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jesslynh's review against another edition
4.0
I sucked this one down so fast, it never made it to my Currently reading list. Much like the 1st one, I love Lee's inner voice. I can't wait for the last of this trilogy.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The stakes in the second book in this series are somehow even higher than in the first. Lee has made it to California, but she's far from out of danger. To make things worse, she feels like she's putting her friends in danger as well. She knows that the only way to keep everyone safe is to take care of the Uncle Hiram situation one way or another. But things go from bad to worse really quickly and Lee finds herself (and her friends!) in an impossible situation that she can't escape. This book highlights the racial injustices of the westward expansion even more strongly than the first book did. In fact, pretty much everything is ramped up in this installment: the action, the stakes, the romance. Plus, even though this book is only the second in the trilogy, it gives us a satisfying ending that could almost wrap everything up (so I'm still excited for the next book but I don't feel like I ended this one with pain!).
I give this second book 4.5/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (though I ended up listening to the audiobook from the library) in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
The stakes in the second book in this series are somehow even higher than in the first. Lee has made it to California, but she's far from out of danger. To make things worse, she feels like she's putting her friends in danger as well. She knows that the only way to keep everyone safe is to take care of the Uncle Hiram situation one way or another. But things go from bad to worse really quickly and Lee finds herself (and her friends!) in an impossible situation that she can't escape. This book highlights the racial injustices of the westward expansion even more strongly than the first book did. In fact, pretty much everything is ramped up in this installment: the action, the stakes, the romance. Plus, even though this book is only the second in the trilogy, it gives us a satisfying ending that could almost wrap everything up (so I'm still excited for the next book but I don't feel like I ended this one with pain!).
I give this second book 4.5/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss (though I ended up listening to the audiobook from the library) in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
infinite_tbr's review against another edition
4.0
4/5
It was nice to get back to the Gold Seer trilogy with this book. We pick up with Lee and her friends having settled in California. They have some run-ins with claim jumpers and Becky makes friends with some nearby settlers, all oddly thrilled with her terrible cooking. Then, Leah’s Uncle’s men catch up with them and Lee, Jeff, and Tom end up captured and taken to Hiram’s mining camp where Leah finally learns exactly why Hiram is so intent on possessing her.
Leah grows significantly in this book from the girl we saw in the first book. She’s become more confident in her ability to sense gold and started developing new powers — the ability to manipulate gold. She has also realized that she is capable and has power as a single woman, though there are still limitations. It was also nice to see her reach out and befriend Mary, the Chinese maid at the camp. She truly comes into her powers in this book and learns to stand up for herself and others. No longer is she focused solely on keeping herself and Jeff safe, but also the Native Americans, the Chinese immigrants, and those who traversed the Oregon Trail with her.
There were some points where the story lagged but overall, it’s a solid continuation of Leah’s story and a decent representation of the California Gold Rush. I really appreciate the inclusion of an Author’s Note that discussed what was and was not accurate in the story, as well as the choices she made regarding language and issues of representation.
It was nice to get back to the Gold Seer trilogy with this book. We pick up with Lee and her friends having settled in California. They have some run-ins with claim jumpers and Becky makes friends with some nearby settlers, all oddly thrilled with her terrible cooking. Then, Leah’s Uncle’s men catch up with them and Lee, Jeff, and Tom end up captured and taken to Hiram’s mining camp where Leah finally learns exactly why Hiram is so intent on possessing her.
Leah grows significantly in this book from the girl we saw in the first book. She’s become more confident in her ability to sense gold and started developing new powers — the ability to manipulate gold. She has also realized that she is capable and has power as a single woman, though there are still limitations. It was also nice to see her reach out and befriend Mary, the Chinese maid at the camp. She truly comes into her powers in this book and learns to stand up for herself and others. No longer is she focused solely on keeping herself and Jeff safe, but also the Native Americans, the Chinese immigrants, and those who traversed the Oregon Trail with her.
There were some points where the story lagged but overall, it’s a solid continuation of Leah’s story and a decent representation of the California Gold Rush. I really appreciate the inclusion of an Author’s Note that discussed what was and was not accurate in the story, as well as the choices she made regarding language and issues of representation.
meg_sm's review against another edition
4.0
I devoured Like a River Glorious in one sixteen-hour travel day amidst delayed flights and long layovers, and it was the perfect distraction from the stress. I was suspicious that this sequel might disappoint after my unabashed love of the first book (Walk on Earth a Stranger), but it totally delivered.
My fiery adoration for Lee, the main character, stayed strong through this book, and my affection for the rest of the characters only increased. Rae Carson does an excellent job developing dynamic side characters, and what stands out is the diversity of this cast of characters. We have independent women, a half-Cherokee love interest, a free black man, an Asian woman, a disabled man, and a few gay folks, all hanging out together in the year 1849. The representation is great, but even more than that, I so admire Carson's adeptness at tackling the tricky topics of bias and privilege. This book will make you think hard about entrenched injustice, marginalization, and dignity, and you won't regret it.
Aside from that, the plot rollicks along at a good pace, believable but not too predictable, and the writing is gorgeous. One hundred percent recommend.
My fiery adoration for Lee, the main character, stayed strong through this book, and my affection for the rest of the characters only increased. Rae Carson does an excellent job developing dynamic side characters, and what stands out is the diversity of this cast of characters. We have independent women, a half-Cherokee love interest, a free black man, an Asian woman, a disabled man, and a few gay folks, all hanging out together in the year 1849. The representation is great, but even more than that, I so admire Carson's adeptness at tackling the tricky topics of bias and privilege. This book will make you think hard about entrenched injustice, marginalization, and dignity, and you won't regret it.
