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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Walk on Earth a Stranger is an entertaining and action-packed story, but I can't say it brings anything especially unique or new to the collection of YA westerns already published.
When Lee Westfall's parents are murdered, she is forced to disguise herself as a boy and travel from her small Alabaman hometown all the way to California - where rumors of gold have sprouted. Except Lee has a secret: she has the power to sense gold, and, with the Gold Rush, it's a power people would kill for.
Lee is a character you can't help but sympathize and root for. She is thrown into such a difficult situation, and yet she still manages to stay strong and hope for the best.
I'm always wary of stories that rely strongly on both historical fiction and fantasy elements. They cause the story to turn into something that's a bit unbelievable and exaggerated. Yet, with Walk on Earth a Stranger, Rae Carson manages to combine the historical fiction and fantasy elements of the story flawlessly. The way she utilizes and combines both genres adds to the impact of the story, and it is done in a way that makes sense.
Rae Carson does an excellent job incorporating the history of the California Gold Rush into the story. She expertly captures the dangerous nature of the traveling westward and the obstacles that come with it. Bandits, burgles, chorea...nothing came easy in this era, and Carson doesn't let us forget that.
Walk on Earth a Stranger might not have brought anything especially new to the glowing collection of YA westerns, but it was an entertaining and gripping read regardless.
Four and a half stars for this one, it was fantastic!
First of all, it was even better than Girl of Fire and Thorns, which I expected and thankfully wasn't disappointed! For one thing, I loved Lee. She was confident and brave and determined and just wow. And everyone else! It was fantastic with the other characters, how I actually had no liking or feeling for them at first but then over time I get to know them and grow to like them - this is so realistic. They became family :D They were like real people. They made me laugh and they made me angry. (The reverend? *rolls eyes* It felt like making fun - I wonder if things really might have been like that at the time. I hope so, otherwise it was a bit... ridiculous.) And yup, there were bad guys whom I just wanted to pound into the ground every now and then. I though there should be more of a showdown with Hiram though? Probably in the next books. And the romance was really un-romantic *cough* I mean the two were best friends since children and for the most part had to act as if Lee was a boy.
Which brings me to another thing. It was a girl-disguised-as-a-boy story! I love these, thanks to Shakespeare who introduced me to such and made me like them. It didn't get Lee into as much trouble as I initially expected. It brought up some woman problems that gave trouble to her in her disguise - I don't think it was inappropriate (rather perceptive actually) but it might be awkward for younger readers ('specially boys).
And it was historical fiction with a fantasy element - and it was amazing! I LOVE THE GOLD RUSH, OKAY? I am jealous I wasn't the first to get this fabulous idea. Lee divines gold! And the gold rushes of history really have a spell on me. It was very unique :D
Also lots of intense dangers. Crazy stuff happens. Robbers, Indians, disease, buffalo stampedes, child birth, death, amputation and injuries, and so forth. I loved it! But there was A LOT of travelling. Literally the whole book. It wasn't boring, but some parts were not as interesting. Travelling is always one tricky thing for me. A little slow on occasion.
And the themes of family and friends and finding good people in the world and those you can trust and the growth and Lee's learning and journey and all that = awesome.
This was a fabulous book and I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy. Everyone who reads this, listen to me now: GO GET THIS BOOK RIGHT AWAY.
(P.S. Did I mention the title comes from the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"? That was so cool.)
First of all, it was even better than Girl of Fire and Thorns, which I expected and thankfully wasn't disappointed! For one thing, I loved Lee. She was confident and brave and determined and just wow. And everyone else! It was fantastic with the other characters, how I actually had no liking or feeling for them at first but then over time I get to know them and grow to like them - this is so realistic. They became family :D They were like real people. They made me laugh and they made me angry. (The reverend? *rolls eyes* It felt like making fun - I wonder if things really might have been like that at the time. I hope so, otherwise it was a bit... ridiculous.) And yup, there were bad guys whom I just wanted to pound into the ground every now and then. I though there should be more of a showdown with Hiram though? Probably in the next books. And the romance was really un-romantic *cough* I mean the two were best friends since children and for the most part had to act as if Lee was a boy.
