Reviews

Gilded Mountain: A Novel by Kate Manning

haley313's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

thepagelady's review

4.0

Book Review…Gilded Mountain by Kate Manning

Gilded Mountain is set in Moonstone, Colorado, a mining town and is a story about Sylvie Pelletier as she recounts her life and the effects of effects of slavery on the Grady family and the work of Mary Harris "Mother" Jones and of the difficult lives of workers and their struggles against the owners of the mines.

There were a few great characters in this book! Sylvie is the main character and when we start she is a young woman wanting to do what's right and follow her heart and by the end of the story she has grown into an adult who took charge of her life! Mary Harris Jones wasn't someone I was familiar with but she was another amazing woman! Not accepted as a journalist because she was a woman and she started her own paper. She was a lively character!

This book is beautifully written, with rich details that pull you in and make the characters and their lives truly come to life! It's not based on actual events but it is still rich with history. As a reader you can't help but feel the emotions of the people. It's a great historical fiction story about family, justice and equality with some amazing characters and a little bit of romance! Thank you Scribner Books and Kate Manning for sharing this wonderful story with me!

lawryn's review

4.0

This historical fiction now serves as the foundation of my knowledge about the early years of the American Union system and the intersection of workers rights and civil rights in this country. Never have I been introduced to this history in school and I am more confident in my Union Organizing efforts at the University of Michigan!

papa6's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

savaughan's review

adventurous challenging funny hopeful inspiring

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

kylemurphy's review against another edition

adventurous informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

candacesiegle_greedyreader's review

5.0

"The Gilded Mountain" is a very good historical novel set in the marble mining camps of Colorado in the early 20th century. It's a tough life, the work is brutal with labor issues galore. Sylvie's father is a miner, run out of their home in Vermont because of his labor activities, activities that Sylvie will take up as Colorado moves into a period of ferocious labor strife. She's French Canadian, and her bilingual skills but her in the home of the mineowners for a season, giving her a look at both sides of the fight, but she knows where her heart is. The awesome Mother Jones makes several appearances in the story which crackles with tension and surprising humor. Watching Sylvie grow into a woman of strength and moxie is a delight.

fern_island_farm's review

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

bridgetpooley's review against another edition

4.0

A little slow to start, and fantastical, for sure, but I had a hard time putting it down before bed, which is always a good sign.

libwinnie's review

3.0

While I appreciated the research and historical information that went into this, the narrative itself was a bit sluggish.