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Outrun the Moon
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl comes an unforgettable story of determination set against a backdrop of devastating tragedy, perfect for fans of Code Name Verity .
Winner of the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Young Adult
Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty of Chinatown, San Francisco in 1906, 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. Now she’s 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?
Winner of the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Young Adult
Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty of Chinatown, San Francisco in 1906, 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. Now she’s 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?
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2016
321 people are currently reading
16753 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Lee
11 books2,440 followersStacey Lee is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of historical and contemporary young adult fiction, including THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL, Reese's Book Club Late Summer 2021 YA pick, and her most recent, LUCK OF THE TITANIC which received five starred reviews. A native of southern California and fourth-generation Chinese American, she is a founder of the We Need Diverse Books movement and writes stories for all kids (even the ones who look like adults). Find her
@staceyleeauthor on Instagram and Twitter, and @staceylee.author on Facebook.
@staceyleeauthor on Instagram and Twitter, and @staceylee.author on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,026 reviews
January 5, 2016
THIS BOOK. At one point, I threw it into the grass and yelled "NO!" and then I wept. Why did I throw the book? You'll know if you read it. In fact, when you get to the part where I threw it, you will probably throw it too. And then, like me, you will trudge over and pick it up and keep reading while gathering up the broken pieces of your heart and cursing/praise-hands-ing Stacey Lee, an author with immense talent and incredible voice.
In short, I loved this book. Mercy Wong is a badass. She has my heart.
In short, I loved this book. Mercy Wong is a badass. She has my heart.
Read
October 31, 2016Mini review:
DNF
The first time I read this book I DNFed due to the odd writing style. I erased my original review and decided to give it another go. However the more I think about I realize that I am no longer interested in this book. I don't think it is for me.
I do still recommend it.
DNF
The first time I read this book I DNFed due to the odd writing style. I erased my original review and decided to give it another go. However the more I think about I realize that I am no longer interested in this book. I don't think it is for me.
I do still recommend it.
March 22, 2017
This book was so fantastic, it totally took me back to the books I grew up loving - recently historical fiction with fiery teen heroines, a la A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN. It feels like such a classic already, it bolsters my heart to know there are still people writing like this, and that they're doing it with racially diverse characters - something the books I loved as a kid didn't really have - makes them that much more important and welcome. Highly, highly rec.
October 18, 2016
“Once you have been in an earthquake you know, even if you survive without a scratch, that like a stroke in the heart, it remains in the earth's breast, horribly potential, always promising to return, to hit you again, with an even more devastating force. ”
----Salman Rushdie
Stacey Lee, a Chinese-American author, has penned an incredibly arresting young adult historical fiction novel, Outrun the Moon where the author weaves a story about a Chinese-American teenage girl who breaks free from her wretched life in Chinatown and earns a shortcut way to one of the prestigious and poshest boarding school in America where she outsmarts the game of pretending on being some heiress but when tragedy strikes, it is her moment to save the school thereby saving the world.
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?
The fifteen year old Chinese American girl, Mercy, wants out of her wretched life with limited opportunities in Chinatown. She must do something to not only make her life better, but her brother's too who works as a labor. And this sharp teenager with high cheekbones know the right way to break free from such a life. Mercy finds a way, or rather say, pays bribe to get her hands on the scholarship to one of the most prestigious all girls boarding school where only the rich and famous send their daughters to earn a reputable and suitable prospect for marriage. Mercy is clever enough to pose and pretend herself as a Chinese heiress to earn a band of diverse and ethnic group of friends where either some are lying just like her, or some are genuinely posh. Soon earthquake strikes and this earthquake finally bridges the gap between the two cultures who don't see eye to eye, Chinese and American. Devastation is hanging in the air, while Mercy plans to save the survivors. Can she single-handedly save the people she is close to?
I would like to take a bow to the author as after reading the book, I realized what she has tried to portray through the story line. The message is loud and clear, that will hit upon those especially those readers who are still living with a cultural gap and hatred among themselves for a race like Chinese even in this 21st century. Those the story is set in the early 20th century, yet the issues still exist even in a modern world like ours. My heart ached for the characters who are subjected to meaningless and hurtful racist remarks about their race or their facial structure. And I believe after reading this book, the readers would stop to ponder upon their actions and on their thoughts about such a powerful social message.
The writing is evocative, though the emotional depth felt bit hasty at times, and the essence of the Chinatown is so deep that we lose ourselves easily into the tale and never want to come out of it. The prose is articulate thus giving a fast pace to this book. In one word, Lee has created a compelling and thought-provoking tale that give us glimpse into the social and global issues like Earthquake or racism. The narrative is extremely alluring and free flowing as the readers will easy to comprehend with the tale.
The characters are marvelously portrayed, especially a diverse character like Mercy, highlighting both her flaws and strong qualities, that will ultimately make the readers fall for her. Her lies and deceit won't make the readers hate her, instead she is strikingly justified of her actions and makes her look like a hero in the eyes of the readers. Mercy is barely 15 years old, yet her feminist ways make her charming and mature, the way she breaks the norms of a society where young girls are asked to married off right after their school, in order to become independent even in the early 1900s is remarkable. The Chinese characters are evocatively portrayed with the pain that they live through out their lives in a foreign land like America, where opportunities only meant to become a labor for some white house hold. The author captures that feel of that situation that will make the readers sympathize for the characters. The rest of the supporting characters are also quite well developed. I believe the romance part could have been easily deleted from the story line, as it holds no meaning or does not bring out any passion from those characters' demeanor.
The author also captivates the devastatingly painful loss and grief over losing a loved one on a natural calamity and that makes the main character weak for a while but she gradually learns from the pain to help those who have survived. Her leadership qualities that make her extraordinary even in the times like an earthquake has hit the city did not deter her once from her position.
In a nutshell, this is another ground breaking novel by the author which will open many eyes as well as hearts towards cultural diversity, curbing racism and becoming independent and strong female.
Verdict: Thoroughly interesting, heart breaking yet extremely engrossing YA novel.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author's publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Salman Rushdie
Stacey Lee, a Chinese-American author, has penned an incredibly arresting young adult historical fiction novel, Outrun the Moon where the author weaves a story about a Chinese-American teenage girl who breaks free from her wretched life in Chinatown and earns a shortcut way to one of the prestigious and poshest boarding school in America where she outsmarts the game of pretending on being some heiress but when tragedy strikes, it is her moment to save the school thereby saving the world.
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?
The fifteen year old Chinese American girl, Mercy, wants out of her wretched life with limited opportunities in Chinatown. She must do something to not only make her life better, but her brother's too who works as a labor. And this sharp teenager with high cheekbones know the right way to break free from such a life. Mercy finds a way, or rather say, pays bribe to get her hands on the scholarship to one of the most prestigious all girls boarding school where only the rich and famous send their daughters to earn a reputable and suitable prospect for marriage. Mercy is clever enough to pose and pretend herself as a Chinese heiress to earn a band of diverse and ethnic group of friends where either some are lying just like her, or some are genuinely posh. Soon earthquake strikes and this earthquake finally bridges the gap between the two cultures who don't see eye to eye, Chinese and American. Devastation is hanging in the air, while Mercy plans to save the survivors. Can she single-handedly save the people she is close to?
I would like to take a bow to the author as after reading the book, I realized what she has tried to portray through the story line. The message is loud and clear, that will hit upon those especially those readers who are still living with a cultural gap and hatred among themselves for a race like Chinese even in this 21st century. Those the story is set in the early 20th century, yet the issues still exist even in a modern world like ours. My heart ached for the characters who are subjected to meaningless and hurtful racist remarks about their race or their facial structure. And I believe after reading this book, the readers would stop to ponder upon their actions and on their thoughts about such a powerful social message.
The writing is evocative, though the emotional depth felt bit hasty at times, and the essence of the Chinatown is so deep that we lose ourselves easily into the tale and never want to come out of it. The prose is articulate thus giving a fast pace to this book. In one word, Lee has created a compelling and thought-provoking tale that give us glimpse into the social and global issues like Earthquake or racism. The narrative is extremely alluring and free flowing as the readers will easy to comprehend with the tale.
The characters are marvelously portrayed, especially a diverse character like Mercy, highlighting both her flaws and strong qualities, that will ultimately make the readers fall for her. Her lies and deceit won't make the readers hate her, instead she is strikingly justified of her actions and makes her look like a hero in the eyes of the readers. Mercy is barely 15 years old, yet her feminist ways make her charming and mature, the way she breaks the norms of a society where young girls are asked to married off right after their school, in order to become independent even in the early 1900s is remarkable. The Chinese characters are evocatively portrayed with the pain that they live through out their lives in a foreign land like America, where opportunities only meant to become a labor for some white house hold. The author captures that feel of that situation that will make the readers sympathize for the characters. The rest of the supporting characters are also quite well developed. I believe the romance part could have been easily deleted from the story line, as it holds no meaning or does not bring out any passion from those characters' demeanor.
The author also captivates the devastatingly painful loss and grief over losing a loved one on a natural calamity and that makes the main character weak for a while but she gradually learns from the pain to help those who have survived. Her leadership qualities that make her extraordinary even in the times like an earthquake has hit the city did not deter her once from her position.
In a nutshell, this is another ground breaking novel by the author which will open many eyes as well as hearts towards cultural diversity, curbing racism and becoming independent and strong female.
Verdict: Thoroughly interesting, heart breaking yet extremely engrossing YA novel.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author's publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
June 26, 2016
“How easily life can end on a misunderstanding. How fragile we all are.”
I think this would be a really great starter for someone going into historical fiction for the first time. As far as the genre goes, this was a solid book - but as I've read many historical fiction novels, I found that I was looking for something more.
I really liked the empowering themes. Sexism and racism were addressed through the main character, Mercy, who is female and Chinese, so naturally she should be thinking about getting married and cooking, right? The thing is, Mercy has ambitions that far exceed people's expectations.