Which brings me to another thing. It was a girl-disguised-as-a-boy story! I love these, thanks to Shakespeare who introduced me to such and made me like them. It didn't get Lee into as much trouble as I initially expected. It brought up some woman problems that gave trouble to her in her disguise - I don't think it was inappropriate (rather perceptive actually) but it might be awkward for younger readers ('specially boys).
And it was historical fiction with a fantasy element - and it was amazing! I LOVE THE GOLD RUSH, OKAY? I am jealous I wasn't the first to get this fabulous idea. Lee divines gold! And the gold rushes of history really have a spell on me. It was very unique :D
Also lots of intense dangers. Crazy stuff happens. Robbers, Indians, disease, buffalo stampedes, child birth, death, amputation and injuries, and so forth. I loved it! But there was A LOT of travelling. Literally the whole book. It wasn't boring, but some parts were not as interesting. Travelling is always one tricky thing for me. A little slow on occasion.
And the themes of family and friends and finding good people in the world and those you can trust and the growth and Lee's learning and journey and all that = awesome.
This was a fabulous book and I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy. Everyone who reads this, listen to me now: GO GET THIS BOOK RIGHT AWAY.
(P.S. Did I mention the title comes from the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"? That was so cool.)
I’m a big fan of Rae Carson’s other trilogy so I picked up this one! It only took me minutes to become engrossed in this story and I finished it all in one day!
The more books I read about people moving West in the mid-1800s, the more I realize I absolutely love this genre. This book also had a fun twist of magic, but not so much that it made the story unbelievable. It was perfect, and I loved the mix of social commentary, historical drama, family drama, magic, and allll the other little aspects of this book that made it super complex and fun.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Rae Carson is the author of the excellent Girl of Fire and Thorns series. Those books are one of my favourites and I was super excited when I saw she started a new trilogy. Usually I wait until a trilogy is completed before I start reading. I am just too impatient and can’t wait a year, or longer, before the story continues. For Rae I made an exception, just because it f*cking Rae Carson!
The story is about a young girl named Leah Westfall. If you immediately thought of Chaol Westfall like me, raise your hand! She can sense the presence of gold from miles away, hidden beneath the earth. No one can know about that however, because the gold rush is at its peak and nothing is more valuable than a girl who digs up gold without breaking a sweat. When her parents get killed and her uncle wants to use her powers for himself, she decides to flee to California and start a new life.
The main characters is Leah Westfall and Jefferson. While on her way to California Leah dresses up as a boy and changes her name to Lee. She is not traveling alone the whole time, because she encounters her childhood-friend Jefferson on the way. He has a Cherokee mother so he is not all-American. While in 2015 this does not seem like a big deal, in 1849 slavery was still very common. Walk on Earth a Stranger shuns none of those dirty subjects, but in a good way. Rae hasn’t used this book to make a political statement, but only to show the reader how things were going those days.
The main difference with Rae’s other work is the pace. The entire book is focussed on the long trek to California. Leah barely does anything interesting, besides having the same struggles time after time. While it is realistic that such a long trek does not take place in mere days, it does get quite boring after a while. In my opinion a multiple-POV writing style would be better , because at least you get some different insights that way. But the beginning and the ending were nice, so for now it left a positive experience. This feeling is biased based on the writer, but I know she can do better. I have my fingers crossed for the second book, if that book has a quicker pace I will just regard this book as a nice introduction.
Conclusion
While Walk on Earth a Stranger is not Rea Carson’s best work, it does not disappoint. For the first book in a trilogy a slow pace is easily forgiven. If you like the atmosphere from the 1800’s this book is definitely for you, Rae build a great, dusty and dirty world with Walk on Earth a Stranger.
