Scan barcode
A review by fonkun
Gold Mountain by Betty G. Yee
4.0
Gold Mountain provides us with a glimpse of the lives of Chinese laborers who worked on the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860's through the eyes of Tam Ling Fan. Following her brother's death, Tam Ling Fan disguises herself as her brother and takes his railroad contract to America, marking the beginning of her journey to earn enough money to secure her father's freedom.
While the plot of Gold Mountain is slightly predictable, Gold Mountain hit all the right notes for me, being a fast-paced YA historical novel with a fierce female protagonist. Don't let the YA label fool you -- I learned so much about the Transcontinental Railroad from Gold Mountain, such as how two railroad companies, the Central Pacific Railroad Company and the Union Pacific Railroad Company, were pitted against each other in the race to finish first. More importantly, I learned about the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad on the lives of Chinese laborers and indigenous peoples. I think it's safe to say that Gold Mountain is a must-read YA new release.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher, Carolrhoda Lab ®, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
While the plot of Gold Mountain is slightly predictable, Gold Mountain hit all the right notes for me, being a fast-paced YA historical novel with a fierce female protagonist. Don't let the YA label fool you -- I learned so much about the Transcontinental Railroad from Gold Mountain, such as how two railroad companies, the Central Pacific Railroad Company and the Union Pacific Railroad Company, were pitted against each other in the race to finish first. More importantly, I learned about the impact of the Transcontinental Railroad on the lives of Chinese laborers and indigenous peoples. I think it's safe to say that Gold Mountain is a must-read YA new release.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher, Carolrhoda Lab ®, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.