About the Book:

An orphan raised in Valparaiso, Chile, by a Victorian spinster and her rigid brother, vivacious young Eliza Sommers follows her lover to California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Entering a rough-and-tumble world of new arrivals driven mad by gold fever, Eliza moves in a society of single men and prostitutes with the help of her good friend and savior, the Chinese doctor Tao Chi’en. California opens the door to a new life of freedom and independence to the young Chilean, and her search for her elusive lover gradually turns into another kind of journey. By the time she finally hears news of him, Eliza must decide who her true love really is.

Book Review:  ★★★★★★

This was a fun, and entertaining book to read, one written by a talented, and expressive author. The story revolves around Eliza Sommers, an adopted orphan that is raised by a family of means, and social standing. As this story develops, Eliza finds herself confronted with a choice between two lives. Abandoned by her lover, she follows after, and learns that there are other ways of living outside of the one in which she was raised.

Much of this story is very similar to other stories that present the fallen girl, growing into adulthood, under the shadow of scandal. But the protagonist is masterfully handled in this story. Not only is the development one that covers age, and social structure, but it also covers multiple cultures, countries, and ethnic backgrounds.

Eliza represents the conjoining of all of the cultures, social classes, and nationalities, and her character development is demonstrated across all of these spectrum’s. As she grows, and develops, not only does she face the struggles of age, but she is faced with the choice of different lifestyles, cultures, and social class. Raised with everything she could want — her love is ultimately given to a man of inferior class, which brings all the scandal that such a liaison represents. Faced with the scandal, her alternatives are to stay and face the scandal alone, or to go after the man she believes she loves.

But the character of Eliza is more than the traditional representation of female repression. She is a great demonstration of the struggle of women, at a time that women were struggling to overcome the oppression of the life their sex demanded they live. She learns to find freedom in the alternate worlds, and cultures, to which she is exposed. She also learns to interact with the various elements of each of these societies, without compromising her ideals, beliefs, or standards. Eliza demonstrates the development of a woman capable of living beyond herself, and finding that a single woman can live outside of the social mores demanded by the constrictive restraints of her time. Eliza is more than a coming of age character. She represents what it means to overcome a repressive society, and develops into a woman that is capable of living her life, on her own terms.

The most amazing part of this story, however, is that of the presentation of a myriad of histories. The story spans across China, Chile, England, and San Francisco. And the rich history of all of these places is beautifully presented, within the time frame of the story. In addition, and culture’s interactions are demonstrated, when the people come together, often with violent results, during the gold rush of California in the 1800′s.

The beauty of the author’s writing is strong, and eloquent. She uses very vivid imagery, and she has a powerful talent for expressing herself in written form. This is a wonderful story, by a great author.

Tags: California, Chile, Family, Friendship, Gold Rush, Historical Fiction, Love, Romance

Category: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance