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medini_l 's review for:
Walk on Earth a Stranger
by Rae Carson
HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE FOR ANY BOOK TO BE THIS GOOD?
Seriously, I’m reeling in the aftermath of reading this. It’s one of the best fantasies I’ve read this year, though I doubt that it rigidly fits into the fantasy genre; it’s more of a blend of historical fiction (California Gold Rush, 1849), magical realism (an MC with the ability to sniff out GOLD! Yay!) and a travelogue of the characters’ unforgettable journey across the Wild, Wild West.
Firstly, the protagonist, Leah Westfall, is amazing. She’s strong yet sensible, courageous yet grounded and has a determined will to overcome all odds, without coming across as pretentious. Fate throws her a lot of harsh stuff. Her journey is ridden with so many dangers: bandits, cholera, buffalo stampedes, heat strokes, oppression just ‘coz she’s a woman and the constant threat of being discovered by the villain’s goons. You name it! Still, everything is woven seamlessly into the overall framework of the story, so there’s no overcrowding or anything.
Also, the cast of secondary characters are extremely well written. I honestly loved them. The kind ones, the mean ones, the children and even the animals (Peony was my favorite!) I mean, how many books have made you root for the dogs, horses and the oxen? I found myself involved emotionally in each of their stories and my heart kept breaking every time there was a death. I hadn’t expected to get so caught up in this saga.
The romance was a little weak, IMO. But there was too much of other stuff going on for me to notice the lack of romance. There was also a ‘mature’ love triangle, which I actually liked for once. I think both the females in question knew they liked the same guy and still managed to be good friends with each other.
One thing that I didn’t appreciate was the ending. It was too anti-climactic after such a hell of a ride. But… too trivial to affect my overall rating of the book.
5, GLITTERING, GLEAMING STARS
YA FANTASY LOVERS: YOU NEED TO READ THIS ONE!
Seriously, I’m reeling in the aftermath of reading this. It’s one of the best fantasies I’ve read this year, though I doubt that it rigidly fits into the fantasy genre; it’s more of a blend of historical fiction (California Gold Rush, 1849), magical realism (an MC with the ability to sniff out GOLD! Yay!) and a travelogue of the characters’ unforgettable journey across the Wild, Wild West.
Firstly, the protagonist, Leah Westfall, is amazing. She’s strong yet sensible, courageous yet grounded and has a determined will to overcome all odds, without coming across as pretentious. Fate throws her a lot of harsh stuff.
Spoiler
There’s the brutal murder of her parents, the disappearance of her best and only friend, Jefferson and a creepy uncle hell bent on exploiting her gold dowsing powers.Also, the cast of secondary characters are extremely well written. I honestly loved them. The kind ones, the mean ones, the children and even the animals (Peony was my favorite!) I mean, how many books have made you root for the dogs, horses and the oxen? I found myself involved emotionally in each of their stories and my heart kept breaking every time there was a death. I hadn’t expected to get so caught up in this saga.
The romance was a little weak, IMO. But there was too much of other stuff going on for me to notice the lack of romance. There was also a ‘mature’ love triangle, which I actually liked for once. I think both the females in question knew they liked the same guy and still managed to be good friends with each other.
One thing that I didn’t appreciate was the ending. It was too anti-climactic after such a hell of a ride. But… too trivial to affect my overall rating of the book.
5, GLITTERING, GLEAMING STARS
YA FANTASY LOVERS: YOU NEED TO READ THIS ONE!