Mercy was stubborn and independent. She used her wit (and some clever bargaining) to get herself admitted into St. Clare's boarding school, where no Chinese girls have attended before. Luckily, some of her fellow students are welcoming and don't judge her for the color of her skin.
The details of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake were well written - the author painted the sad effects of it very well. She showed the tragedy of family members dying, houses and shops collapsing, and people going hungry because they were stranded in the streets.
“Our capacity to love is as high as the sky. The earthquake took much from us. But there is much we can take from it as well.”
The big problem I had with this book was the pacing - it was on the slower side. There were chapters where nothing seemed to be happening besides some dialogue and Mercy scavenging for food. The author managed to drag everything out when I think things could have been shortened.
My favorite part of this book was the strong narrator. Mercy added a good dose of fiery heart and humor. I especially liked the scene where she had to put leeches on her headmistress's back, which was a perfect mix of gross-out and hilarity.
While I prefer Stacey Lee's Under a Painted Sky, I'm glad I read this.
February 13, 2017
Excellent writing, developed characters and a story about overcoming anything you can put your mind to. Enjoyed it immensely! I learned a lot about Chinese culture, like how the number four is a word that sounds similar to death which is why it's an unlucky number. Mercy Wong, you are a star. I love how Stacey Lee weaved in historical points and created a story from a point in American History that shows inclusiveness in dire situations. And how a young girl who is so determined to create a better life for her own family by hatching this plan to further her education in a time where racism grew rampant.
Can't wait to read her other books!
Can't wait to read her other books!
June 20, 2016
(Review originally posted on my blog The Perpetual Page-Turner which you should check out if you enjoy book talk and general bookworm shenanigans, music, tv, movies and more!)
4.5 stars
I loooove historical fiction and, while I loved her debut Under a Painted Sky, this one blew me out of the water and stirred me up emotionally — and by that I mean there were lots of tissues next to me upon finishing. I loved the setting of 1906 San Fransisco at the turn of the century during this historic earthquake. I LOVED Mercy and how determined, strong and resilient she was and loved watching her go after what she wants — regardless of the roadblocks set up because she’s Chinese AND a woman. Her resilience in the face of tragedy was inspiring. I thought Stacey Lee tackled racism/prejudice in such a nuanced way in this book and I loved seeing it contrasted in the before and in the after — especially to see these glimmer of hopes that barriers could come down when everyone is mourning this tragedy together as a city. I thought the way she wove it through the novel was so perfect. The secondary characters were incredible, truly.
If you like historical fiction, this is a must read for 2016.
4.5 stars
I loooove historical fiction and, while I loved her debut Under a Painted Sky, this one blew me out of the water and stirred me up emotionally — and by that I mean there were lots of tissues next to me upon finishing. I loved the setting of 1906 San Fransisco at the turn of the century during this historic earthquake. I LOVED Mercy and how determined, strong and resilient she was and loved watching her go after what she wants — regardless of the roadblocks set up because she’s Chinese AND a woman. Her resilience in the face of tragedy was inspiring. I thought Stacey Lee tackled racism/prejudice in such a nuanced way in this book and I loved seeing it contrasted in the before and in the after — especially to see these glimmer of hopes that barriers could come down when everyone is mourning this tragedy together as a city. I thought the way she wove it through the novel was so perfect. The secondary characters were incredible, truly.
If you like historical fiction, this is a must read for 2016.
September 21, 2016
I enjoyed this quick read. It didn't pull me in like Under a Painted Sky by this author, but I loved the MC and the story was interesting.
August 9, 2018
3.5/5 • a wonderful and solid read. i feel like i would've liked it more if i didn't audiobook it but *shrug*
July 29, 2019
YA/Historical Fiction
Set in San Francisco in 1906, this story takes place shortly before and just after the devastating historic earthquake.
Chinese American heroine Mercy Wong of Chinatown is fifteen years old, but wise beyond her years. In the first part of the book, we meet her family, and her beloved little brother Jack. Mercy not only DREAMS of providing a better life for her family...she has made PLANS and takes the necessary actions at age 15 in order to begin making her dreams come true.
Mercy’s fierce determination outmatches even the extreme prejudice and discrimination against Asian Americans in that time. She schemes her way into the best school which is attended only by the wealthiest of white girls. Mercy insists upon getting the best education.
Although she faces discrimination at the girls’ school, the smart and sassy heroine stands strong.
When the earthquake occurs, tragedy strikes many of the girls’ families. Mercy’s strength still shines despite the tragedy, as she and her schoolmates work to be of service to the community that has been devastated by the earthquake.
Beautiful writing, lively characters, the interesting time and setting; not to mention this strong, sassy heroine all combine to make one excellent, enjoyable read.
Set in San Francisco in 1906, this story takes place shortly before and just after the devastating historic earthquake.
Chinese American heroine Mercy Wong of Chinatown is fifteen years old, but wise beyond her years. In the first part of the book, we meet her family, and her beloved little brother Jack. Mercy not only DREAMS of providing a better life for her family...she has made PLANS and takes the necessary actions at age 15 in order to begin making her dreams come true.
Mercy’s fierce determination outmatches even the extreme prejudice and discrimination against Asian Americans in that time. She schemes her way into the best school which is attended only by the wealthiest of white girls. Mercy insists upon getting the best education.
Although she faces discrimination at the girls’ school, the smart and sassy heroine stands strong.
When the earthquake occurs, tragedy strikes many of the girls’ families. Mercy’s strength still shines despite the tragedy, as she and her schoolmates work to be of service to the community that has been devastated by the earthquake.
Beautiful writing, lively characters, the interesting time and setting; not to mention this strong, sassy heroine all combine to make one excellent, enjoyable read.
May 9, 2016
Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee was a book that only took me two days to read. It hit me like a ton of bricks that I wasn't expecting. The emotions that this novel touches upon are more real than I thought. It dug up emotions of my own and it all stirred up inside of me - causing me to be in quite a state. But I don't regret reading this book in the slightest because it also touches upon so many important themes that need covering in a novel.
For starters, culture is a word that doesn't even begin to describe this novel. We have Mercy as a main character who is Chinese and living in America. I was so happy to finally stumble across a diverse character. There's a lot of racial issues in this time and a lot of segregation. All the Chinese people live in Chinatown and seem to have no respect from any of the other 'white ghosts' aka the Caucasian people who live there too. They're looked down on and mistreated. I know that this is something that a lot of minorities can relate to.
That aside, Mercy is someone who may be female and a minority, but she isn't going to let that stop her chances of becoming someone who means something in the world. She has ambitions to travel and see the world - and she fully intends to do it. She concocts a plan to get her into a prestigious school and works her socks off to make the winds turn in her favour. I really liked her sensible hot-headedness (it doesn't sound like those two words make sense together, but if anyone can make them make sense, Mercy can!). I liked her determination.
Another thing I really appreciated about this novel is that it had a family that wasn't dysfunctional, and that was present and loving. Especially in the beginning! I loved Mercy's ma who was a fortune teller. She was a wise woman and spoke with quotes that were like nuggets of wisdom. They had me thinking while reading the novel.
Feminism is also quite prominent in this novel although in more of a background way. The girls in the school are all expected to be married off and that's the best chance they are going to get in life. But when Mercy gets there with her ambitions to travel and be independent, it has the girls thinking that maybe they don't have to be married and aspire to only be a wife. I liked the development of this theme a lot.
Then of course, the earthquake happens and things change a bit in the novel. Suddenly, even the high and mighty are on the same level as the Chinese. A sense of togetherness arises in the novel. You see new relationships form and then grief is hanging heavy in the air. Loss. Devastation. I have lost people close to me and these emotions bowled me over and hit me like a fist. Lee did it beautifully though, and I have to commend her for it.
The only thing I wasn't really feeling in this book is the romance. It wasn't that I didn't like it at all, but that it just took a backseat in this novel and therefore it felt like of meh. I think maybe the book would have been better off without it all in all. But I didn't mind it being there. I was kind of indifferent.
This was a character driven book and it was done wonderfully. It definitely moved me.
This review and others can be found at Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
For starters, culture is a word that doesn't even begin to describe this novel. We have Mercy as a main character who is Chinese and living in America. I was so happy to finally stumble across a diverse character. There's a lot of racial issues in this time and a lot of segregation. All the Chinese people live in Chinatown and seem to have no respect from any of the other 'white ghosts' aka the Caucasian people who live there too. They're looked down on and mistreated. I know that this is something that a lot of minorities can relate to.
That aside, Mercy is someone who may be female and a minority, but she isn't going to let that stop her chances of becoming someone who means something in the world. She has ambitions to travel and see the world - and she fully intends to do it. She concocts a plan to get her into a prestigious school and works her socks off to make the winds turn in her favour. I really liked her sensible hot-headedness (it doesn't sound like those two words make sense together, but if anyone can make them make sense, Mercy can!). I liked her determination.
Another thing I really appreciated about this novel is that it had a family that wasn't dysfunctional, and that was present and loving. Especially in the beginning! I loved Mercy's ma who was a fortune teller. She was a wise woman and spoke with quotes that were like nuggets of wisdom. They had me thinking while reading the novel.
Feminism is also quite prominent in this novel although in more of a background way. The girls in the school are all expected to be married off and that's the best chance they are going to get in life. But when Mercy gets there with her ambitions to travel and be independent, it has the girls thinking that maybe they don't have to be married and aspire to only be a wife. I liked the development of this theme a lot.
Then of course, the earthquake happens and things change a bit in the novel. Suddenly, even the high and mighty are on the same level as the Chinese. A sense of togetherness arises in the novel. You see new relationships form and then grief is hanging heavy in the air. Loss. Devastation. I have lost people close to me and these emotions bowled me over and hit me like a fist. Lee did it beautifully though, and I have to commend her for it.
