Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
Not going to lie the cover got me for this one and made me pick it up. It wasn’t something I would normally read but was excited for the ride.
The story tells of Eliza and her family who have moved from England to Australia in the late 19th Century. Her father is a well known pearler. One day, however her father doesn’t return and Eliza sets out to solve the mystery of what has happened to him and to save the day.
This book really shows the dark underbelly of business and the patriarchy, the way that migrants treated other cultures and natives. It also vividly shows the geographical and nature of the area. The description, although sometimes too much, was great at allowing me to imagine the sweltering heat, the outback and the different landscapes of the area.
I found this book was quiet slow paced at the beginning, the first half of the book felt really dragged out and I struggled to want to keep reading on despite the very good description. After the 50% mark I started to enjoy the story, the adventure side came in and it all started to feel a bit more fast paced. I liked the character of Axel but didn’t like way they end his story. I did like Eliza’s independence and willing to draw her own path… I was forever angry at the men in this book (although Axel and Knife I did enjoy) but I think that was more the point. It’s a very stark and honest look at what life would have been back then. The author has obviously done thorough research into something I never knew anything about. It’s was a unique take on the historical fiction books and definitely made me learn about something completely new and read outside my comfort zone.
Not going to lie the cover got me for this one and made me pick it up. It wasn’t something I would normally read but was excited for the ride.
The story tells of Eliza and her family who have moved from England to Australia in the late 19th Century. Her father is a well known pearler. One day, however her father doesn’t return and Eliza sets out to solve the mystery of what has happened to him and to save the day.
This book really shows the dark underbelly of business and the patriarchy, the way that migrants treated other cultures and natives. It also vividly shows the geographical and nature of the area. The description, although sometimes too much, was great at allowing me to imagine the sweltering heat, the outback and the different landscapes of the area.
I found this book was quiet slow paced at the beginning, the first half of the book felt really dragged out and I struggled to want to keep reading on despite the very good description. After the 50% mark I started to enjoy the story, the adventure side came in and it all started to feel a bit more fast paced. I liked the character of Axel but didn’t like way they end his story. I did like Eliza’s independence and willing to draw her own path… I was forever angry at the men in this book (although Axel and Knife I did enjoy) but I think that was more the point. It’s a very stark and honest look at what life would have been back then. The author has obviously done thorough research into something I never knew anything about. It’s was a unique take on the historical fiction books and definitely made me learn about something completely new and read outside my comfort zone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Beautifully immersive and undeniably moving, Lizzie Pook’s Australian Centred, historical debut was an absolutely breathtaking read! With an endearingly feminist protagonist, vivid prose and exquisitely detailed storytelling —we are treated to an unflinchingly honest (and well researched) glimpse into the lucrative, but dangerous world of 19th C pearl hunting.
It’s set in 1880s Bannin Bay, Western Australia and follows the headstrong Eliza Brightwell (daughter of the town’s most prolific pearl catcher) as she hunts for answers behind her father’s disappearance. The townsfolk suggest mutiny and murder but Eliza refuses to believe her father is dead and knows there’s more to the story than anyone is letting on. But, in a town teeming with corruption Eliza soon learns that the truth may cost more than she’s willing to pay—and must decide just how far she’s willing to go(or what she’s willing to do) to find it…
This was an exceptionally well researched and thought provoking novel that really explores the horrific treatment of Australia’s aboriginal population in the 19th C—the brutality, enslavement and harrowing experiences (such as forcibly splitting up families, selling children into touring ‘exhibits’ and forcing pregnant women to risk their lives pearl diving) was utterly heartbreaking (and yes I did cry ALOT whilst reading) but the rich evocative prose really brought a realness to the characters and their experiences that genuinely captured my attention (and my heart.)
The cast of supporting characters is fairly large and includes several interestingly complex examples, both compelling and odious alike but it’s the details that I loved most; the little tidbits and interesting anecdotes peppered throughout really breath life into Bannin Bay. I really liked Balarri (an aboriginal man who works on the Brightwell’s boat) who we are introduced to through Eliza’s memories, he introduced much of the native fauna and flora to her Eliza and the more I found out about him only endeared me to him further.
