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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
It’s an interesting story. Though it’s less focused on magic than I expected, Leah is loyal, brave and unwilling to quit. I was quick to care about her story and understand her motivations. Nothing she ever does seems contrived or plot-driven. Nothing in the book seems the way honestly.
I also appreciated how well the author integrated people of color into this story without any of them ever feeling like a caricature. Then to follow that up with confirmed bachelors was icing on the cake. It’s so rare to have historical fiction great minorities with respect and dignity.
I also appreciated how well the author integrated people of color into this story without any of them ever feeling like a caricature. Then to follow that up with confirmed bachelors was icing on the cake. It’s so rare to have historical fiction great minorities with respect and dignity.
Before I dig into my thoughts on the first book in Rae Carson’s new Gold Seer Trilogy, let’s discuss genre for a minute. While WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER is being marketed as a fantasy, and while the opening chapter firmly establishes Leah Westfall’s ability to magically sense the presence of gold, once you move past the events that set Leah off on her cross-country journey, I was surprised to find that the majority of the book reads like a straight historical. Who knows, maybe future installments in the series will play up the magic more, but going off of just this first book, it feels a bit more accurate to call WOEAS historical fiction with some magical realism elements, rather than a fantasy
That said, even though I’d been prepared for a fantasy, I was not disappointed in the slightest to find magic missing from the majority of WOEAS. Leah — who starts going by “Lee” early in the book, when she disguises herself as a boy — is an utterly compelling narrator, and Carson’s prose is simultaneously lush and gritty, masterfully evoking the visuals and sounds and smells of a late-1800s America. The staggering amount of research that must have gone into this novel is evident on every page, immersing the reader in the endlessly beautiful — yet unforgivingly harsh — American frontier.
Though the ensemble cast seems kind of sprawling at first, Carson skillfully manages to develop her characters into fully three-dimensional people after surprisingly little page time. It didn’t take long before I was rooting not just for Leah, but for the families and individuals traveling alongside her. I won’t name names, because some characters have pretty impressive arcs (and some, um, die), but suffice it to say, Leah isn’t the only one who ends the book loving these people like family.
For those of us who grew up playing the video game Oregon Trail, Leah’s journey will come with a distinct sense of nostalgia. While (spoiler alert) Leah never hunkers down for days on end to shoot squirrels, she, along with her fellow travelers, must ford rivers, maneuver covered wagons, manage sick oxen, and battle disease (although not quite as much dysentery as I remember from my Oregon Trail days). Though the wagon train’s trek to California moves agonizingly slowly, the plot never does. Carson is a master of infusing her story with moment-to-moment tension, and even when the characters were sitting still, I found myself flying through the pages.
As with Carson’s first series, [what I suspect will be] the main romantic subplot doesn’t get much exploration in this first book. While there are hints, this is a story of survival and endurance, not romance. However, as a fan of the slow burn, I thoroughly enjoyed the foundations that were so thoughtfully laid in this book, and I think that even readers who prefer a lot of swoon in their fiction will find that, while sparse, there are enough tidbits in this book to carry them through to the next one.
Overall, I found WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER to be a beautiful, vivid, and compulsively readable portrayal of life in Gold Rush-era America, with just a dash of magic. I unequivocally loved it. Whether you are a lover of fantasy or historicals or simply a good story well told, I think you’ll love it, too.
That said, even though I’d been prepared for a fantasy, I was not disappointed in the slightest to find magic missing from the majority of WOEAS. Leah — who starts going by “Lee” early in the book, when she disguises herself as a boy — is an utterly compelling narrator, and Carson’s prose is simultaneously lush and gritty, masterfully evoking the visuals and sounds and smells of a late-1800s America. The staggering amount of research that must have gone into this novel is evident on every page, immersing the reader in the endlessly beautiful — yet unforgivingly harsh — American frontier.
Though the ensemble cast seems kind of sprawling at first, Carson skillfully manages to develop her characters into fully three-dimensional people after surprisingly little page time. It didn’t take long before I was rooting not just for Leah, but for the families and individuals traveling alongside her. I won’t name names, because some characters have pretty impressive arcs (and some, um, die), but suffice it to say, Leah isn’t the only one who ends the book loving these people like family.