The only thing I wasn't really feeling in this book is the romance. It wasn't that I didn't like it at all, but that it just took a backseat in this novel and therefore it felt like of meh. I think maybe the book would have been better off without it all in all. But I didn't mind it being there. I was kind of indifferent.
This was a character driven book and it was done wonderfully. It definitely moved me.
This review and others can be found at Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
April 27, 2016
I'm not a big historical fiction reader, but when I do venture into the genre, Stacey Lee's exceptional books are always the first ones to come to mind.
Stacey's writing continues to impress me from line to line. Her books are so quotable, and the words slip into your mind like silk and settle there for you to turn over in your head again and again.
"Outrun the Moon" focuses on the mayhem after the catastrophic earthquake that wreaked havoc on San Francisco in 1906.
I love how Stacey seamlessly blends facts with fiction. Mercy Wong is determined to make her mark on the world and be successful in life. She masterfully worms her way into an exclusive private school which she hopes will open doors for her once she graduates. Just as things are starting to take a turn for the better, an earthquake strikes, and she and the girls at her school must stick together to make it through the dangerous time.
Mercy is such a determined and spirited young lady. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and I love her ambitious nature and fiery personality. She knows what she wants, and she goes after it. This is my kind of gal! Seriously though, Mercy, can we please be friends??
Speaking of friends... The friendships in this book are so memorable and inspiring. I *might* have hugged this book a few times I was just THAT happy with all the friendship and good vibes spreading around. So often in books the characters are focused on hardening their hearts and shutting out emotions and friends for fear of being betrayed or hurt, but the vulnerability of friendship, putting yourself out there is the strongest, most brave thing of all! I wish more books focused on friendships. You'll have one love in the end, but you could have multiple friends. People tend to undervalue or underrepresent friendships in books. I WANT MORE FRIENDSHIPS!
In any Stacey Lee book, it's essential to learn some of the fascinating Chinese culture that she weaves into her story. The pacing of the novel was a bit slow in places, but Stacey's powerful writing and the wonderful characters definitely make up for it. Amidst all the tragedy and death in this book, Stacey manages to balance it out with bright ideas. This book really shows the compassionate side of people and the feeling of community and togetherness that comes about during times of destruction.
I loved this book to the moon and back and urge you to read it!
Stacey's writing continues to impress me from line to line. Her books are so quotable, and the words slip into your mind like silk and settle there for you to turn over in your head again and again.
"Outrun the Moon" focuses on the mayhem after the catastrophic earthquake that wreaked havoc on San Francisco in 1906.
I love how Stacey seamlessly blends facts with fiction. Mercy Wong is determined to make her mark on the world and be successful in life. She masterfully worms her way into an exclusive private school which she hopes will open doors for her once she graduates. Just as things are starting to take a turn for the better, an earthquake strikes, and she and the girls at her school must stick together to make it through the dangerous time.
Mercy is such a determined and spirited young lady. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and I love her ambitious nature and fiery personality. She knows what she wants, and she goes after it. This is my kind of gal! Seriously though, Mercy, can we please be friends??
Speaking of friends... The friendships in this book are so memorable and inspiring. I *might* have hugged this book a few times I was just THAT happy with all the friendship and good vibes spreading around. So often in books the characters are focused on hardening their hearts and shutting out emotions and friends for fear of being betrayed or hurt, but the vulnerability of friendship, putting yourself out there is the strongest, most brave thing of all! I wish more books focused on friendships. You'll have one love in the end, but you could have multiple friends. People tend to undervalue or underrepresent friendships in books. I WANT MORE FRIENDSHIPS!
In any Stacey Lee book, it's essential to learn some of the fascinating Chinese culture that she weaves into her story. The pacing of the novel was a bit slow in places, but Stacey's powerful writing and the wonderful characters definitely make up for it. Amidst all the tragedy and death in this book, Stacey manages to balance it out with bright ideas. This book really shows the compassionate side of people and the feeling of community and togetherness that comes about during times of destruction.
I loved this book to the moon and back and urge you to read it!
August 30, 2016
"It matters not how many wrong turns you make, but that you keep moving."
I hate that I didn't love this one. Typically, I 'm a huge fan of historical fiction. I love the details and learning about a time I didn't live in.
But this one just drug for me. I had a tough time connecting with the main character or any of the side characters - I even struggled to become invested in the time and struggles. I wish I'd loved it more. Maybe it's bad timing....I will definitely read more from this author as I've loved other works by them.
I hate that I didn't love this one. Typically, I 'm a huge fan of historical fiction. I love the details and learning about a time I didn't live in.
But this one just drug for me. I had a tough time connecting with the main character or any of the side characters - I even struggled to become invested in the time and struggles. I wish I'd loved it more. Maybe it's bad timing....I will definitely read more from this author as I've loved other works by them.
June 1, 2016
Review originally posted on Mostly YA Lit:
Review: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
Mercy Wong has a dream. A seventeen year old Chinese girl living in San Francisco’s Chinatown at the turn of the 20th century, she’s desperate to gain more learning and prestige and find a way to save herself and her little brother from spending the rest of their lives working for her father’s laundry business. The key? Gaining entry to St. Clare’s School for Girls, the most prestigious school in San Francisco. But it’s 1906 and an earthquake is looming on the horizon…
I’d like to preface this review by saying that I really enjoyed Stacey Lee’s first novel. Under a Painted Sky, for its tight friendship between an Asian girl and a black slave on the Oregon Trail. That said, I had a few issues with plausibility in her debut. In Outrun the Moon, though, those issues went away completely, leaving me with a story and a heroine that’s full of heart, courage, and wisdom. I loved this book, and the more I think about it, the more I love it.
The book reads in two parts, with former half set before the famous San Francisco earthquake and the back half set during and after. For my part, I found the latter half a better read - obviously, it was more exciting, but I felt like it also crystallized a lot of the ideas that Mercy had at the beginning of the book. You really couldn’t have one without the other, but I admit that the first half of Outrun the Moon was a touch slow - it took me awhile to get into Mercy’s story.
It helped that I bought the audiobook to read along with my ARC, and I should say here that Emily Woo Zeller is an excellent narrator, giving authenticity to Mercy’s Cantonese expressions and her accent, while distinctly narrating the voices of the girls at St. Clare’s. That said, the story really picked up as we got deeper into Mercy’s school adventures, and of course, once the earthquake hits - so much so that I stopped audiobooking and just raced through the end.
I’m not sure what to say here because a) I don’t want to spoil anything; but more problematically b) I don’t know how to describe Stacey Lee’s masterful storytelling. The journey Mercy takes, the amount of courage she has, but also the many failures she deals with...it elevates her and this book to epic. You will feel angry and upset and cheered and optimistic. And I hope you will feel like I did, empowered and idealistic about the future and about how even the little things we do can make or break our lives...and the lives of people around us.
Bonuses:
Diversity and Representation: Yes, Mercy’s Chinese and her ethnicity plays a big part in this novel, but this is NOT a novel where it’s everything. It’s part of who she is, but she’s also having amazing adventures and romances and great friendships in the midst of a historic event...and for me, as a Chinese girl, that’s important. Just to see her as the star of her own story. It’s not everything, but it’s important and I really wish she’d existed when I was a teen.
Boarding School Shenanigans: I have a serious thing for boarding school-like situations - and while this one is harsher because of the prejudice that Mercy has to deal with, it’s still kind of fun?
Girl Friendships: I loved the girls in this book - all of them. From the sweet, the silly, and the nasty, all of the girls were multi-faceted and the friendships and relationships were honest.
Kick-Arse Secondary Characters: Everyone in this book is awesome, from the priest at the school to Mercy’s brother to Mercy’s crush. I don’t even want to say anymore, they’re all just awesome and please read this!
Book Theme Song:
Even though this book probably deserves a song like Fighter by Christina Aguilera as it's theme song, Bad Moon Rising is just...I couldn't stop myself. =p
With heart-pounding action, pitch-perfect description and wisdom about sorrow and fighting for your life, Outrun the Moon is a brilliant historical novel that unrelentingly pushes your emotions. Teachers and librarians, take note: this is one for your schools - between the history, issues of representation, and great metaphors, there are so many angles you could take in discussing this in the classroom. Readers, if you like unique stories about girls who don’t take no for an answer, this is your book.
-----
OUTRUN THE MOON is out in bookstores now. Is it on your to-be-read list? Have you read any other amazing historicals, especially YA ones involving Asian characters? Let me know in the comments!
Review: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
Mercy Wong has a dream. A seventeen year old Chinese girl living in San Francisco’s Chinatown at the turn of the 20th century, she’s desperate to gain more learning and prestige and find a way to save herself and her little brother from spending the rest of their lives working for her father’s laundry business. The key? Gaining entry to St. Clare’s School for Girls, the most prestigious school in San Francisco. But it’s 1906 and an earthquake is looming on the horizon…
I’d like to preface this review by saying that I really enjoyed Stacey Lee’s first novel. Under a Painted Sky, for its tight friendship between an Asian girl and a black slave on the Oregon Trail. That said, I had a few issues with plausibility in her debut. In Outrun the Moon, though, those issues went away completely, leaving me with a story and a heroine that’s full of heart, courage, and wisdom. I loved this book, and the more I think about it, the more I love it.
The book reads in two parts, with former half set before the famous San Francisco earthquake and the back half set during and after. For my part, I found the latter half a better read - obviously, it was more exciting, but I felt like it also crystallized a lot of the ideas that Mercy had at the beginning of the book. You really couldn’t have one without the other, but I admit that the first half of Outrun the Moon was a touch slow - it took me awhile to get into Mercy’s story.
It helped that I bought the audiobook to read along with my ARC, and I should say here that Emily Woo Zeller is an excellent narrator, giving authenticity to Mercy’s Cantonese expressions and her accent, while distinctly narrating the voices of the girls at St. Clare’s. That said, the story really picked up as we got deeper into Mercy’s school adventures, and of course, once the earthquake hits - so much so that I stopped audiobooking and just raced through the end.