Storyline 32/40
Main character(s) 25.5/30
Plot twists 0/10
Ending 8/10
Overall experience 7.5/10
---------------------------
Total score 73/100
The story is about a young girl named Leah Westfall. If you immediately thought of Chaol Westfall like me, raise your hand! She can sense the presence of gold from miles away, hidden beneath the earth. No one can know about that however, because the gold rush is at its peak and nothing is more valuable than a girl who digs up gold without breaking a sweat. When her parents get killed and her uncle wants to use her powers for himself, she decides to flee to California and start a new life.
The main characters is Leah Westfall and Jefferson. While on her way to California Leah dresses up as a boy and changes her name to Lee. She is not traveling alone the whole time, because she encounters her childhood-friend Jefferson on the way. He has a Cherokee mother so he is not all-American. While in 2015 this does not seem like a big deal, in 1849 slavery was still very common. Walk on Earth a Stranger shuns none of those dirty subjects, but in a good way. Rae hasn’t used this book to make a political statement, but only to show the reader how things were going those days.
The main difference with Rae’s other work is the pace. The entire book is focussed on the long trek to California. Leah barely does anything interesting, besides having the same struggles time after time. While it is realistic that such a long trek does not take place in mere days, it does get quite boring after a while. In my opinion a multiple-POV writing style would be better , because at least you get some different insights that way. But the beginning and the ending were nice, so for now it left a positive experience. This feeling is biased based on the writer, but I know she can do better. I have my fingers crossed for the second book, if that book has a quicker pace I will just regard this book as a nice introduction.
Conclusion
While Walk on Earth a Stranger is not Rea Carson’s best work, it does not disappoint. For the first book in a trilogy a slow pace is easily forgiven. If you like the atmosphere from the 1800’s this book is definitely for you, Rae build a great, dusty and dirty world with Walk on Earth a Stranger.
Storyline 32/40
Main character(s) 25.5/30
Plot twists 0/10
Ending 8/10
Overall experience 7.5/10
---------------------------
Total score 73/100
Reading this book felt like coming home because it reminded me of all the historical fiction novels I used to read as a kid. There was just the right sprinkle of fantasy to give it an heir of awe, while still keeping true to the journey settler’s took to California during the gold rush.
One thing I thought the book did well was creating a cast of characters while still establishing Lee as our main protagonist. The way the relationships form and evolve throughout the book I thought was seamlessly done, and seeing how the different characters developed was great.
The way the story progressed seemed very natural. Her plights as a woman were definitely severe and well supported from the history of that time. Lee is a fantastic character because she’s tough and hardened from growing up the way she did, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy being a girl. Sometimes authors think they have to make their female protagonists denounce everything girly in order for them to be tough. It’s fine to have characters who are like that, but sometimes I don’t think it works. I liked Lee’s appreciation for feminine things.
This was my first Rae Carson book, and I think I’m now addicted to her writing. There are author’s you read and just automatically know they’re a born story teller. Her author’s note at the end spoke to me on a personal level. I was almost crying, which didn’t happen throughout the whole book so why on earth would an author’s note make me cry? Guess you’ll just have to read it for yourself to find out.
One thing I thought the book did well was creating a cast of characters while still establishing Lee as our main protagonist. The way the relationships form and evolve throughout the book I thought was seamlessly done, and seeing how the different characters developed was great.
The way the story progressed seemed very natural. Her plights as a woman were definitely severe and well supported from the history of that time. Lee is a fantastic character because she’s tough and hardened from growing up the way she did, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy being a girl. Sometimes authors think they have to make their female protagonists denounce everything girly in order for them to be tough. It’s fine to have characters who are like that, but sometimes I don’t think it works. I liked Lee’s appreciation for feminine things.
This was my first Rae Carson book, and I think I’m now addicted to her writing. There are author’s you read and just automatically know they’re a born story teller. Her author’s note at the end spoke to me on a personal level. I was almost crying, which didn’t happen throughout the whole book so why on earth would an author’s note make me cry? Guess you’ll just have to read it for yourself to find out.
This book really impressed me. It brings back my childhood days playing Oregon Trail and creates a page-turning adventure about a young woman named Leah who's world is turned upside down after news breaks of a new gold rush in California. She finds her parents murdered and quickly discovers it was her uncle who plans to use the girl's "witchy powers" for finding gold to make himself rich. So Leah takes matters into her own hands and does what everyone least expects: becomes a boy.