Another firm fave was Laura-Min (a childhood friend of Eliza’s) who’s one of the most supportive people Eliza knows and whose resilience and survival despite the racism and misogyny she endures made me really root for her to find happiness. I also really liked Confucius, Gill the Bosun’s chatty and mischievous Cockatoo who provided some much needed light relief to the tense and more emotional scenes.
And of course, I really liked Eliza, our headstrong, feminist protagonist who’s willing to go to any lengths to help the ones she cares for most. A woman who proudly refuses to live by the repressive societal conventions expected from women of the day. Eliza’s probably the most open hearted and honest character we encounter and I absolutely loved her fearlessness and the journey she undertakes was definitely an interesting one.
The level of detail in the atmospheric and evocative descriptions was absolutely amazing; the sticky cloying heat of the Bannin Bay, the salt encrusted seafarers and the dizzingly numerous dangers lurking amongst mangroves was utterly transportive.
I also enjoyed the pacing which was (for me at least) spot on and the intricate web of storytelling was wonderful ; the tension, mystery, gorgeously lush prose and well crafted characters all combined to create a sweepingly feminist adventure that historical fiction lovers and fans of Elizabeth Macneal or Stacey Halls are bound to enjoy.
Also a massive thank you to Random Things Tours and Mantle for the absolutely stunning ARC.
It’s set in 1880s Bannin Bay, Western Australia and follows the headstrong Eliza Brightwell (daughter of the town’s most prolific pearl catcher) as she hunts for answers behind her father’s disappearance. The townsfolk suggest mutiny and murder but Eliza refuses to believe her father is dead and knows there’s more to the story than anyone is letting on. But, in a town teeming with corruption Eliza soon learns that the truth may cost more than she’s willing to pay—and must decide just how far she’s willing to go(or what she’s willing to do) to find it…
This was an exceptionally well researched and thought provoking novel that really explores the horrific treatment of Australia’s aboriginal population in the 19th C—the brutality, enslavement and harrowing experiences (such as forcibly splitting up families, selling children into touring ‘exhibits’ and forcing pregnant women to risk their lives pearl diving) was utterly heartbreaking (and yes I did cry ALOT whilst reading) but the rich evocative prose really brought a realness to the characters and their experiences that genuinely captured my attention (and my heart.)
The cast of supporting characters is fairly large and includes several interestingly complex examples, both compelling and odious alike but it’s the details that I loved most; the little tidbits and interesting anecdotes peppered throughout really breath life into Bannin Bay. I really liked Balarri (an aboriginal man who works on the Brightwell’s boat) who we are introduced to through Eliza’s memories, he introduced much of the native fauna and flora to her Eliza and the more I found out about him only endeared me to him further.
Another firm fave was Laura-Min (a childhood friend of Eliza’s) who’s one of the most supportive people Eliza knows and whose resilience and survival despite the racism and misogyny she endures made me really root for her to find happiness. I also really liked Confucius, Gill the Bosun’s chatty and mischievous Cockatoo who provided some much needed light relief to the tense and more emotional scenes.
And of course, I really liked Eliza, our headstrong, feminist protagonist who’s willing to go to any lengths to help the ones she cares for most. A woman who proudly refuses to live by the repressive societal conventions expected from women of the day. Eliza’s probably the most open hearted and honest character we encounter and I absolutely loved her fearlessness and the journey she undertakes was definitely an interesting one.
The level of detail in the atmospheric and evocative descriptions was absolutely amazing; the sticky cloying heat of the Bannin Bay, the salt encrusted seafarers and the dizzingly numerous dangers lurking amongst mangroves was utterly transportive.
I also enjoyed the pacing which was (for me at least) spot on and the intricate web of storytelling was wonderful ; the tension, mystery, gorgeously lush prose and well crafted characters all combined to create a sweepingly feminist adventure that historical fiction lovers and fans of Elizabeth Macneal or Stacey Halls are bound to enjoy.
