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ayami's review against another edition
3.0
2021 Stella Prize Shortlist Book 3 of 6
review coming shortly
review coming shortly
nina_reads_books's review against another edition
4.0
Stone Sky, Gold Mountain is a richly detailed piece of historical fiction by Mirandi Riwoe that approaches life in the goldfields of Australian in the late nineteenth century from a uniquely different perspective.
Siblings Ying and Lai Yue have fled China and have arrived in Australia in search of their fortune so that they can help their poverty stricken family back home. They arrive to find work in the goldfields. Ying, a young woman, disguises herself as a man for protection. The work is so physically demanding and lacking in financial reward that they soon move to nearby Maytown. Ying finds work as a shop assistant at Jimmy’s store while her brother Lai Yue eventually is forced to take on a role in an expedition to make the money they desperately need.
Ying befriends a young white woman, Meriem, who also has her secrets. As a maid to a local prostitute, she is sometimes shunned by others in the town and together they find moments of peace hidden in the bush. I loved how the budding friendship between Ying and Meriem while built in secret gives both women the clarity they need to grow stronger.
The book takes both a female and immigrant perspective on a time that was definitely ruled by white men. The discrimination, poverty and violence experienced by the local Indigenous people, the Chinese immigrants and the women in the town was portrayed in a very real and unflinching way. This alongside Riwoe’s beautifully detailed depictions of the land, the town and the people in it really brought Stone Sky, Gold Mountain to life.
The crime that we are expecting (from the synopsis) happens a lot further into the book than I expected but that allows us to hear from Ying, Lai Yue and Meriem in turn, slowing developing each of their characters and unfolding their motivations. In the end there is sadness and inevitably but also a little hope and I felt that this was a fitting way to complete the book.
Siblings Ying and Lai Yue have fled China and have arrived in Australia in search of their fortune so that they can help their poverty stricken family back home. They arrive to find work in the goldfields. Ying, a young woman, disguises herself as a man for protection. The work is so physically demanding and lacking in financial reward that they soon move to nearby Maytown. Ying finds work as a shop assistant at Jimmy’s store while her brother Lai Yue eventually is forced to take on a role in an expedition to make the money they desperately need.
Ying befriends a young white woman, Meriem, who also has her secrets. As a maid to a local prostitute, she is sometimes shunned by others in the town and together they find moments of peace hidden in the bush. I loved how the budding friendship between Ying and Meriem while built in secret gives both women the clarity they need to grow stronger.
The book takes both a female and immigrant perspective on a time that was definitely ruled by white men. The discrimination, poverty and violence experienced by the local Indigenous people, the Chinese immigrants and the women in the town was portrayed in a very real and unflinching way. This alongside Riwoe’s beautifully detailed depictions of the land, the town and the people in it really brought Stone Sky, Gold Mountain to life.
The crime that we are expecting (from the synopsis) happens a lot further into the book than I expected but that allows us to hear from Ying, Lai Yue and Meriem in turn, slowing developing each of their characters and unfolding their motivations. In the end there is sadness and inevitably but also a little hope and I felt that this was a fitting way to complete the book.
thebluehour's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
Well written, but entirely too grim for my current state of mind. The synopsis says that there will be a murder, and that suspicion will fall on the already marginalised viewpoint characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
rikkireads_'s review against another edition
4.0
Australian gold rush. Late 1800s. Queensland. Three characters (alternating chapters). All outsiders. Incredibly detailed and evocative writing and a reasonably gripping story.
I found myself looking forward to (Mei) Ying's and Merriam's chapters every time they came aroind but was not so engaged with Lai Yue. There was nothing wrong with his chapters but I felt more engaged with the others. Some very confronting, and some very sad moments, but also some sweet, endearing moments, and the overall story was not as bleak as I perhaps expected. If I had enjoyed Lai Yue's journey as much as the other's I'd have given it 5 stars.
4.5 from me!!
I found myself looking forward to (Mei) Ying's and Merriam's chapters every time they came aroind but was not so engaged with Lai Yue. There was nothing wrong with his chapters but I felt more engaged with the others. Some very confronting, and some very sad moments, but also some sweet, endearing moments, and the overall story was not as bleak as I perhaps expected. If I had enjoyed Lai Yue's journey as much as the other's I'd have given it 5 stars.
4.5 from me!!
jillwoodfield's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I loved stepping back into the world that Miranda Riwoe created. Her writing was so good and I was looking forward to picking it up again everytime I had to put it down. However I did want more from this novel when it came to the LGBTQ+ representation.
hazeyjane_2's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kwameslusher's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
booksbecreads's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Beautifully written but the story never really connected together. I listened to the audio book and loved the narrator.
Beautifully written but the story never really connected together. I listened to the audio book and loved the narrator.