For those of us who grew up playing the video game Oregon Trail, Leah’s journey will come with a distinct sense of nostalgia. While (spoiler alert) Leah never hunkers down for days on end to shoot squirrels, she, along with her fellow travelers, must ford rivers, maneuver covered wagons, manage sick oxen, and battle disease (although not quite as much dysentery as I remember from my Oregon Trail days). Though the wagon train’s trek to California moves agonizingly slowly, the plot never does. Carson is a master of infusing her story with moment-to-moment tension, and even when the characters were sitting still, I found myself flying through the pages.
As with Carson’s first series, [what I suspect will be] the main romantic subplot doesn’t get much exploration in this first book. While there are hints, this is a story of survival and endurance, not romance. However, as a fan of the slow burn, I thoroughly enjoyed the foundations that were so thoughtfully laid in this book, and I think that even readers who prefer a lot of swoon in their fiction will find that, while sparse, there are enough tidbits in this book to carry them through to the next one.
Overall, I found WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER to be a beautiful, vivid, and compulsively readable portrayal of life in Gold Rush-era America, with just a dash of magic. I unequivocally loved it. Whether you are a lover of fantasy or historicals or simply a good story well told, I think you’ll love it, too.
Bought this one awhile back and it has lots of things I enjoy. I'll get around to reading book 2 eventually but I'll get it from the Library, not buy it.
A decent historical fiction mixed with magical realism! I enjoyed reading it.
This was a historical fiction ya novel with a twist of supernatural with the main character Leah/Lee's ability to sense gold. I read it quickly, but was bothered by some things like plot holes, character development and character reactions, and a barely there love triangle in a different way. The main character's parents are murdered. Leah's father was dead upon discovery, but when she discovers her mother, her mother's last words aren't who did it, but to trust someone. Another irksome thing was later on Leah keeps thinking about how much she misses her father-nowhere near mentioning missing her mother as much. I don't want to divulge too much more to give away plot spoilers, especially with her love interest.
Nothing is controversial about this book. I would feel fine handing it to middle schoolers for appropriateness. But I still feel lacking, especially considering how much I initially enjoyed her Girl of Fire and Thorn series.
Nothing is controversial about this book. I would feel fine handing it to middle schoolers for appropriateness. But I still feel lacking, especially considering how much I initially enjoyed her Girl of Fire and Thorn series.
I think you should know that this book is a departure from her Girl Of Fire And Thorns books, but there’s still some Carson hallmarks – excellent world building, be my best friend forever characters, check my heart and blood pressure pacing. I for real cannot wait for all of you to read this book so that we can discuss and talk about it. Read the rest of my review here
This was basically like reading a novelized version of the Oregon Trail computer game and I LOVED IT!
Rae Carson is great at character development, and this book was no stranger to that. She is also the QUEEN of the slow burn. I can already tell Leah and Jefferson are going to be the slowest slow burn to ever slow burn, and I am totally ok with that. It was really nice to see a relationship rooted in being best friends slowly grow into the potential of something more.
Some of the other men in this novel however were downright despicable, but that is to be expected concerning the time period in which the story is set.
Overall, this was a really solid read and I'm definitely looking forward to book two!
Rae Carson is great at character development, and this book was no stranger to that. She is also the QUEEN of the slow burn. I can already tell Leah and Jefferson are going to be the slowest slow burn to ever slow burn, and I am totally ok with that. It was really nice to see a relationship rooted in being best friends slowly grow into the potential of something more.
Some of the other men in this novel however were downright despicable, but that is to be expected concerning the time period in which the story is set.
Overall, this was a really solid read and I'm definitely looking forward to book two!
Honestly, I was just really bored with this book. Nothing exciting really happens and it just follows pioneers traveling west to California.
Posledních několik desítek stran bylo eňo ňuňo, fakt to ve mě zanechalo spoustu pocitů. Ta témata, která autorka naťukla, mi byla velmi blízká. Nebyla to nakonec jen tak ledajaká kniha a jsem ráda, že se mi dostala do rukou. Líbil se mi vývoj hrdinky, že její cesta nebyla vůbec jednoduchá.