Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by burtini
Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter by Lizzie Pook
4.0
Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter is a historical fiction mystery set in 19th century Australia and tells the story of Charles Brightwell, a Master Pearler, who mysteriously disappears off his lugger while out pearling with his crew. Charles is presumed dead and already the corrupt, cruel police have their suspect, the aboriginal Balarri. Determined to save the life of an innocent man and find out what really happened to her father, Eliza Brightwell sends out to find the truth.
This book is set in a particularly cruel time in Australian history in which indigenous communities were exploited, and the practise of blackbirding in which aboriginal men, women and children were kidnapped, traded and forced to work on early pearling vessels. Alongside this, many hundreds of Japanese men lost their lives to the pearling industry from diving and drowning. The main plot is of Eliza finding her father however this brutality is a dark shadow over the book in a very menacing, effective way; the exploitative, cruel white men in this book who value money and not the lives of aborigines, the misogynist undertones of women ‘knowing their place’, particularly indigenous women, the fear and oppression of indigenous people … This mistreatment is, in my opinion, handled respectfully and not gratuitously, as frustrating and enraging as it is to read.
Alongside this aspect of Australian history, which I knew of but not to this extent, this book has excepts of Charles’ journal detailing Australian wildlife which I found particularly interesting and I enjoyed how the book introduced these elements into the plot. Overall I think the author did a great job in shaping 19th century Australia for me to create in my head.
The true heart of this book is Eliza’s defiance as she goes against expectations of her status and sex to find her father, she gets her hands dirty, she investigates, she goes out to sea, she’s just a wonderful feminist creation and both incredibly empowering and likeable.
In other news, this isn’t related to story but I have to say the cover for this book is stunning!,
Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review
This book is set in a particularly cruel time in Australian history in which indigenous communities were exploited, and the practise of blackbirding in which aboriginal men, women and children were kidnapped, traded and forced to work on early pearling vessels. Alongside this, many hundreds of Japanese men lost their lives to the pearling industry from diving and drowning. The main plot is of Eliza finding her father however this brutality is a dark shadow over the book in a very menacing, effective way; the exploitative, cruel white men in this book who value money and not the lives of aborigines, the misogynist undertones of women ‘knowing their place’, particularly indigenous women, the fear and oppression of indigenous people … This mistreatment is, in my opinion, handled respectfully and not gratuitously, as frustrating and enraging as it is to read.
Alongside this aspect of Australian history, which I knew of but not to this extent, this book has excepts of Charles’ journal detailing Australian wildlife which I found particularly interesting and I enjoyed how the book introduced these elements into the plot. Overall I think the author did a great job in shaping 19th century Australia for me to create in my head.
The true heart of this book is Eliza’s defiance as she goes against expectations of her status and sex to find her father, she gets her hands dirty, she investigates, she goes out to sea, she’s just a wonderful feminist creation and both incredibly empowering and likeable.
In other news, this isn’t related to story but I have to say the cover for this book is stunning!,
Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review