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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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
A pearl is a source of beauty but underneath it all is a dark underworld of how those pearls are actually found and Eliza is bound and determined to find out what is happening. In Western Australia 1886 a boat returns without Eliza’s father on it. She takes it upon herself to figure out the mystery of his disappearance. This is a story based on Lizzy Pook’s research on the pearl industry and it’s so interesting!
.
Thank you #SimonandSchuster and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you @simonandschuster and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC of MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER.
I used to read so much historical fiction but after suffering from severe WWII historical fiction fatigue, I haven’t read much of this genre lately. When books set in different parts of the world and different eras come across my radar, I’m always reminded that I do enjoy this genre!
MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER is set the fictional town of Bannin Bay, Western Australia in 1886. I know next to nothing about this region or time period or even pearling for that matter so I was immediately intrigued. Add in the fact that the protagonist is a young woman searching for her missing father so there are hints of mystery and adventure and it was my kind of historical fiction!
I loved Eliza’s fierce character. She didn't care that the “society women” looked down on her for not acting like them, that she wasn’t supposed to go to certain places because she was a woman, or be friends with certain people because she was a “respectable white lady”. She did it anyway.
Throughout Eliza’s search for her father and the truth, she comes across corruption, prejudice, sexism and scandal. The dark underbelly of the pearling industry and how the English settlers treated the Aboriginal people and non-whites are highlight in this book as well. The author included notes at the end of the book explaining all of the detailed research she did on this region, industry and era. It’s heartbreaking but also not at all shocking knowing what we know about the corruption of colonizers.
MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER is out in the US, June 14, 2022! Aussie friends, this one is already out for you!
Cw: accidental death of a child; description of mother’s death in childbirth; hanging; torture; attempted rape; racism; slavery
I used to read so much historical fiction but after suffering from severe WWII historical fiction fatigue, I haven’t read much of this genre lately. When books set in different parts of the world and different eras come across my radar, I’m always reminded that I do enjoy this genre!
MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER is set the fictional town of Bannin Bay, Western Australia in 1886. I know next to nothing about this region or time period or even pearling for that matter so I was immediately intrigued. Add in the fact that the protagonist is a young woman searching for her missing father so there are hints of mystery and adventure and it was my kind of historical fiction!
I loved Eliza’s fierce character. She didn't care that the “society women” looked down on her for not acting like them, that she wasn’t supposed to go to certain places because she was a woman, or be friends with certain people because she was a “respectable white lady”. She did it anyway.
Throughout Eliza’s search for her father and the truth, she comes across corruption, prejudice, sexism and scandal. The dark underbelly of the pearling industry and how the English settlers treated the Aboriginal people and non-whites are highlight in this book as well. The author included notes at the end of the book explaining all of the detailed research she did on this region, industry and era. It’s heartbreaking but also not at all shocking knowing what we know about the corruption of colonizers.
MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER is out in the US, June 14, 2022! Aussie friends, this one is already out for you!
Cw: accidental death of a child; description of mother’s death in childbirth; hanging; torture; attempted rape; racism; slavery
Publication Date: 14th June 2022
3.5 Stars
One Liner: A few hits and misses
West Australia, 1886 & 1896
Eliza’s family arrives in Bennin Bay for a new start away from London. The land is brutal, and so is the sea. The community might have people from several countries. The natives are treated like dirt and used for hard labor. After all, they dive into the deep waters to bring shells, and the owners sell the pearls to make money. Black market, corruption, slavery, abuse, and atrocities are a part of everyday life in Bennin Bay.
Eliza’s family seems to have a decent life, and her father is a fair trader. But when their boat arrives without him, Eliza has no choice but to find out the truth. Thomas, her brother, doesn’t seem to know much. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to speak yet.
Eliza knows she cannot sit idle, even if the community around her values women less than men. She is determined to get to the bottom of the truth. But what will this cost her? Can she find the truth about her father’s disappearance?
What I Like:
• I haven’t read a story set in this backdrop before. While I know what colonizers do to natives (as an Indian), the pearl diving community was new to me. I haven’t heard of them before.
• The descriptions of the settings are beautiful despite the grim and dark storyline. The metaphors got a little too much at times, but I got to ‘see’ a different land.
• Eliza and Min are well-etched. They are flawed people with good hearts. Their friendship has its own beauty. More of their childhood journey would make them even more real.
• The ending is satisfying and dissatisfying. Eliza’s character stays true to her arc, making me happy. A couple of characters get the closure.
• The author’s note at the end is detailed and informative. Without revealing spoilers, I’ll just say that the author created her characters and the setting from real people and places.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The pacing is slow. If I wasn’t lucky enough to get extra reading time, the book would have taken another day to end.
• Some of the scenes were a little too convenient. Despite the odds, Eliza doesn’t find it too hard to navigate through the male-dominated society.
• There isn’t enough information about the natives and their lives. We are they are treated worse than dirt, but we have very little insight into their daily lives, customs, and culture.
• Alex’s character never really took off. I wanted more depth to his character, considering the role he plays.
• The dissatisfying parts of the ending are the loose ends. Some are just left to the reader’s imagination. I’m not fully okay with the one that is connected to the central plot. The other satisfied me.
