Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson (Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads)Published by HarperCollins on September 22nd 2015
Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 448
Format: ARC
The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times-bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America. Walk on Earth a Stranger begins an epic saga from one of the finest writers of young adult literature.Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety?
Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns series, dazzles with the first book in the Gold Seer Trilogy, introducing a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance, as only she can.
I LOVE Historical Fiction and I loved Rae Carson’s first series so when I heard she was writing a book about the gold rush and it would have a main character who could sense the presence of gold around her I immediately added this to my to be read list.
First things first, that cover is amazing and I love everything about it. I can’t wait to see it in hardcover and I really want to see the map too!
Ok, now to the story. Lee has a gift, one that allows her to sense gold around her and although this could be a blessing to a family who doesn’t have much to begin with, her parents make sure that Lee doesn’t share this news with anyone, not even her best friend Jefferson. As Lee’s life is thrown upside down, she makes the decision to head west to escape the man who has threatened everything she knows and to find her best friend.
I thought Lee was an interesting character and I liked her. She absolutely cares about the people around her. It is because of this that she also ends up putting herself in danger more often than not. As she heads west, she ends up traveling as a boy and joining up with a wagon company so she doesn’t have to travel alone.
Carson did a wonderful job of tying history into this story. I have never really read much about the gold rush era, as I have never been drawn to what one might consider a “western”, but as I was reading this book I was able to imagine the wagon trains, the danger these people faced every day just traveling across the land, and the concerns they had about running into Indians. I have to admit something here – throughout this book I kept thinking of the computer game I played when I was younger (this will age me…I know it) called Oregon Trail – if you don’t know what it is, google it and you will see why. There was so much that could go wrong for these people and the group that Lee is with is no exception.
Outside of Lee, the characters introduced in this book added to the story and helped push things along. From the Joyner family to the Hoffman’s…they all make an impact on Lee. I liked Jefferson too and thought Carson did a great job showing how important he was to Lee but also how their relationship changed over the course of the journey.
If you are looking for a story that has a unique feel to it, you might just be interested in checking this one out. It has plenty of action, a paranormal twist, and a bit of romance so really…something for everyone. Definitely check this one out when you can – I am definitely looking forward to the next book of this series.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Recent Comments