I’m not sure what to say here because a) I don’t want to spoil anything; but more problematically b) I don’t know how to describe Stacey Lee’s masterful storytelling. The journey Mercy takes, the amount of courage she has, but also the many failures she deals with...it elevates her and this book to epic. You will feel angry and upset and cheered and optimistic. And I hope you will feel like I did, empowered and idealistic about the future and about how even the little things we do can make or break our lives...and the lives of people around us.
Bonuses:
Diversity and Representation: Yes, Mercy’s Chinese and her ethnicity plays a big part in this novel, but this is NOT a novel where it’s everything. It’s part of who she is, but she’s also having amazing adventures and romances and great friendships in the midst of a historic event...and for me, as a Chinese girl, that’s important. Just to see her as the star of her own story. It’s not everything, but it’s important and I really wish she’d existed when I was a teen.Boarding School Shenanigans: I have a serious thing for boarding school-like situations - and while this one is harsher because of the prejudice that Mercy has to deal with, it’s still kind of fun?Girl Friendships: I loved the girls in this book - all of them. From the sweet, the silly, and the nasty, all of the girls were multi-faceted and the friendships and relationships were honest.Kick-Arse Secondary Characters: Everyone in this book is awesome, from the priest at the school to Mercy’s brother to Mercy’s crush. I don’t even want to say anymore, they’re all just awesome and please read this!Book Theme Song:
Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Even though this book probably deserves a song like Fighter by Christina Aguilera as it's theme song, Bad Moon Rising is just...I couldn't stop myself. =p
I see a bad moon rising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin'.
I see bad times today.
Don't go around tonight,
Well it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
With heart-pounding action, pitch-perfect description and wisdom about sorrow and fighting for your life, Outrun the Moon is a brilliant historical novel that unrelentingly pushes your emotions. Teachers and librarians, take note: this is one for your schools - between the history, issues of representation, and great metaphors, there are so many angles you could take in discussing this in the classroom. Readers, if you like unique stories about girls who don’t take no for an answer, this is your book.
-----
OUTRUN THE MOON is out in bookstores now. Is it on your to-be-read list? Have you read any other amazing historicals, especially YA ones involving Asian characters? Let me know in the comments!
December 10, 2018
O kadar çok (çok fazla) sevdim ki bitirdiğimden beri kara kara düşünüyorum ben nasıl yorum yapacağım diye eh anlaşılacağı üzere asla yapamayacağım 😢 ne olur diğer kitaplarını da çevirin beni mahrum etmeyin böyle mükemmel bir kalemden 😢
Dipnot:Gidip yorganımın altında nefessiz kalarak bir müddet daha düşünüp ağlayacağım ama mutluluktan yani
Dipnot:Gidip yorganımın altında nefessiz kalarak bir müddet daha düşünüp ağlayacağım ama mutluluktan yani
June 14, 2016
Last year, I fell in love with Stacey Lee's debut book, Under a Painted Sky. Just from reading that one book from her, I knew she would be an author who mastered every book that she tackled. Outrun the Moon proved that for me. It's a harrowing, yet hopeful tale of strength, courage and love in the aftermath of San Fransisco's biggest natural disaster, the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fires.
For me, the best part of Outrun the Moon were the characters. It's an understatement for me to say that I loved Mercy, our protagonist here, because love doesn't even begin to describe my feelings for this girl. She is the shining star of this book and she is the reason why everyone everywhere must read it. From the moment she wrangled her way into an all-white girl's school using her smarts, I had nothing but admiration for her. As a Chinese-born American, she was very much at a disadvantage in that era. But Mercy never abandoned her dreams and goals for a better life. She was a determined, strong and incredibly resilient young woman. She faced obstacle after obstacle in Outrun the Moon, but she never let them get to her. Even when she faced personal loss, she grieved, then moved on with her head held high - you can't help but look up to her and wish you had her strength. I wish there were more girls like Mercy in YA because she is absolutely the sort of character that can teach readers, young and old, to believe in themselves, be kind to others and face whatever hurdle life throws at you by focusing on your ambitions. Isn't that an invaluable lesson?
Credits: [1] - [2] - [3] - [4]
Besides Mercy's character, I adored how much focus there was on friendships, like with Stacey Lee's previous novel. When Mercy enrolls at St. Clare's, some of her fellow students look down on her for the simple fact that she's Chinese. Over the course of the book though, she makes some amazing friendships. What was really great about these girls bonding was how they taught each other acceptance by showing each other their different cultures. Mercy, in a way, forced these girls to become independent, and to seek goals other than marriage in life. The earthquake forces them to become close to one another and I loved that sense of closeness, support and love they gain for each other. My favorite scenes in the book were definitely the big meal Mercy and her friends plan for the people at the park they find refuge in, so as to ease the suffering in a small, but powerful way, bringing together people of different backgrounds. There's also a sweet childhood-friends-turned-more romance here, which remained in the background, between Mercy and a cute boy, Tom, for those of you who like romance.
I'll admit to expecting Outrun the Moon to being perhaps more fast-paced judging from the summary, but it was very much of a slow-moving novel. I'm not complaining though. It is a very character-driven story and a lot of the focus is on the emotional impacts that the earthquake has on Mercy and the city. Reading about the aftermath of the earthquake was honestly tough, because every scene was laced with grief, loss and pain. It was hard watching Mercy and her friends suffer, but I loved that Stacey Lee left readers with hope and smiles throughout the book. As you may have expected, Outrun the Moon was also rich in culture. I loved the glimpses the author gave us into the customs and lifestyle of Chinese Americans in that time. The Chinatown setting, especially, was so vibrant. Stacey Lee's writing was, once again, stunning, and for me, it was even better than the first book. She is beyond talented! Every sentence that she crafts is powerful and poignant. If you're a YA reader and have yet to experience the beauty of her prose, you are honestly missing out.
Outrun the Moon has so much to offer readers with its story about feminism, diversity, friendship and love. Stacey Lee is quite honestly a queen when it comes to historical fiction and she proved that 100% with Outrun the Moon. If there's one book you should pick up in 2016, this one is it.
June 12, 2016
3.5 stars
Tragedy can give the pot a good shake, not only causing the good bits in us to float to the surface, but the nasty bits, too. Maybe it's better to skim off the nasty parts and let them go.I read Stacey Lee's Under a Painted Sky and found it extremely entertaining and well-written, so I was ecstatic when I heard she was writing another book. Fortunately, Outrun the Moon does not disappoint.
It's 1906 in San Francisco, and 15-year-old Mercy's only hope of escaping the poverty of Chinatown is to be admitted to the prestigious St. Clare's School for Girls. Mercy manages to get admitted by disguising herself as a Chinese heiress. But when a deadly earthquake wrecks havoc in San Fransisco, Mercy's life is turned upside down.
Mercy is an extraordinary protagonist and I loved her character. She is ambitious, kind, tenacious and intelligent and it's extremely hard not to root for her.
One of the book's strongest elements is how it highlights the power of friendship. It's rare to see friendship in young adult books - most authors choosing to write about romances over friendships - but Stacey Lee writes about friendship in such an honest and realistic way.
The historical details shine throughout the story. It's obvious Stacey Lee has done quite a lot of research about the Great San Francisco Earthquake and its aftermath as well as what life in Chinatown was like, and all that research adds an authenticity to the story that makes it feel real.
Unfortunately, for one reason or another, the story just didn't quite affect me as much emotionally as I wished it would have. But, even so, this is a historical fiction novel that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
March 29, 2021
Çok severek okuduğum bir kitaptı. 1906 yılında San Francisco da yaşanan depremden sonra insanların yaşadıkları kayıplar ve o an ki çaresizliklerini okumak beni bir nebze üzdü. Çünkü geçen sene hatırlarsanız depremle çok iç içe olduk ve benim en çok korktuğum bir şey 🥺
Yaşanan felaketten sonra Mercy bir yandan ailesini ararken diğer yandan da arkadaşları ile yaralı insanlara yardım ediyor. Okulda yanına yaklaşmayan arkadaşları bile o anda Mercy'in iyi niyeti sayesinde sessiz kalıp ona doğru çekiliyor, çünkü kitapta büyük bir felaketin izleri mevcutken aynı zamanda da insanlar arasındaki sınıf ayrımı ve ırkçılık da var maalesef. Ancak Mercy güzel kalbiyle tüm bunların üstesinden gelip insanların gözündeki sınıf ayrımını yok ediyor.
Güzel ve öğüt verici bir kitap 🌿 Mercy ve arkadaşlarının aralarında gelişen bağı okumak keyifliydi. Yazarın Renkli Göğün Altında kitabını da severek okumuştum, ikisinide öneririm 🌟
Yaşanan felaketten sonra Mercy bir yandan ailesini ararken diğer yandan da arkadaşları ile yaralı insanlara yardım ediyor. Okulda yanına yaklaşmayan arkadaşları bile o anda Mercy'in iyi niyeti sayesinde sessiz kalıp ona doğru çekiliyor, çünkü kitapta büyük bir felaketin izleri mevcutken aynı zamanda da insanlar arasındaki sınıf ayrımı ve ırkçılık da var maalesef. Ancak Mercy güzel kalbiyle tüm bunların üstesinden gelip insanların gözündeki sınıf ayrımını yok ediyor.
Güzel ve öğüt verici bir kitap 🌿 Mercy ve arkadaşlarının aralarında gelişen bağı okumak keyifliydi. Yazarın Renkli Göğün Altında kitabını da severek okumuştum, ikisinide öneririm 🌟
May 31, 2016
Check out this review on One Way Or An Author!
Segregation: it’s a word that we see throughout history books, and yet sometimes don’t realize that it still happens today. Outrun the Moon is about a girl named Mercy, a “bossy” girl with a strong will who changes the course of her life using her intelligence and determination. She battles not only the discrimination of being a girl during this time period of 1906, but also racism, as Chinese people weren’t exactly treated well.
