Review: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Title: Outrun the Moon Written by: Stacey Lee Published: May 24, 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (Penguin) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.  On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the “bossy” cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

If you saw my Top Ten Tuesday post last week you know that this book was a backlist book I own but hadn't read. So as I was looking for an audiobook to listen to for two really long trips I had last week I saw this one and had to download it.

This book really solidified the fact that Stacey Lee is a fantastic author of historical fiction. I usually prefer my historical fiction to take a well-known or even lesser known event in history and then add fiction characters to explain and expand on the world. That is what this book did. It took the 1906 earthquake of San Francisco and told the story of it from the perspective of a young Chinese American girl. Stacey's writing really brought the even to life. You could feel the tremors along with the characters and the uncertainty of what was next after most of the city was leveled or in flames. It made for a very interesting and engaging read that had me worried for the characters and the city of San Francisco. You can tell that Stacey did her research into what happened during the earthquake. It felt interesting and like I was learning something at the same time.

And while that was the backdrop, there was so much more to this book than just the earthquake. It also showed the reader what it would have been like for a Chinese American with not only what it was like to grow up in Chinatown but the oppression that she experienced because of her race. And while it's easy for something like that to feel over-wrought this wasn't. It served to add drama to the narrative and to establish the historical time period. It also gave the story a timely quality as well. The heart of this story was really a young woman who is the child of immigrants trying to overcome her circumstances and thrive. And that will always be an engaging and inspiring story.

But maybe I enjoyed that so much because I really liked the characters on this book. Mercy Wong is a fantastic main character. Her voice really comes through in throughout the narrative. I felt like I knew who Mercy was, where she came from, where she wanted to go, and what she was going to do to get there. What I think I liked most about her is that she's equal parts tough street kid and vulnerable young woman. She's ballsy and abrasive sometimes but she's also kind and caring. She was a really complex character and I enjoyed her a lot. The secondary characters in this book were also really great. There was a great theme about family and loss, but also a running thread of found family and friendship. There were also really complex characters who had great development like Elodie and Headmistress Crouch. The characterization was one of the best parts of this book.

Finally, I couldn't conclude this review without mentioning San Francisco because the city itself was as much a character as anyone else. San Francisco is a place I have only been to once but but it is also a city that I loved. It has beautiful architecture, a gorgeous landscape, and an interesting history. All of that came alive in this book. I think Stacey Lee is from the Bay Area and she obviously has a lot of love for the city. But what I especially loved is the idea that she really considered what the city was like over 100 years ago. I am always someone who thinks about those things and wonders what a city and building was like when it was first built and if you are like me then you will really enjoy this book.

All in all., I really loved this book. It's a fantastic historical fiction novel with an engaging plot that explores a historical event from a unique perspective, amazing complex characters, and a great setting that really comes to life. I'm so glad I took the time to read it and I wish I hadn't waited so long.

I give Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you like historical fiction then I would definitely recommend this book. But even if you don't it has great characters and a fantastic storyline that I think everyone would enjoy.

Have you read Outrun the Moon? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Title: Under a Painted Sky Author: Stacey Lee Published: March 17, 2015 (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Missouri, 1849: Samantha dreams of moving back to New York to be a professional musician—not an easy thing if you’re a girl, and harder still if you’re Chinese. But a tragic accident dashes any hopes of fulfilling her dream, and instead, leaves her fearing for her life. With the help of a runaway slave named Annamae, Samantha flees town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy, two boys headed for the California gold rush. Sammy and Andy forge a powerful bond as they each search for a link to their past, and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. But when they cross paths with a band of cowboys, the light-hearted troupe turn out to be unexpected allies. With the law closing in on them and new setbacks coming each day, the girls quickly learn that there are not many places to hide on the open trail. This beautifully written debut is an exciting adventure and heart-wrenching survival tale. But above all else, it’s a story about perseverance and trust that will restore your faith in the power of friendship.

Slowburn is the watchword for this book. Everything about Under a Painted Sky was slower but that's how it works it's way into your heart. Before you even realized what is happening, you're emotionally invested in the story and the characters. When it comes right down to it, this book is a fantastic piece of historical fiction with diverse characters you can't help but love and an engaging plot that will keep you reading from beginning to end.

