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thesaltiestlibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Grief, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Hate crime, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment
jayisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
I think giving this any kind of rating is difficult, only because there are so many elements of this book that I can see will not be of interest to some. That said, for me, I found myself compelled by the story and, especially, Zhang’s writing style. It’s dreamlike and lingers in a way that captures what it feels to ruminate. The story isn’t exactly linear since the protagonist, Lucy, lets her thoughts run free into the hills (to be a little cheesy). However, it does so in an organic way, as she describes her surroundings and the people around her, especially her family dynamics. I was especially taken to this, because it captured such bittersweet moments between family members, particularly between siblings, that left a profound impression on me.
This novel is a fascinating take on the Western (during the Gold Rush) through the lens of a Chinese American, drawing attention to a group whose voices were/are rarely heard. And Zhang did so in a beautiful way, weaving Mandarin into the story so unapologetically, highlighting the lived experiences of millions who grew up with more than one language in the United States; then and now. Furthermore, I really appreciated the queer representation that was paradoxically subtle yet prominent in this space, making clear that queer people have always existed. Really, it’s truly impressive how Zhang managed to place a gentle yet firm touch on the reader. I think there could have been more development on some of the other complex issues that Zhang touches on (e.g., settler colonialism), but I also understand that this is beyond the scope of this book—
There’s a sense of mythos that’s built around the idea of golden hills and a tiger lurking that I really enjoyed. And this book reads like a tiger lurking in the hills, where everything seems quiet, but Lucy will reveal what tigers are really capable of without flinching.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Miscarriage, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Rape
schenkepanky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Gore, and Death
gracew's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book could have been amazing. Weaving in and out of time, there's a lot happening and a lot of aspects that really could have been really fantastic if woven together better. The biggest problem I have with this book is that it wasn't able to hold my attention for any length of time. I kept reading and rereading passages. There were moments when I would start to get drawn in, only to loose focus again. I thought the story dragged a bit but mostly I just didn't love the characters and couldn't really connect to most of them. It's not the worst book I've read but it was not for me at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape
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