“But how do I explain that to white ghosts, we are animals, which is why they’ve caged us in twelve rickety blocks. We are something to be ogled, lower even than black ghosts.”
I absolutely adored her character and reading through her narrative. She’s resolute in her goals and will do whatever she can to accomplish them; at the same time, her goals ultimately serve to benefit her family and to get them a better life. Mercy is compassionate, selfless, and a character that you can’t help falling in love with. The first half of the book is about her getting into the St. Clare’s School for Girls and the things she has to deal with, once there. Mercy meets a group of girls that are wonderfully written, with their own unique personality. They may straight-up dislike her, or understand her to a point, or sympathize with her. It was really intriguing to see the dynamics between the school girls, and how different people treat others that are not like them. It’s easy to imagine that treating others based on their skin color or eyes can happen in a classroom in 1906, but easier to forget that these things still happen in 2016.
“But what could a mere girl, a Chinese girl no less, do?"
The latter half of the book was the really moving, emotional part (for me at least). An earthquake hits San Francisco, and I’m glad to say the author does not hold back on this part. People die and the struggles that the characters face are written to painfully real that you can’t help but get moved. Mercy and some of the girls from the school end up living at a park while waiting for their parents – or searching for them. This aspect of the book was really heartbreaking, yet also fundamental in creating a shift to the girls’ relationship. Even though it took a disaster to make it happen, they start to look past their prejudices and work together to survive.
“Sweet Angels of Mercy, the world has broken apart.”
Lee writes with an easy-to-read tone that matches with Mercy’s straightforward character. It was also wonderful to read about Chinatown during the time, and the bits and pieces that make it so special. The small details about Chinese culture and the way they were treated by other ethnicities were welcome additions that made the world easy to envision – and a bit eye-opening at times. The earthquake provided for bittersweet moments, but I’m happy to report that the ending will just warm your heart up. I feel like I rode an emotional roller coaster while reading this book. Frustration, empathy, heartbreak, joy, and an absolute, overwhelming feeling of love were just a bit of the emotions that touched me when reading.
“I’m struck by the impermanence of it all. You expect certain things to always be there, like the bakery on the corner, or the boy you grew up with. But when the very ground can eat you alive without warning, what’s to say the ocean won’t dry up? Or the stars won’t suddenly shut off? Nothing is forever.”
Hope: it’s the word that comes to mind while I was reading this book, and afterwards. It leaves readers with a sense of all-encompassing hope for the future. From the realistic portrayals of history to the gritty main character who paves her own way in life, Outrun the Moon is a book that will touch the hearts of all readers.
Segregation: it’s a word that we see throughout history books, and yet sometimes don’t realize that it still happens today. Outrun the Moon is about a girl named Mercy, a “bossy” girl with a strong will who changes the course of her life using her intelligence and determination. She battles not only the discrimination of being a girl during this time period of 1906, but also racism, as Chinese people weren’t exactly treated well.
“But how do I explain that to white ghosts, we are animals, which is why they’ve caged us in twelve rickety blocks. We are something to be ogled, lower even than black ghosts.”
I absolutely adored her character and reading through her narrative. She’s resolute in her goals and will do whatever she can to accomplish them; at the same time, her goals ultimately serve to benefit her family and to get them a better life. Mercy is compassionate, selfless, and a character that you can’t help falling in love with. The first half of the book is about her getting into the St. Clare’s School for Girls and the things she has to deal with, once there. Mercy meets a group of girls that are wonderfully written, with their own unique personality. They may straight-up dislike her, or understand her to a point, or sympathize with her. It was really intriguing to see the dynamics between the school girls, and how different people treat others that are not like them. It’s easy to imagine that treating others based on their skin color or eyes can happen in a classroom in 1906, but easier to forget that these things still happen in 2016.
“But what could a mere girl, a Chinese girl no less, do?"
The latter half of the book was the really moving, emotional part (for me at least). An earthquake hits San Francisco, and I’m glad to say the author does not hold back on this part. People die and the struggles that the characters face are written to painfully real that you can’t help but get moved. Mercy and some of the girls from the school end up living at a park while waiting for their parents – or searching for them. This aspect of the book was really heartbreaking, yet also fundamental in creating a shift to the girls’ relationship. Even though it took a disaster to make it happen, they start to look past their prejudices and work together to survive.
“Sweet Angels of Mercy, the world has broken apart.”
Lee writes with an easy-to-read tone that matches with Mercy’s straightforward character. It was also wonderful to read about Chinatown during the time, and the bits and pieces that make it so special. The small details about Chinese culture and the way they were treated by other ethnicities were welcome additions that made the world easy to envision – and a bit eye-opening at times. The earthquake provided for bittersweet moments, but I’m happy to report that the ending will just warm your heart up. I feel like I rode an emotional roller coaster while reading this book. Frustration, empathy, heartbreak, joy, and an absolute, overwhelming feeling of love were just a bit of the emotions that touched me when reading.
“I’m struck by the impermanence of it all. You expect certain things to always be there, like the bakery on the corner, or the boy you grew up with. But when the very ground can eat you alive without warning, what’s to say the ocean won’t dry up? Or the stars won’t suddenly shut off? Nothing is forever.”
Hope: it’s the word that comes to mind while I was reading this book, and afterwards. It leaves readers with a sense of all-encompassing hope for the future. From the realistic portrayals of history to the gritty main character who paves her own way in life, Outrun the Moon is a book that will touch the hearts of all readers.
July 8, 2016
Outrun the Moon is the type of book that should be assigned as book reports in high school. I have to admit that I usually hate reading books about tragedy, but I also have to admit that this one surpassed my usual expectations. Stacey Lee is a master with words and diversity, and I’m so glad to finally have read a novel written by her!
I’d like to think of Mercy Wong as someone who is called hard-headed in the Chinese community. Where westerners value independence, most Asians value interdependence. It was very nice for me to have read things about Chinese superstitions because while I am Chinese and my parents grew up there, I was born in another place. Although I understand that Mercy’s parents are from Hong Kong, rather than Mainland China.
I didn’t expect this book to touch my heart so much. The emotions I felt after the disaster took place felt raw and very much real. Stacey Lee paints a vivid picture with her words, but she also has the ability to make readers feel the emotions of the character, as if I were the character for a while. I really felt Mercy’s grief and unwavering hope as I read, especially near the end.
Outrun the Moon is an amazing novel about a headstrong, resourceful, practical and compassionate Chinese girl in the time when there were a lot of prejudices about Chinese people. What I admire about Mercy is how she didn’t hate the people because of how they treated her, and in the times of disaster, she didn’t hesitate those in need, even if they were the Whites who once mocked her.
This novel left me in awe and admiration because it was not what I expected. I thought this would be a light read, but no, no, and another no. Even now that it has been a few hours after I read this, I still carry the emotions I had when reading the book with me. Outrun the Moon is a novel that I believe everyone should read not only because of the wonderful writing, but also because of all the great insights that it has to offer. I just know that I will have a book hangover over this!
to-read-so-bad-it-hurts
May 20, 2015'...a spirited Chinese-American girl pretends to be an heiress from China ...'
Hell yeah!
Also, I might have a weakness for royalty and pretend royalty.
Hell yeah!
Also, I might have a weakness for royalty and pretend royalty.
September 16, 2016
3.5-3.75 stars
Mercy Wong has finished her education at the Oriental Public School in San Francisco, the one school she and her fellow Chinese-American youth are allowed to attend. Mercy has big dreams, however, and a plan to lift her family out of poverty. She plans to become an herbal tea merchant and marry her best friend Tom, who is supposed to succeed his father as a Chinese medicine doctor. She especially wants to ensure her frail younger brother doesn't have to take over their Ba's laundry business. Armed with her bible, The Book for Business-Minded Women by a Mrs. Evelyn Lowry, Mercy sets out to launch her grand plan. The first step is to get in to St. Clare's, a respected girls' school on par with the Wilkes school for boys. Mercy knows it will be difficult to convince the board to allow her in because of her race and her family's economic situation, but Mercy has a few tricks up her sleeve. Upon starting at the school, Mercy must pretend to be a Chinese heiress, deal with a mean girl, avoid a caning from Headmistress and practice comportment. St. Clare's is not an academic school but a finishing school. Even though it's not what Mercy expected, she's determined to succeed at any cost. When tragedy strikes on April 18, 1906, Mercy's world is upended. It would be easy to give in to despair like everyone else she knows, but that's not Mercy's way. She uses her very un-ladylike, un-Chinese "bossy cheeks" to find a way to save herself and her friends.
This is a pretty good book for young adults. I liked the multi-culturalism in the novel and learning something about Chinese-American life in the early 20th century. I was hoping for a link to Samantha from Under the Painted Sky, to discover if she made it to San Francisco and had descendants. This is a stand-alone novel though. The plot is interesting and it did really capture my attention at times. I knew about the earthquake and have read other novels about it but by the time the earthquake happens in this story, I was invested in Mercy's story and needed to know what happened. What does happen is a bit surprising and very interesting though not exactly realistic. I wasn't thrilled with the homage to A Little Princess. That was unnecessary and been done too many times as was Melody's struggle with Elodie. My biggest quibble was that Francesca wouldn't use the word pasta but macaroni. I'm not sure if there was a sizable enough Italian population in San Francisco in 1906 to even warrant an Italian restaurant. The food would be foreign and unfamiliar to anyone else. [OK apparently there were 15,000 of them in San Francisco alone... thanks Google]. I also wasn't completely thrilled with the little bit of preachiness at the end. There's a slight religious element to the book: Mercy's Ba is Christian, Ma practices a blend of Eastern religions and St. Clare's is a Catholic school.