One of the things that really surprised me about Under a Painted Sky was how much I enjoyed the plot of the book. I often talk about how much I hate travel as a plot point so I should have not liked this expedition. but it worked. Perhaps that was because the stakes were still very high. It wasn't just let's get from point A to point B, it was about how do we survive along the way. This was as much about survival as it was about travel. There is so much uncertainty and danger for our characters which really gave the book a lot more excitement and suspense. But that may have been because the historical fiction aspect of the story. I have always wanted to read a YA novel set on the Oregon Trail because it's a time period that has fascinated me since I was a kid playing that computer game where my oxen died fording the river. And like the game, Stacey Lee perfectly combined adventure with history. But the history is subtle. So subtle that it almost felt like an afterthought. It mentioned locations and experiences but that wasn't really the focus of the story (more on the focus later). However, along the way there was enough thrilling and interesting moments that I was not only engaged but I couldn't put it down.

The fact that I couldn't put the book down is all the more interesting because of the pacing. Like I said, slowburn is watchword. It wasn't a fast-paced story. Things slowly plotted along until the climax. But when it did hit that climax, it really kicked into high gear. There were a few moments where I just couldn't stop reading, I had to keep going to find out what happened to our intrepid characters. But one thing that I didn't love about the pacing or well maybe plot of this book is the way that it ended. It didn't necessarily end on a cliffhanger but it really left things wide open. As far as I know this is a standalone but it didn't wrap everything up the way I prefer (in a neat and tidy package). I would really love a sequel because honestly I need to find out what happens to these characters.

And it was those characters that made this book so enjoyable. Under a Painted Sky was full of amazing and complex characters that I couldn't help but love, even when they were doing stupid things. And boy did they do stupid things. This book is full of characters that were far from perfect, but that was what made them all the more realistic and endearing. There is a lot of talk in the YA community about the need for diverse characters. This book definitely has them. Of the five main characters, three of them were persons of color and none of them were stereotypes. In a time where being anything other than white made you inferior, these characters were unabashedly themselves and showed that no matter what you look like, you can do anything. The other great thing about these diverse characters is that we get to learn about their culture. There was so much about Chinese culture in this book and it was such a fascinating dimension. And that is because our main character is Samantha or Sammy, a Chinese-American girl who has to flee out West after an unfortunate event occurs. Along for the ride is Annamae or Andy, an escaped slave. The girls take to the trail as young boys, a concept I don't always like because I'm constantly wondering how others can't figure it out, but it worked for this story. Both girls are very different but they are both extremely strong mentally and emotionally. But they have help along the way in the form of three cowboys: Cay, West, and Petey. The cowboys, who are clearly more experienced and knowledgeable never treat Sammy and Andy like they incapable of anything. They are hilarious and tough but encouraging and helpful. Each of the boys are fantastic in their own way but they are even better as a group.

But the best part of these characters is how they interact and work together. That was the real focus of this story, there is a heartwarming friendship and commradere here. A shared event brings Sammy and Andy together but throughout the book they find solace and friendship in one another. Their relationship is incredibly sweet and supportive. Female friendships like this are not always common in literature and it is such a great thing when it happens. But then there was the friendship with the cowboys. The three of them together were fantastic but then with the girls the dynamic was even better. They took them under their wings and taught them all these amazing things like roping, shooting, and horseback riding. Things that seemed like they were just fun, but were ultimately about survival. It was an odd sort of mentorship but it was a delightful one. And just as delightful was the romance. I'm not always a fan of romance when gender-bending is part of the story. It can sometimes come off as odd but here it really worked. I absolutely shipped the ships and like a lot of my favorite romances it was a fantastic slowburn with a great endgame.

Everything combined for a really phenomenal read. Stacey's writing was engaging and beautiful. I didn't think that I was going to read this as fast as I did but I couldn't put it down and found myself staying up much later than I expected. When the book was done I was left wishing there was more.

I give Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee 9.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! This book is not to be missed for fans of YA historical fiction. 90's kids will love the connection with the computer game from our youth and even if you don't normally like historical fiction you will love the story of friendship this book contains. Under a Painted Sky is one more of the amazing 2015 debuts with fantastic characters and an engaging plot. A must read.

Have you read Under a Painted Sky? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!