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hugo19999's review against another edition
4.0
It's a lovely journey
I don't have anything else to say just lovely
I don't have anything else to say just lovely
michaeljpdx's review against another edition
4.0
My review of The Celestial can be found on Speak Its Name.
suze_1624's review against another edition
5.0
A really enjoyable story about a harsh time.
The story covers the hardships of the goldrush, the poverty that drove people to go for gold, the discrimination against and ignorance of foreigners. But it also details the friendship and growing love of Todd and Lao Jian.
I would categorsie this as a historic story with a romance, only because I think it is a much better story for the romance element being almost the third or fourth story line in the book. I was expecting a much grittier read (and wasn't so keen on that idea) so for me, it being a fairly easy read was a nice surprise( whilst there is violence, it is generally off page and we really just see the aftermath).
The writing style allowed me to become fully immersed in the story, so that I had to finish in one sitting. If you want lots of sex in your reads, then prepare to be disappointed but read all the same!
I'd have loved either a part 2 or a second book detailing the story of Todd and Lao Jian up to the epilogue - just have to use my imagination!
The story covers the hardships of the goldrush, the poverty that drove people to go for gold, the discrimination against and ignorance of foreigners. But it also details the friendship and growing love of Todd and Lao Jian.
I would categorsie this as a historic story with a romance, only because I think it is a much better story for the romance element being almost the third or fourth story line in the book. I was expecting a much grittier read (and wasn't so keen on that idea) so for me, it being a fairly easy read was a nice surprise( whilst there is violence, it is generally off page and we really just see the aftermath).
The writing style allowed me to become fully immersed in the story, so that I had to finish in one sitting. If you want lots of sex in your reads, then prepare to be disappointed but read all the same!
I'd have loved either a part 2 or a second book detailing the story of Todd and Lao Jian up to the epilogue - just have to use my imagination!
kaje_harper's review against another edition
4.0
This book is the first-person account of a somewhat-naive young man, Todd, who has set out to pan for gold in the mountains of the American west coast in the 1870's. He's the only child of a hard-working widowed mother, and he hopes to make their fortune and relieve his mother's struggles to make ends meet. But the gold claims are a violent place, and Todd gets caught up in other men's quarrels and is forced to flee.
Unlike most white men of the day, Todd is refreshingly free from prejudice. He meets a young man from China, a "Celestial", and forms an immediate friendship. But California in that era is not friendly or safe for immigrants, and the Chinese are at the bottom of the pecking order. His friend Lâo Jian is ostracized, viewed with suspicion wherever they go, and sometimes at physical risk as anti-immigrant sentiment is unleashed on the Chinese community.
Todd returns home to Sacramento with Lâo Jian, who has nowhere else to go. Todd arrives back at his mother's house broke, without a job, and close friends with a "foreigner." Finding a way to fit in, to earn a living, and to be with Lâo Jian as their friendship becomes love, is a difficult challenge and not made easier by Todd's own nature.
One of the pleasures of this book is Todd's narrative voice, which feels authentically young, sometimes foolish, sometimes angry, sometimes hopeful even when the evidence is against him. His acceptance of his love for Lâo Jian is fast and complete, without much self-doubt, but feels real. His fumbling to figure out a way to make things work was realistic.
This is a fast-moving story and clearly written. If anything I'd have loved for this book to be longer. The glimpses of the immigrant community into which Lâo Jian disappeared in each new city were tantalizing but limited. The challenges which the two young men would have faced between themselves, both personal and cultural, didn't have time to arise as they dealt with the very real issues of the outside world. The historical setting is very well handled, feeling authentic without ever seeming over-detailed or imposed on the story. This book was a refreshing change-of-pace and I would happily read more about these two young men and their unique challenges, should the author ever be tempted to fill us in. However this story does stand alone as a complete narrative. This could be a good YA read as well, and I will be recommending it in the YA LGBT group.
Unlike most white men of the day, Todd is refreshingly free from prejudice. He meets a young man from China, a "Celestial", and forms an immediate friendship. But California in that era is not friendly or safe for immigrants, and the Chinese are at the bottom of the pecking order. His friend Lâo Jian is ostracized, viewed with suspicion wherever they go, and sometimes at physical risk as anti-immigrant sentiment is unleashed on the Chinese community.
Todd returns home to Sacramento with Lâo Jian, who has nowhere else to go. Todd arrives back at his mother's house broke, without a job, and close friends with a "foreigner." Finding a way to fit in, to earn a living, and to be with Lâo Jian as their friendship becomes love, is a difficult challenge and not made easier by Todd's own nature.
One of the pleasures of this book is Todd's narrative voice, which feels authentically young, sometimes foolish, sometimes angry, sometimes hopeful even when the evidence is against him. His acceptance of his love for Lâo Jian is fast and complete, without much self-doubt, but feels real. His fumbling to figure out a way to make things work was realistic.
This is a fast-moving story and clearly written. If anything I'd have loved for this book to be longer. The glimpses of the immigrant community into which Lâo Jian disappeared in each new city were tantalizing but limited. The challenges which the two young men would have faced between themselves, both personal and cultural, didn't have time to arise as they dealt with the very real issues of the outside world.
Spoiler
There is a lovely and reassuring epilogue which I enjoyed and which made me feel the relationship's depth in a new way.
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