I loved Mercy and her "bossy cheeks." Sometimes I thought she was crazy but she is 15 and I remember being very silly at that age. Rules were meant to be tested at that age. Mercy is caring and compassionate when it comes to her family. She's a bit tough to befriend though because she's so brazen, devil-may-care. I liked how much she loved her family and how all she did was for them. She was the best big sister. Her relationship with Tom felt a little forced. I liked how she never gives up and finds a way to accomplish her goals.
My favorite secondary character was Francesca, an Italian girl who loves to feed people. That's kind of the norm for Italians though. Francesca's family's restaraunt. It doesn't make Francesca unique. I quibble a bit at her attending a white, exclusive girls' school. Italian girls were expected to help their mothers and take care of their parents. I am not sure she would be engaged already in her teens. Marcus is a complete donkey's behind and I can't imagine her parents would want her to marry him if they knew what he was like. Headmistress won't let that happen!
Mercy's other school friends are difficult to distinguish. They each have distinct personalities and backgrounds but I kept getting confused as to which was which. An audiobook with a full cast or different voices would help with this confusion, especially since there are a lot of characters in this book. I liked the girls, especially the Texan. Elodie is a typical mean girl with the typical story. She gets more unique and interesting after the earthquake. The same is true for Headmistress.
I wasn't thrilled with Tom. I could have done without the romance. It didn't really add anything to the story. I admire Tom for his ambition and going for his dream, but the way he did it was not great. He's absent for most of the book so the relationship feels tacked on afterwards. He serves to give Mercy a dream and someone else to care about.
The most vibrant minor characters are Mercy's family. I liked them a lot. They're very colorful and interesting. Her mother is a bit too dramatic with her fortune telling business, and doom and gloom predictions. Ba is sometimes hard on Mercy but he loves her and teaches her to be the young woman she is. Mercy's little brother, Jack, is very sweet.
I liked this book with it's tough main character. It's not quite as compelling as Under the Painted Sky but parts are interesting and I was eager to find out what happened to Mercy next. I especially liked the feeling towards the end when
Content warning spoiler :
Mild language. Mercy refers to a specific root as looking like a "man's energy pouch. Also
Mercy Wong has finished her education at the Oriental Public School in San Francisco, the one school she and her fellow Chinese-American youth are allowed to attend. Mercy has big dreams, however, and a plan to lift her family out of poverty. She plans to become an herbal tea merchant and marry her best friend Tom, who is supposed to succeed his father as a Chinese medicine doctor. She especially wants to ensure her frail younger brother doesn't have to take over their Ba's laundry business. Armed with her bible, The Book for Business-Minded Women by a Mrs. Evelyn Lowry, Mercy sets out to launch her grand plan. The first step is to get in to St. Clare's, a respected girls' school on par with the Wilkes school for boys. Mercy knows it will be difficult to convince the board to allow her in because of her race and her family's economic situation, but Mercy has a few tricks up her sleeve. Upon starting at the school, Mercy must pretend to be a Chinese heiress, deal with a mean girl, avoid a caning from Headmistress and practice comportment. St. Clare's is not an academic school but a finishing school. Even though it's not what Mercy expected, she's determined to succeed at any cost. When tragedy strikes on April 18, 1906, Mercy's world is upended. It would be easy to give in to despair like everyone else she knows, but that's not Mercy's way. She uses her very un-ladylike, un-Chinese "bossy cheeks" to find a way to save herself and her friends.
This is a pretty good book for young adults. I liked the multi-culturalism in the novel and learning something about Chinese-American life in the early 20th century. I was hoping for a link to Samantha from Under the Painted Sky, to discover if she made it to San Francisco and had descendants. This is a stand-alone novel though. The plot is interesting and it did really capture my attention at times. I knew about the earthquake and have read other novels about it but by the time the earthquake happens in this story, I was invested in Mercy's story and needed to know what happened. What does happen is a bit surprising and very interesting though not exactly realistic. I wasn't thrilled with the homage to A Little Princess. That was unnecessary and been done too many times as was Melody's struggle with Elodie. My biggest quibble was that Francesca wouldn't use the word pasta but macaroni. I'm not sure if there was a sizable enough Italian population in San Francisco in 1906 to even warrant an Italian restaurant. The food would be foreign and unfamiliar to anyone else. [OK apparently there were 15,000 of them in San Francisco alone... thanks Google]. I also wasn't completely thrilled with the little bit of preachiness at the end. There's a slight religious element to the book: Mercy's Ba is Christian, Ma practices a blend of Eastern religions and St. Clare's is a Catholic school.
I loved Mercy and her "bossy cheeks." Sometimes I thought she was crazy but she is 15 and I remember being very silly at that age. Rules were meant to be tested at that age. Mercy is caring and compassionate when it comes to her family. She's a bit tough to befriend though because she's so brazen, devil-may-care. I liked how much she loved her family and how all she did was for them. She was the best big sister. Her relationship with Tom felt a little forced. I liked how she never gives up and finds a way to accomplish her goals.
My favorite secondary character was Francesca, an Italian girl who loves to feed people. That's kind of the norm for Italians though. Francesca's family's restaraunt. It doesn't make Francesca unique. I quibble a bit at her attending a white, exclusive girls' school. Italian girls were expected to help their mothers and take care of their parents. I am not sure she would be engaged already in her teens. Marcus is a complete donkey's behind and I can't imagine her parents would want her to marry him if they knew what he was like. Headmistress won't let that happen!
Mercy's other school friends are difficult to distinguish. They each have distinct personalities and backgrounds but I kept getting confused as to which was which. An audiobook with a full cast or different voices would help with this confusion, especially since there are a lot of characters in this book. I liked the girls, especially the Texan. Elodie is a typical mean girl with the typical story. She gets more unique and interesting after the earthquake. The same is true for Headmistress.
I wasn't thrilled with Tom. I could have done without the romance. It didn't really add anything to the story. I admire Tom for his ambition and going for his dream, but the way he did it was not great. He's absent for most of the book so the relationship feels tacked on afterwards. He serves to give Mercy a dream and someone else to care about.
The most vibrant minor characters are Mercy's family. I liked them a lot. They're very colorful and interesting. Her mother is a bit too dramatic with her fortune telling business, and doom and gloom predictions. Ba is sometimes hard on Mercy but he loves her and teaches her to be the young woman she is. Mercy's little brother, Jack, is very sweet.
I liked this book with it's tough main character. It's not quite as compelling as Under the Painted Sky but parts are interesting and I was eager to find out what happened to Mercy next. I especially liked the feeling towards the end when
Content warning spoiler :
Mild language. Mercy refers to a specific root as looking like a "man's energy pouch. Also
June 25, 2017
Ugh. I'm not really sure if there are any proper words that can express the absolute let down this book was. The title of the book is "Outrun the Moon," and the cover is beautifully decorated with a shattering lamp, and the sky behind it, up in smoke. I picked up this book thinking this was going to be some adventure, after all Outrun the Moon amirite?
But instead we get the first 170 somthing pages of Mercy learning how to throw a tea party and place her dirty clothes in the laundry hampers inside out. 170 pages??!?!?!
The world building in this is non existent. And I know what you're thinking? Well this isn't a sci-fi or fantasy novel taking place in a distant place in another dimension in the future, it's earth! It's already built! True, but this is 1906, San Francisco and I had to constantly remind myself that it was such, rather than experience it through the writing. When I read a book I like to feel as if I am actually there, not only the place where the story is located, but also the time. The way the characters behaved and spoke, felt closer to present time speak, than early 20th century. I swear I had to keep reminding myself that the book took place between "S"Nob Hill and Chinatown in 1906 of all because the author did such a horrible job of painting the picture. It was just non existent, and oh boy do I love me some prose, especially when it's well written. This books is almost 400 pages, and I didn't feel like it took place anywhere at all.
Then the earthquake hits and...wait...an earthquake happened? Maybe I like my stories way too juicy, I don't know. But as the earthquake was happening, I didn't feel anything at all. It was like, the earthquake is happening, still happening, oh no things are falling and breaking...and that's about it. Tragedy strikes in the form of several characters dying, and literally no one is mourning, no one is distraught about finding crushed bodies of people they spoke to not several hours the night before. Everyone just moves along, like someone sprained an ankle. At times the book is comical, borderline cringe inducing and I have to remind myself I'm reading a YA novel, and not a middle grade novel or below.
The worst part? Nothing ever happens? So an earthquake rips through San Fran and the girls find themselves in a few various situations that have the possibility for the so called action I was desperately seeking when I picked up this book. Welp, nope didn't happen. The author has this "way" of leading you to the edge of your seat, or at least it feels that way. Every time Mercy or any other character is faced with a dilemma, the author somehow manages to make it disappear in the next two sentences, leading me to ask, why bother? Why present a sticky situation if it's just going to rain and wash all away, rather than the main characters having to find a way around it.
In the end, I feel like this book didn't know what it wanted to be. Did it want to be the story of a girl in a world she didn't belong, hence the first half of the book, where a girl from Chinatown gets accepted into the prestigious St. Clare School for Girls? Shoot, that could've been an interesting read on it's own. Or did it want to be a book about a girl who opens up a soup kitchen, hence the latter half of the book where despite the fact that their city is burning to ground, they've lost family and friends, and yet they are still so hippy dippy, easily breaking into stores, preparing big feasts and breaking into a jig. C'mon? In honesty this just feels like a giant slap in the face to all the victims of the 1906 earthquake, because I can assure you it was anything but jigs and giant feasts.
I feel like this book had so much potential, but in the end it was wasted on the author wanting to spread so many messages and do so many things at once, it just becomes this giant heap of confusion.
But instead we get the first 170 somthing pages of Mercy learning how to throw a tea party and place her dirty clothes in the laundry hampers inside out. 170 pages??!?!?!