I loved the historical feel of this book. From the language usage to the honest (and heartbreaking) portrayal of prejudices against Native Americans and African Americans to the social dynamics, there was so much that created a realistic and rich setting. Great setting details, particularly when traveling with wagons and animals across the continent!
The cast of characters, character development, and the ever-changing relationships between characters are the three things I loved most about the book. By the end, I didn't want to say goodbye to everyone quite yet, especially Leah. The struggles of her and her traveling companions take your breath away, but their triumphs as a diverse group working together is what really makes this book shine.
Many thanks to the publishers for including a map of the journey from Georgia to California. It was great to follow along as the story unfolded. Great addition!
Carson pulls together great historical elements, spunky and enduring characters, emotional weight, and a captivating adventure. I look forward to more in this series. Highly recommend.
I loved the historical feel of this book. From the language usage to the honest (and heartbreaking) portrayal of prejudices against Native Americans and African Americans to the social dynamics, there was so much that created a realistic and rich setting. Great setting details, particularly when traveling with wagons and animals across the continent!
The cast of characters, character development, and the ever-changing relationships between characters are the three things I loved most about the book. By the end, I didn't want to say goodbye to everyone quite yet, especially Leah. The struggles of her and her traveling companions take your breath away, but their triumphs as a diverse group working together is what really makes this book shine.
Many thanks to the publishers for including a map of the journey from Georgia to California. It was great to follow along as the story unfolded. Great addition!
Carson pulls together great historical elements, spunky and enduring characters, emotional weight, and a captivating adventure. I look forward to more in this series. Highly recommend.
4 1/2 stars
This book was absolute Western Expansion fun and I loved every second of it! After reading a previous Historical Fiction mixed with Fantasy novel I had my reservations about hopping into another one but Walk on Earth a Stranger was everything that I wished Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal could have been. It was such a seamless and perfect blend of America in the mid-1800s and the fantasy of divining gold from right underneath the ground. Leah Westfall is a strong and independent protagonist living in a man's world but her parents certainly don't restrict her from exploring the world around her, which certainly helps her out in the long-run. When I saw the cast of characters list I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but I have to say Rae Carson put a lot of thought into her characters; so much so that I was hurting in the ending chapters after something tragic happened to one of the minor characters (a character that I was hoping to see more of in the subsequent books but I guess I'm just gonna have to live without them now and this makes me sad).
Overall Walk on Earth a Stranger was the Historical Fantasy that I was looking for and I can't wait to explore more of Leah, her makeshift California family, and her seemingly budding romance with Jefferson in Like a River Glorious
Also kudos to Rae Carson for writing the second novel I have ever read that openly mentions the protagonist having her period. Funny how both of those novels involved the female heroine having to disguise herself as boy for one reason or another...
This book was absolute Western Expansion fun and I loved every second of it! After reading a previous Historical Fiction mixed with Fantasy novel I had my reservations about hopping into another one but Walk on Earth a Stranger was everything that I wished Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal could have been. It was such a seamless and perfect blend of America in the mid-1800s and the fantasy of divining gold from right underneath the ground. Leah Westfall is a strong and independent protagonist living in a man's world but her parents certainly don't restrict her from exploring the world around her, which certainly helps her out in the long-run. When I saw the cast of characters list I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but I have to say Rae Carson put a lot of thought into her characters; so much so that I was hurting in the ending chapters after something tragic happened to one of the minor characters (a character that I was hoping to see more of in the subsequent books but I guess I'm just gonna have to live without them now and this makes me sad).
Overall Walk on Earth a Stranger was the Historical Fantasy that I was looking for and I can't wait to explore more of Leah, her makeshift California family, and her seemingly budding romance with Jefferson in Like a River Glorious
Also kudos to Rae Carson for writing the second novel I have ever read that openly mentions the protagonist having her period. Funny how both of those novels involved the female heroine having to disguise herself as boy for one reason or another...