Also a massive thank you to Random Things Tours and Mantle for the absolutely stunning ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent
Beautifully immersive and undeniably moving, Lizzie Pook’s Australian Centred, historical debut was an absolutely breathtaking read! With an endearingly feminist protagonist, vivid prose and exquisitely detailed storytelling —we are treated to an unflinchingly honest (and well researched) glimpse into the lucrative, but dangerous world of 19th C pearl hunting.
It’s set in 1880s Bannin Bay, Western Australia and follows the headstrong Eliza Brightwell (daughter of the town’s most prolific pearl catcher) as she hunts for answers behind her father’s disappearance. The townsfolk suggest mutiny and murder but Eliza refuses to believe her father is dead and knows there’s more to the story than anyone is letting on. But, in a town teeming with corruption Eliza soon learns that the truth may cost more than she’s willing to pay—and must decide just how far she’s willing to go(or what she’s willing to do) to find it…
This was an exceptionally well researched and thought provoking novel that really explores the horrific treatment of Australia’s aboriginal population in the 19th C—the brutality, enslavement and harrowing experiences (such as forcibly splitting up families, selling children into touring ‘exhibits’ and forcing pregnant women to risk their lives pearl diving) was utterly heartbreaking (and yes I did cry ALOT whilst reading) but the rich evocative prose really brought a realness to the characters and their experiences that genuinely captured my attention (and my heart.)
The cast of supporting characters is fairly large and includes several interestingly complex examples, both compelling and odious alike but it’s the details that I loved most; the little tidbits and interesting anecdotes peppered throughout really breath life into Bannin Bay. I really liked Balarri (an aboriginal man who works on the Brightwell’s boat) who we are introduced to through Eliza’s memories, he introduced much of the native fauna and flora to her Eliza and the more I found out about him only endeared me to him further.
Another firm fave was Laura-Min (a childhood friend of Eliza’s) who’s one of the most supportive people Eliza knows and whose resilience and survival despite the racism and misogyny she endures made me really root for her to find happiness. I also really liked Confucius, Gill the Bosun’s chatty and mischievous Cockatoo who provided some much needed light relief to the tense and more emotional scenes.
And of course, I really liked Eliza, our headstrong, feminist protagonist who’s willing to go to any lengths to help the ones she cares for most. A woman who proudly refuses to live by the repressive societal conventions expected from women of the day. Eliza’s probably the most open hearted and honest character we encounter and I absolutely loved her fearlessness and the journey she undertakes was definitely an interesting one.
The level of detail in the atmospheric and evocative descriptions was absolutely amazing; the sticky cloying heat of the Bannin Bay, the salt encrusted seafarers and the dizzingly numerous dangers lurking amongst mangroves was utterly transportive.
I also enjoyed the pacing which was (for me at least) spot on and the intricate web of storytelling was wonderful ; the tension, mystery, gorgeously lush prose and well crafted characters all combined to create a sweepingly feminist adventure that historical fiction lovers and fans of Elizabeth Macneal or Stacey Halls are bound to enjoy.
Also a massive thank you to Random Things Tours and Mantle for the absolutely stunning ARC.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
What an incredible debut! I expected I
would enjoy this book when I first read the synopsis but I didn't expected to feel completely immersed.
Set in 19th century Western Australia in the pearling town of Bannin Bay. Eliza Brightwell is the feisty, strong-willed adult daughter of master pearler Charles, who mysteriously goes missing at sea. Eliza takes it upon herself to search for her father and will stop at nothing to discover the truth.
Pook has done her research, the detail in this book is outstanding. I could visualise the setting from the first page. Incredible talent.
Release March 2022
would enjoy this book when I first read the synopsis but I didn't expected to feel completely immersed.
Set in 19th century Western Australia in the pearling town of Bannin Bay. Eliza Brightwell is the feisty, strong-willed adult daughter of master pearler Charles, who mysteriously goes missing at sea. Eliza takes it upon herself to search for her father and will stop at nothing to discover the truth.
Pook has done her research, the detail in this book is outstanding. I could visualise the setting from the first page. Incredible talent.
Release March 2022