Walk on Earth a Stranger (Gold Seer Trilogy, #1)

by Rae Carson

Erin Mallon (Narrator)

Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.

• ISBN10: 0062395769
• ISBN13: 9780062395764
• Publish Date: 22 September 2015
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Greenwillow Books
• Edition: Unabridged edition
• Format: Audiobook (MP3)
• Duration: 11 hours
• Language: English

Reviews

[shannonmiz]

This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
I think it goes without saying that I loved this book, because well, the title says so. And because of that, I am just going to briefly explain why, so you can all just go read it for yourselves or something.

• Leah is fabulous. See, Leah is the kind of heroine that doesn't come along often. She's smart, and strong, and she knows that society's views on women are flat out asinine. But she also knows that she must do what she has to to survive, so if she has to play the part of a boy, she will. She's resourceful like that. At the same time, she isn't all tough- she has feelings and emotions too, and she stands by her convictions. Basically, I love her, and I cannot wait for more of her story.


• The other characters are so complex and well done. There are quite a few minor characters in this book, since Leah's traveling the trail with a wagon party, as was customary. I thought I'd be confused and overwhelmed with all the different people, but it was actually really easy for me to keep up with! Some were more flawed than others, but they all had backstory that made me really care. There were a few side characters who I especially had the warm fuzzies for, but I think actually including some of their names could be spoilery? So I will just let you decide for yourselves who gives you the warm fuzzies.


• The romance was minimal, but it has definite potential. This is absolutely not a romance driven book. Suffice it to say there is no insta-love (win!), because Leah and Jefferson basically had more important things to deal with during most of the book. But I did enjoy him, and I am hoping to see more of him in the future.


• The most epic trip ever takes place! Look, for me, The Oregon Trail basically signifies the ultimate in "road trips" (even though, fine, it isn't an actual road). To travel from one coast to the other in the mid 1800s is such an undertaking, I don't think we can even begin to comprehend the hardships. So, the fact that Rae Carson was able to make me feel like I could somewhat understand how this must have been was really quite remarkable. I remember playing the game when I was younger and thinking "I wonder what all those people felt like, what kind of emotions they had", and Rae basically brought that to life for me.


• The hint of magic and the allure of gold are enticing and unique. I mean, it's gold. People would do just about anything for gold. And since Leah has a special power to find gold, it stands to reason that if someone finds out about that, she's in a heap of trouble. There are tons of kind people along Leah's journey, but tons of unscrupulous ones.


• This first book in the series is a journey. There is action, yes, but there are slower parts. This did not bother me in the least, but I figured I should point it out for those of you who do enjoy a faster pacing.

Bottom Line: What's left to say? Other than thanks to Rae Carson, for writing the book that I'd dreamed about since forever.

*Copy provided by publisher for review

[Beth C.]

What if you could sense gold? Your body tingles, and sometimes it's hard to breathe? Your parents know, but your Daddy is ill and your mama well...she prefers that it just not exist. As the only child, you are the one responsible for making sure everything around the claim is taken care of - so even though you're a girl, you can shoot straighter, track farther, and work harder than many boys your age. But then...danger comes calling, and in order to stay true to yourself, you have to become someone else and leave everything you've ever known.

This is the story of Leah Westfall, a 15-year-old girl from Georgia. The year is 1849, the gold "rush" in Georgia is tapped out, but everyone is talking about California being the next big thing. Wagon trains are leaving, sometimes several in one day. People are heading west, hoping to outrun their past, strike it rich, have their own land...the reasons are as varied as the people. Death stalks those wagon trains as well, in forms both surprising and not. In the middle of all of this, Leah learns who she is, and that family isn't always blood.

This is an unusual fantasy novel, in that there is actually very little typical fantasy. Cold, hard reality based on history is the majority, even though the main character has her own magic. The fact that this is the first in a planned trilogy is excellent, because it will be interesting to see where the author takes the story. I suppose it could be argued that history is its own magic, and in this case, that would be correct. The slight intertwining of the power that Leah has just emphasizes that even more.

As for the writing itself, it would appeal to young adult audiences, as well as adult. There are a few descriptions that are very blunt, but nothing sexual or crude - more to do with the everyday dangers faced on the trail. Depending on the audience, this book could be an excellent resource for a homeschooling unit, as well as just a great conversation-starter about the fascinating history encompassed by this period of time.

I will be looking forward to reading the second book in the series, and plan to share this one with my friends.