Aside from that, the plot rollicks along at a good pace, believable but not too predictable, and the writing is gorgeous. One hundred percent recommend.
pantsreads's review against another edition
4.0
Good continuation of the series. I'm curious to see what happens in book three, since the ending of this book felt like a pretty good resolution of all that's happened so far.
Check out my review at Forever Young Adult.
Check out my review at Forever Young Adult.
guylou's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderful YA book with lots of history and action. I enjoyed the second book even more than the first one. I like how Rae Carson introduces strong female protagonists in her books who are brave and mindful of others. This series is a page turner and opens a realistic window on how life was in California during the Gold Rush. Looking forward to read the third book.
amysbrittain's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars for me. The second in the YA series picks up in California, and the strengths are the brutally honest depiction of the Indian and Chinese workers and their treatment in the mining camp, low-key but beloved gay couple in their midst, and the empowered women running the show.
booksnbeesem's review against another edition
4.0
LOVED this book but the ending felt rushed and was not very satisfying. A bit of a disappointment after becoming so invested in the characters.
ipomoea's review against another edition
4.0
I received a digital advance copy in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss.
I was super excited about this trilogy when I first read about it. It's hard to find western-set YA, which was a huge plus for me. Carson's Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy had such a fantastic main character, I wasn't sure that Leah could live up to Elisa.
I was totally wrong. Leah is a flawed, strong, fun character and one that wouldn't work for me anywhere but in a Old West setting. I love the California Gold Rush as a setting for YA, I think it's underrated and ripe for coming-of-age stories.
The book opens in California, where the remaining folks of the wagon train have started to settle, tentatively calling their home Glory, California. But because nobody can be happy, Leah's Evil Uncle Hiram (I seriously picture him twirling his mustache 24/7) decides to give everyone hell because he wants Leah to come be his witchy woman, as opposed to her own witchy woman.
Guys, Uncle Hiram is SUPER CREEPY, and he has a weird fixation that is bordering on Donkeyskin for me. I don't want to be specific and nothing explicit happens, but I spent a lot of the book going NOOOOOO. Dude is just WRONG.
So the book is Leah being Hiram's gold witch on call, and her trying to figure out how to GTFO and take Jefferson and Tom with her (because of COURSE they need hostages to ensure her good behavior).
There's some discussion of the enslavement of local Native American tribes, despite California nominally being a free territory/state. The conditions that they're kept in are brutal, and not shied away from. But I'd like to know more about Carson's research into the times and the tribes, something that I also wanted in the first book (which would have concerned different tribes in different areas). Y'all, this is what reading Debbie Reese does for me (and it's a good thing!), it makes me question all portrayals of Native Americans in books. There's only so much you can cover in a YA book but I wanted to know more about the Maidu and their role in the gold rush and what they dealt with.
That said, there's even less discussion of the role of Chinese laborers in the Gold Rush, despite having a camp of laborers at Hiram's mine. The only Chinese character with a name and backstory is Mary, Hiram's cook and camp prostitute (because of COURSE :-/ ).
I'm still recommending this series to teens who don't want your typical YA fantasy books (and I still enjoyed the hell out of it!), but for a time period that's pretty rich with multiple ethnic/racial groups, I'd like more about them, not just as props to Leah's journey, but as their own people.
I was super excited about this trilogy when I first read about it. It's hard to find western-set YA, which was a huge plus for me. Carson's Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy had such a fantastic main character, I wasn't sure that Leah could live up to Elisa.
I was totally wrong. Leah is a flawed, strong, fun character and one that wouldn't work for me anywhere but in a Old West setting. I love the California Gold Rush as a setting for YA, I think it's underrated and ripe for coming-of-age stories.
The book opens in California, where the remaining folks of the wagon train have started to settle, tentatively calling their home Glory, California. But because nobody can be happy, Leah's Evil Uncle Hiram (I seriously picture him twirling his mustache 24/7) decides to give everyone hell because he wants Leah to come be his witchy woman, as opposed to her own witchy woman.
Guys, Uncle Hiram is SUPER CREEPY, and he has a weird fixation that is bordering on Donkeyskin for me. I don't want to be specific and nothing explicit happens, but I spent a lot of the book going NOOOOOO. Dude is just WRONG.
So the book is Leah being Hiram's gold witch on call, and her trying to figure out how to GTFO and take Jefferson and Tom with her (because of COURSE they need hostages to ensure her good behavior).
There's some discussion of the enslavement of local Native American tribes, despite California nominally being a free territory/state. The conditions that they're kept in are brutal, and not shied away from. But I'd like to know more about Carson's research into the times and the tribes, something that I also wanted in the first book (which would have concerned different tribes in different areas). Y'all, this is what reading Debbie Reese does for me (and it's a good thing!), it makes me question all portrayals of Native Americans in books. There's only so much you can cover in a YA book but I wanted to know more about the Maidu and their role in the gold rush and what they dealt with.
That said, there's even less discussion of the role of Chinese laborers in the Gold Rush, despite having a camp of laborers at Hiram's mine. The only Chinese character with a name and backstory is Mary, Hiram's cook and camp prostitute (because of COURSE :-/ ).
I'm still recommending this series to teens who don't want your typical YA fantasy books (and I still enjoyed the hell out of it!), but for a time period that's pretty rich with multiple ethnic/racial groups, I'd like more about them, not just as props to Leah's journey, but as their own people.