The world building in this is non existent. And I know what you're thinking? Well this isn't a sci-fi or fantasy novel taking place in a distant place in another dimension in the future, it's earth! It's already built! True, but this is 1906, San Francisco and I had to constantly remind myself that it was such, rather than experience it through the writing. When I read a book I like to feel as if I am actually there, not only the place where the story is located, but also the time. The way the characters behaved and spoke, felt closer to present time speak, than early 20th century. I swear I had to keep reminding myself that the book took place between "S"Nob Hill and Chinatown in 1906 of all because the author did such a horrible job of painting the picture. It was just non existent, and oh boy do I love me some prose, especially when it's well written. This books is almost 400 pages, and I didn't feel like it took place anywhere at all.
Then the earthquake hits and...wait...an earthquake happened? Maybe I like my stories way too juicy, I don't know. But as the earthquake was happening, I didn't feel anything at all. It was like, the earthquake is happening, still happening, oh no things are falling and breaking...and that's about it. Tragedy strikes in the form of several characters dying, and literally no one is mourning, no one is distraught about finding crushed bodies of people they spoke to not several hours the night before. Everyone just moves along, like someone sprained an ankle. At times the book is comical, borderline cringe inducing and I have to remind myself I'm reading a YA novel, and not a middle grade novel or below.
The worst part? Nothing ever happens? So an earthquake rips through San Fran and the girls find themselves in a few various situations that have the possibility for the so called action I was desperately seeking when I picked up this book. Welp, nope didn't happen. The author has this "way" of leading you to the edge of your seat, or at least it feels that way. Every time Mercy or any other character is faced with a dilemma, the author somehow manages to make it disappear in the next two sentences, leading me to ask, why bother? Why present a sticky situation if it's just going to rain and wash all away, rather than the main characters having to find a way around it.
In the end, I feel like this book didn't know what it wanted to be. Did it want to be the story of a girl in a world she didn't belong, hence the first half of the book, where a girl from Chinatown gets accepted into the prestigious St. Clare School for Girls? Shoot, that could've been an interesting read on it's own. Or did it want to be a book about a girl who opens up a soup kitchen, hence the latter half of the book where despite the fact that their city is burning to ground, they've lost family and friends, and yet they are still so hippy dippy, easily breaking into stores, preparing big feasts and breaking into a jig. C'mon? In honesty this just feels like a giant slap in the face to all the victims of the 1906 earthquake, because I can assure you it was anything but jigs and giant feasts.
I feel like this book had so much potential, but in the end it was wasted on the author wanting to spread so many messages and do so many things at once, it just becomes this giant heap of confusion.
May 16, 2016
An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I'll admit, I didn't love this as much as Under a Painted Sky, but it was still a lovely, poignant story. And I unintentionally started reading it on April 18th, the day of the historic earthquake that the story is focused on, which was, well...kind of eerie. (I remember reading about it in school, but the date had little significance to me at that point because it didn't relate to me or anyone I knew.) And I didn't realize what I'd done until I was almost to the halfway mark and the story really got, er, shaking. :P
It took a minute to make a real connection with these characters, but I'll admit it...there were moments when I cried for/with them. I won't soon forget Mercy and her hard-won friends. Or the issues they faced in that time period - and the extent to which they face them: classism, sexism, racism...to name a few. I loved seeing how a tragedy like this could bring the girls of St. Clare's together -- albeit reluctantly, at least at first -- and make them forget all the ways they were different and instead focus on being true St. Clare's girls and "comport themselves with unselfish regard for the welfare of others."
As with Under a Painted Sky, I really appreciated Lee's blend of fiction, Chinese culture, and American history. It's obvious that she researched the material, as well as had some personal association with the matter, but I also loved how she explained in her author's note what changes she made for the sake of the story and how things would have really been for Mercy and friends.
Stacey Lee's words just paint such a vivid picture. Of Chinatown. Of the devastation wrought by the earthquake. And of the grief and loss suffered in the aftermath. Her depiction of this historic tragedy is fraught with high emotions and tempers but also with the kindness and compassion that such an event seems to bring about in mankind.
The first half of this story may have been more boarding school shenanigans than anything else, but the second half of the novel really makes up for any initial slowness in the beginning. I'm impressed with the overall friendships and sense of community this book gave me, and I'm glad that it expanded my knowledge of an event that I knew little about beforehand. And in doing so, it garnered a really emotional response from me. So far, I'm very impressed with Stacey's work, and I can't wait to read her next story.
GIF it to me straight:
Like the moon, you can try to hide from it. You can even see if from a different perspective. But you cannot outrun your destiny.
I'll admit, I didn't love this as much as Under a Painted Sky, but it was still a lovely, poignant story. And I unintentionally started reading it on April 18th, the day of the historic earthquake that the story is focused on, which was, well...kind of eerie. (I remember reading about it in school, but the date had little significance to me at that point because it didn't relate to me or anyone I knew.) And I didn't realize what I'd done until I was almost to the halfway mark and the story really got, er, shaking. :P
It took a minute to make a real connection with these characters, but I'll admit it...there were moments when I cried for/with them. I won't soon forget Mercy and her hard-won friends. Or the issues they faced in that time period - and the extent to which they face them: classism, sexism, racism...to name a few. I loved seeing how a tragedy like this could bring the girls of St. Clare's together -- albeit reluctantly, at least at first -- and make them forget all the ways they were different and instead focus on being true St. Clare's girls and "comport themselves with unselfish regard for the welfare of others."
As with Under a Painted Sky, I really appreciated Lee's blend of fiction, Chinese culture, and American history. It's obvious that she researched the material, as well as had some personal association with the matter, but I also loved how she explained in her author's note what changes she made for the sake of the story and how things would have really been for Mercy and friends.
Stacey Lee's words just paint such a vivid picture. Of Chinatown. Of the devastation wrought by the earthquake. And of the grief and loss suffered in the aftermath. Her depiction of this historic tragedy is fraught with high emotions and tempers but also with the kindness and compassion that such an event seems to bring about in mankind.
The first half of this story may have been more boarding school shenanigans than anything else, but the second half of the novel really makes up for any initial slowness in the beginning. I'm impressed with the overall friendships and sense of community this book gave me, and I'm glad that it expanded my knowledge of an event that I knew little about beforehand. And in doing so, it garnered a really emotional response from me. So far, I'm very impressed with Stacey's work, and I can't wait to read her next story.
GIF it to me straight:
Like the moon, you can try to hide from it. You can even see if from a different perspective. But you cannot outrun your destiny.
June 7, 2016
PHENOMENAL. That is all.
October 27, 2017
I love that this novel overflows with colorful language; I adored the metaphors and witty Chinese adages.
If you read this make sure you read the author's bit in the back; she talks about which aspects of the book are historically accurate and which parts blur the edges around what likely would have happened during the time period. I always knew immigrants faced discrimination in America, especially in the 1900's, but I didn't know it was this bad for Chinese people. Black Americans endured similar treatment, so I resonated with some of Mercy's experiences. Reading about life Mercy's incited kind of a huge revelation for me. I better understand how limiting it was for women and poc's during this time period.
And revelations like these encompass why fiction is so important. Fiction invokes sentiments a textbook cannot incite. Textbooks tell you what happened at a certain time and place. But fiction enables you to slip into the skin of the people who were there at that place during that time; to see what they saw, hear what they heard, smell what they smelled and - most importantly - feel how they felt. Experiencing those things enables us to understand and empathize with people, regardless of weather we have anything in common with them. And since we are what we consume, the environment engendered while we reading impacts how we interact with different people in real life as well. And I think that's pretty freaking cool.
If you read this make sure you read the author's bit in the back; she talks about which aspects of the book are historically accurate and which parts blur the edges around what likely would have happened during the time period. I always knew immigrants faced discrimination in America, especially in the 1900's, but I didn't know it was this bad for Chinese people. Black Americans endured similar treatment, so I resonated with some of Mercy's experiences. Reading about life Mercy's incited kind of a huge revelation for me. I better understand how limiting it was for women and poc's during this time period.
And revelations like these encompass why fiction is so important. Fiction invokes sentiments a textbook cannot incite. Textbooks tell you what happened at a certain time and place. But fiction enables you to slip into the skin of the people who were there at that place during that time; to see what they saw, hear what they heard, smell what they smelled and - most importantly - feel how they felt. Experiencing those things enables us to understand and empathize with people, regardless of weather we have anything in common with them. And since we are what we consume, the environment engendered while we reading impacts how we interact with different people in real life as well. And I think that's pretty freaking cool.
June 3, 2016
Please note that I gave this book 4.5 stars, but due to Goodreads not allowing half stars, I rounded the book up to 5 stars.
I have never read a novel by Stacey Lee before, but I am going to definitely check out her other books when I get some time. "Outrun the Moon" was a great look back at a tragic event in the city of San Francisco's past (1906 Earthquake) told from the first person point of view by 15 year old Mercy Wong.
I can honestly say that I am totally ignorant about all of the former laws and policies previously enacted in the United States passed in order to segregate Chinese and American born Chinese people in our country's past. I am actually a little ashamed of myself for not looking deeper into that especially since everything that Ms. Lee provided context about just caused me to want to read more and more and more.
I visited San Francisco a few years back for a friend's wedding and the city spoke to me like no other place has since. There are just some places that touch you and make you feel like you came home. I recall being fascinated by everything and I did a Big Bus tour around the city that briefly touched upon the Earthquake of 1906. But even with that context, I still had no idea of the devastation that people were forced to deal with for several days after the first quake.
"Outrun the Moon" takes place a few days before the San Francisco earthquake. Mercy Wong is determined to be enrolled at the St. Clare School for Girls in order to further her education. Mercy believes that if she is able to attend this school she will be able to use what she learns there in order to set up her own successful business. Living in San Francisco's Chinatown with her mother, father, and younger brother Jack, Mercy dreams of being able to make enough money for all of them to live in Nob Hill one day. Using "bribery" Mercy is able to get her foot in the door at St. Clare's, but finds that it may be harder than she thinks to be able to get what she really wants.
