent for finding gold seems much more like a curse than a blessing while reading this novel. It comes in handy and aids her in her struggles throughout the book, but it complicates matters greatly for her. Her promise to her parents to keep it secret also drives a wedge between her and those around her. So not only does Lee have to risk her safety on the dangerous trek west, but she must learn how and when to trust other people.
One of the best things about Walk on Earth a Stranger is the amount of research Carson did on her novel. There are a few minor things that do not fit with the time period, but it otherwise showed a very hard period in American history. Walk on Earth a Stranger takes on racism against blacks and Native Americans, the Western traveler's treatment of the buffaloes, and so much more. Though the book is considered fantasy, I think it shows a realistic take on the trail ride west.
I know this is the part where I usually tell you something or another about a book's genre, but I'm going to ask you today not to worry about that. Walk on Earth a Stranger is a fantastic book, and it is well worth your time to read it, no matter your bookish tastes.
Pre-Order Links
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To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book briefly for reviewing purposes through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. The book was likely provided to the tour by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.
This book has me from the moment I saw its beautiful cover! I love it when an author can cleverly mix historical fiction with an element of fantasy, so I am keen to check this out. I am also glad to hear it tackles some racial issues. Fantastic review :)
ReplyDeleteAentee at Read at Midnight.