The central story is paper-thin. What makes this work (to an extent) is the setting. Deciding the final rating wasn’t easy! After much debating, I fixed the rating at the midway mark of 3 stars (rounded). This one has great potential, but the heavy prose swallows the plot.
To sum up, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter has to be picked up for the historical setting and glimpse into the lives of pearl divers.
Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
*****
P.S: Despite the premise, this book is not a mystery. The publishers marked it historical and general fiction on NetGalley. The blurb calls it a feminist adventure. These sum up the book. Reading this as a mystery would disappoint the readers. There is no fantasy either.
3.5 Stars
One Liner: A few hits and misses
West Australia, 1886 & 1896
Eliza’s family arrives in Bennin Bay for a new start away from London. The land is brutal, and so is the sea. The community might have people from several countries. The natives are treated like dirt and used for hard labor. After all, they dive into the deep waters to bring shells, and the owners sell the pearls to make money. Black market, corruption, slavery, abuse, and atrocities are a part of everyday life in Bennin Bay.
Eliza’s family seems to have a decent life, and her father is a fair trader. But when their boat arrives without him, Eliza has no choice but to find out the truth. Thomas, her brother, doesn’t seem to know much. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to speak yet.
Eliza knows she cannot sit idle, even if the community around her values women less than men. She is determined to get to the bottom of the truth. But what will this cost her? Can she find the truth about her father’s disappearance?
What I Like:
• I haven’t read a story set in this backdrop before. While I know what colonizers do to natives (as an Indian), the pearl diving community was new to me. I haven’t heard of them before.
• The descriptions of the settings are beautiful despite the grim and dark storyline. The metaphors got a little too much at times, but I got to ‘see’ a different land.
• Eliza and Min are well-etched. They are flawed people with good hearts. Their friendship has its own beauty. More of their childhood journey would make them even more real.
• The ending is satisfying and dissatisfying. Eliza’s character stays true to her arc, making me happy. A couple of characters get the closure.
• The author’s note at the end is detailed and informative. Without revealing spoilers, I’ll just say that the author created her characters and the setting from real people and places.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The pacing is slow. If I wasn’t lucky enough to get extra reading time, the book would have taken another day to end.
• Some of the scenes were a little too convenient. Despite the odds, Eliza doesn’t find it too hard to navigate through the male-dominated society.
• There isn’t enough information about the natives and their lives. We are they are treated worse than dirt, but we have very little insight into their daily lives, customs, and culture.
• Alex’s character never really took off. I wanted more depth to his character, considering the role he plays.
• The dissatisfying parts of the ending are the loose ends. Some are just left to the reader’s imagination. I’m not fully okay with the one that is connected to the central plot. The other satisfied me.
The central story is paper-thin. What makes this work (to an extent) is the setting. Deciding the final rating wasn’t easy! After much debating, I fixed the rating at the midway mark of 3 stars (rounded). This one has great potential, but the heavy prose swallows the plot.
To sum up, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter has to be picked up for the historical setting and glimpse into the lives of pearl divers.
Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
*****
P.S: Despite the premise, this book is not a mystery. The publishers marked it historical and general fiction on NetGalley. The blurb calls it a feminist adventure. These sum up the book. Reading this as a mystery would disappoint the readers. There is no fantasy either.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
When Eliza’s father’s ship returns from a pearling expedition without him, everyone but her seems to accept that he is dead. But Eliza is certain there is more to the story, and she is determined to find him.
I am rather annoyed with this book. It was so relentlessly depressing, and once I had gotten through the whole story, it seemed to be without purpose.
But first, the positives. The writing is wildly atmospheric, creating a clear image of this strange, raw place where the Brightwells live. I definitely learned a lot about the history of pearling in Australia that I had never known. I appreciated how the author acknowledged the atrocities that were perpetuated upon the Indigenous Australians, especially in the context of the pearling industry.
But the story! It made me spitting mad! It was a dreary tale, and the only person with any integrity seemed to be the often nigh-suicidal Eliza. She is obsessive in her search for her father, but personally I do not understand why. All the characters in this book lead dark and constrained lives, and no one seems to have ever been happy, and will apparently never be happy. I also found the character of Axel to be very odd – he commits whole-heartedly to helping Eliza with her search – because he briefly admired her from afar?
I think the sensibilities of the author and myself wildly differ, and for this reason, I doubt I will read more of her work.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I am rather annoyed with this book. It was so relentlessly depressing, and once I had gotten through the whole story, it seemed to be without purpose.
But first, the positives. The writing is wildly atmospheric, creating a clear image of this strange, raw place where the Brightwells live. I definitely learned a lot about the history of pearling in Australia that I had never known. I appreciated how the author acknowledged the atrocities that were perpetuated upon the Indigenous Australians, especially in the context of the pearling industry.
But the story! It made me spitting mad! It was a dreary tale, and the only person with any integrity seemed to be the often nigh-suicidal Eliza. She is obsessive in her search for her father, but personally I do not understand why. All the characters in this book lead dark and constrained lives, and no one seems to have ever been happy, and will apparently never be happy. I also found the character of Axel to be very odd – he commits whole-heartedly to helping Eliza with her search – because he briefly admired her from afar?
I think the sensibilities of the author and myself wildly differ, and for this reason, I doubt I will read more of her work.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
It didn't capture my attention or interest. Lots of descriptions which didn't really pull the story forward.