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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was slow, so very slow, dragging, not building on the protagonist, Eliza or her partner in crime Alex. Eliza could have been a strong woman, it disappointed me she was not. The ending left too much open for the reader to untangle alone.
In a new and different world, there was hardly any exploration of the native people. At first I thought it was me, not the book. I changed my mind. This is not a far-fetch from the HF I normally love but there was too much missing.
The book takes place in the 19th century in a brutal coastal town of Australia where pearling is one of the few ways to make a decent living. Eliza and her family arrive from London so her father can make his fortune. Some years after their arrival the family boat returns without him and no one is saying what happened to him. Eliza sets out to uncover the truth.
The story was here, but the prose needed work, IMO. So slow. This is the author's first book, so the last 1/2 star is me giving her the benefit of the doubt. If this is her writing style, than the editors need to reign her in and they also need to re-classify where her books belong.
adventurous
mysterious
"Sometimes a rotten bit of flesh can be cut out and the pearl preserved. At other times the decay goes right through to the core, just like in a person."
Let me begin with what I loved. I loved the imagery, how Pook vividly illustrated Western Australia. I have an even stronger desire to make my way over to the down under! I feel like the history was quite accurate too. Not a big zoologist or biology person but I LOVED Charles' journal entries where there were easy-to-follow descriptions of local wildlife! Loved, loved, loved this part! I also enjoyed the sense of adventure and Eliza's persistence.
That being said, Eliza's persistence is really the main facet of the protagonist. There was nothing else really there. The character building was lacklustre, to the point where it was difficult to differentiate people. Hardcastle vs. Parker vs. the publican from out of town? Had a rough time differentiating these two. Also, some characters' stories weren't fully completed (SPOILER: Balarri and Thomas). As well, the mystery wasn't as seamless as it should've been. I kept having to refer to previous chapters to understand what all was happening. Still a little confused.
Overall, it was a good book and if there was a sequel I would read it. 3.25 stars.
Let me begin with what I loved. I loved the imagery, how Pook vividly illustrated Western Australia. I have an even stronger desire to make my way over to the down under! I feel like the history was quite accurate too. Not a big zoologist or biology person but I LOVED Charles' journal entries where there were easy-to-follow descriptions of local wildlife! Loved, loved, loved this part! I also enjoyed the sense of adventure and Eliza's persistence.
That being said, Eliza's persistence is really the main facet of the protagonist. There was nothing else really there. The character building was lacklustre, to the point where it was difficult to differentiate people. Hardcastle vs. Parker vs. the publican from out of town? Had a rough time differentiating these two. Also, some characters' stories weren't fully completed (SPOILER: Balarri and Thomas). As well, the mystery wasn't as seamless as it should've been. I kept having to refer to previous chapters to understand what all was happening. Still a little confused.
Overall, it was a good book and if there was a sequel I would read it. 3.25 stars.
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Colonisation
Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter is a gripping historical mystery set in Australia in 1896. This amazing story is set against the back drop of the pearling industry. The good, the bad and the ugly of society and how the natives were treated are front and center.
Eliza is full of grit and determination and will stop at
nothing until she solves the mystery of her fathers disappearance.
I couldn’t put this one down and was satisfied with the ending. Of course I was surprised when all was revealed.
If you like historical novels with added mystery and adventure this is the perfect read for you. This one is out June 14, 2022.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for my gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Eliza is full of grit and determination and will stop at
nothing until she solves the mystery of her fathers disappearance.
I couldn’t put this one down and was satisfied with the ending. Of course I was surprised when all was revealed.
If you like historical novels with added mystery and adventure this is the perfect read for you. This one is out June 14, 2022.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for my gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
I was given the eARC for my honest opinion.
First, I want to say what an amazing job Pook did with her research and the heartfelt love she put into this book. Now historical fiction is not my go to genre at all, however, with that being said I did find myself really pleased by this book. I have not read that many books that will take you back to 1886, and to the Western Australia coast. Heck not many that speak of all the wonders that the seas bring there, or all the horrors that one might have to face off with. I thought Eliza was a strong lead character, I loved how she did not let others doubts cloud her own, and she followed what she knew was best for her and her family. I know of the hardships women back in those times faced but I didn’t know it was that bad and to be in a different country that you were not raised and have to discover everything and fight for everything. I found that part of the book to be so inspiring, I love characters that go against what is the “normal” in society at that time.
I think Pook did an incredible job with capturing the old town feel of this book, as well and describing in detail everything that an explorer would want the world to know. I gave this book 4 stars due to the pace, I felt at times it was a little slow and really was not going that fast, but overall, the book was phenomenal.
I want to thank Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Lizzie Pook for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I was given the eARC for my honest opinion.
First, I want to say what an amazing job Pook did with her research and the heartfelt love she put into this book. Now historical fiction is not my go to genre at all, however, with that being said I did find myself really pleased by this book. I have not read that many books that will take you back to 1886, and to the Western Australia coast. Heck not many that speak of all the wonders that the seas bring there, or all the horrors that one might have to face off with. I thought Eliza was a strong lead character, I loved how she did not let others doubts cloud her own, and she followed what she knew was best for her and her family. I know of the hardships women back in those times faced but I didn’t know it was that bad and to be in a different country that you were not raised and have to discover everything and fight for everything. I found that part of the book to be so inspiring, I love characters that go against what is the “normal” in society at that time.
I think Pook did an incredible job with capturing the old town feel of this book, as well and describing in detail everything that an explorer would want the world to know. I gave this book 4 stars due to the pace, I felt at times it was a little slow and really was not going that fast, but overall, the book was phenomenal.
I want to thank Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Lizzie Pook for the opportunity to read and review this book.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's 1896, and Eliza Brightwater finds herself alone in Bannin Bay, Australia, when her father disappears at sea and her brother can't handle the unanswered questions. But Eliza is sure that her father is still alive and waiting for her to find him so she sets out to uncover the mystery of what happened and bring him back before it's too late.
This book was fine. I don't think I've read that much historical fiction set in Australia so it was a nice change and a different setting, and I did appreciate the fact that the author didn't hide away from and often highlighted the cruel treatment of Australian's First Nations people - and how bad the white settlers were towards these people from slavery, casual racism and mistreatment of women and children.
I think the disappearance of Eliza's father was a little weak overall and I think it lacked an excitement and an energy to make the book fun to read - it was a bit bland and it felt like some of the bigger obstacles Eliza faced sizzled out quickly.
I did like where Eliza ended up, there was a little bit of girl power feminism going on and the naturalist angle was nice. I had an ARC copy of this so I'm not sure if the finished copy had any illustrations of Eliza's animals and sea creatures but that would be a fun element to the book.
This book was fine. I don't think I've read that much historical fiction set in Australia so it was a nice change and a different setting, and I did appreciate the fact that the author didn't hide away from and often highlighted the cruel treatment of Australian's First Nations people - and how bad the white settlers were towards these people from slavery, casual racism and mistreatment of women and children.
I think the disappearance of Eliza's father was a little weak overall and I think it lacked an excitement and an energy to make the book fun to read - it was a bit bland and it felt like some of the bigger obstacles Eliza faced sizzled out quickly.
I did like where Eliza ended up, there was a little bit of girl power feminism going on and the naturalist angle was nice. I had an ARC copy of this so I'm not sure if the finished copy had any illustrations of Eliza's animals and sea creatures but that would be a fun element to the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