Mercy was a wonderful character. She is a 15 year old girl who is doing what she can in order to make sure that her family can be better off. Being the oldest and a girl you get to see how hard she is fighting to be taken on her own merits and not to be treated like a Chinese girl who is not as good as the white people she sees living in better off circumstances around her. Mercy's constant parroting of lines from a business book written by a businesswoman definitely made me smile after a while. I used to do that too when I was younger. Read something that stuck with me and would just repeat it back to friends and family. Thank goodness no one smothered me.
There were parts of me that did get a little bit frustrated with Mercy. I think it was because I wanted her to be cautious and be safe a lot of times during the story, but the character at that point was over everything and said screw it, I am going to do what I am going to do, and damn the consequences.
Other characters included in this book are Mercy's mother, father, her younger brother Jack, her longtime childhood friend Tom, and the girls that she meets at St. Clare's. There are a lot more characters introduced to you as soon as the action moves to St. Clare's but the big stand outs for me were Harry, Francesca, and Elodie. I would seriously love to see a sequel showing how did all of these girls turn out one day.
Though we don't get much insight into Mercy's family life besides crumbs left here and there, I felt their presence through the whole book. I will be honest though that the character of Tom did not do a thing for me. I loved Mercy's relationship/friendship with Francesca more. Those two together were fantastic.
The writing was really good. I know some words here and there from other friends so I already knew what "gwai lo" meant. Ms. Lee has Mercy explain things so I don't think any reader would get lost. Mercy's voice is very distinct the whole way through and read like a 15 year old girl.
The flow though was way too slow at the first half of the book, and the beginning of the book felt like it started mid-story to me. It read like the reader should already know what Mercy was up to. Nothing got explained there for a few chapters later for you to get why Mercy was out looking for a certain herb.
The world building was fantastic to me because this book took real life events and sections of a city and breathed life into the book.
The ending came a bit too fast for me. There was kind of a little cheat I would say surrounding some of the characters. I think that Ms. Lee wanted to make sure that whatever reader came along was not totally thrown into a pit of despair.
I have never read a novel by Stacey Lee before, but I am going to definitely check out her other books when I get some time. "Outrun the Moon" was a great look back at a tragic event in the city of San Francisco's past (1906 Earthquake) told from the first person point of view by 15 year old Mercy Wong.
I can honestly say that I am totally ignorant about all of the former laws and policies previously enacted in the United States passed in order to segregate Chinese and American born Chinese people in our country's past. I am actually a little ashamed of myself for not looking deeper into that especially since everything that Ms. Lee provided context about just caused me to want to read more and more and more.
I visited San Francisco a few years back for a friend's wedding and the city spoke to me like no other place has since. There are just some places that touch you and make you feel like you came home. I recall being fascinated by everything and I did a Big Bus tour around the city that briefly touched upon the Earthquake of 1906. But even with that context, I still had no idea of the devastation that people were forced to deal with for several days after the first quake.
"Outrun the Moon" takes place a few days before the San Francisco earthquake. Mercy Wong is determined to be enrolled at the St. Clare School for Girls in order to further her education. Mercy believes that if she is able to attend this school she will be able to use what she learns there in order to set up her own successful business. Living in San Francisco's Chinatown with her mother, father, and younger brother Jack, Mercy dreams of being able to make enough money for all of them to live in Nob Hill one day. Using "bribery" Mercy is able to get her foot in the door at St. Clare's, but finds that it may be harder than she thinks to be able to get what she really wants.
Mercy was a wonderful character. She is a 15 year old girl who is doing what she can in order to make sure that her family can be better off. Being the oldest and a girl you get to see how hard she is fighting to be taken on her own merits and not to be treated like a Chinese girl who is not as good as the white people she sees living in better off circumstances around her. Mercy's constant parroting of lines from a business book written by a businesswoman definitely made me smile after a while. I used to do that too when I was younger. Read something that stuck with me and would just repeat it back to friends and family. Thank goodness no one smothered me.
There were parts of me that did get a little bit frustrated with Mercy. I think it was because I wanted her to be cautious and be safe a lot of times during the story, but the character at that point was over everything and said screw it, I am going to do what I am going to do, and damn the consequences.
Other characters included in this book are Mercy's mother, father, her younger brother Jack, her longtime childhood friend Tom, and the girls that she meets at St. Clare's. There are a lot more characters introduced to you as soon as the action moves to St. Clare's but the big stand outs for me were Harry, Francesca, and Elodie. I would seriously love to see a sequel showing how did all of these girls turn out one day.
Though we don't get much insight into Mercy's family life besides crumbs left here and there, I felt their presence through the whole book. I will be honest though that the character of Tom did not do a thing for me. I loved Mercy's relationship/friendship with Francesca more. Those two together were fantastic.
The writing was really good. I know some words here and there from other friends so I already knew what "gwai lo" meant. Ms. Lee has Mercy explain things so I don't think any reader would get lost. Mercy's voice is very distinct the whole way through and read like a 15 year old girl.
The flow though was way too slow at the first half of the book, and the beginning of the book felt like it started mid-story to me. It read like the reader should already know what Mercy was up to. Nothing got explained there for a few chapters later for you to get why Mercy was out looking for a certain herb.
The world building was fantastic to me because this book took real life events and sections of a city and breathed life into the book.
The ending came a bit too fast for me. There was kind of a little cheat I would say surrounding some of the characters. I think that Ms. Lee wanted to make sure that whatever reader came along was not totally thrown into a pit of despair.
June 17, 2022
stacey lee can literally write anything and i will buy and read it no questions asked. i had issues with the pacing BUT overall i loved this book so much. stacey lee writes amazingly independent and badass heroines who are deeply flawed but still lovable. and her writing really immerses you into the period it’s set. i loved mercy and the rest of the (highly) flawed girls of st. clares along with the rest of the characters.
miss stacey lee crafts amazing romances but I’m kind of happy it took the backseat this time. it was still there and adorable but i adored the found family mercy found.
plus, the character development of some of the more frustrating characters was *chefs kiss*
stacey lee is a phenomenal storyteller and she will forever be in my top ten favorite authors of all time. i just can’t explain how uplifting, inspiring, and gut wrenching all her novels are. they always leave me bittersweet but also hopeful regardless if the ending is happy or sad.
✨4.25 out of 5 stars ✨
miss stacey lee crafts amazing romances but I’m kind of happy it took the backseat this time. it was still there and adorable but i adored the found family mercy found.
plus, the character development of some of the more frustrating characters was *chefs kiss*
stacey lee is a phenomenal storyteller and she will forever be in my top ten favorite authors of all time. i just can’t explain how uplifting, inspiring, and gut wrenching all her novels are. they always leave me bittersweet but also hopeful regardless if the ending is happy or sad.
✨4.25 out of 5 stars ✨
July 24, 2016
She was inspired by a book…
Book Title: Outrun the Moon
Author: Stacey Lee
Narration: Emily Woo Zeller
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Historical Fiction, YA
Source: Audiobook (Library)
☆My Pick for Book Theme Song: Love is on the Way by Saigon Kick --nothing wrong with a little one hit wonder action from the 80's. The band's name might have had something to do with that pick.
Ratings Breakdown>
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
The Feels: 3.8/5
Addictiveness: 3.8/5
Theme: 5/5
Flow: 4/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4.5/5
Originality: 5/5
Book Cover: 5/5 (Beautiful…love it)
Narration: 4/5
Ending: 4/5 Cliffhanger: No
Will I read more from this author? Maybe…if it peaks my interest
My Thoughts
Set in the early 1900's, this is really just a well written story about a girl trying to overcome the restrictions that society has put on her. And the things she learns about people and tragedies along the way. While this hasn't got much romance, just a pinch here and there, actually, it does have a lot of heart. I really enjoyed listening to this and the narration was well done.
Sex Factor: None
Book Title: Outrun the Moon
Author: Stacey Lee
Narration: Emily Woo Zeller
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Historical Fiction, YA
Source: Audiobook (Library)
☆My Pick for Book Theme Song: Love is on the Way by Saigon Kick --nothing wrong with a little one hit wonder action from the 80's. The band's name might have had something to do with that pick.
Ratings Breakdown>
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
The Feels: 3.8/5
Addictiveness: 3.8/5
Theme: 5/5
Flow: 4/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4.5/5
Originality: 5/5
Book Cover: 5/5 (Beautiful…love it)
Narration: 4/5
Ending: 4/5 Cliffhanger: No
Will I read more from this author? Maybe…if it peaks my interest
4.2/5 STARS
My Thoughts
Set in the early 1900's, this is really just a well written story about a girl trying to overcome the restrictions that society has put on her. And the things she learns about people and tragedies along the way. While this hasn't got much romance, just a pinch here and there, actually, it does have a lot of heart. I really enjoyed listening to this and the narration was well done.
Sex Factor: None
January 26, 2016
BOOK REVIEW: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
**Thank you so much Penguin Teen for providing a me review copy of Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee in exchange of an honest review.**
Mercy, desperate enough to go to St. Clare's School for Girls, pretended to be a Chinese heiress so that she can fit in, but like any other typical stories, keeping such kind of secret will be very difficult for her.
The romance isn't your habitual one, it was made with such intelligence and I loved it.
I'm a Marketing Management student, and reading Outrun the Moon contributed lots of ideas for me and also put up new strategies, thank to Mrs. Evelyn Lowry and Mercy!
Historical Fiction for me, before this book, is not even close to appealing, it was plain boring. To be honest, if it wasn't for the reviews that I've read I'll never know that this book is under the genre I'll never want to read something of.
Outrun the Moon was written by a "new-to-me" author, under a "new-to-me" book category, and I can never make the words to describe how much I liked it! Her writing style was really engaging added the fact that Mercy has a really strong voice. What made me admire the book most is how she managed to include knowledge for business minded people as well as the involvement of Chinese customs and traditions.
Lee has written a note-worthy story about love, friendship, grief, acceptance and survival. I'm really looking forward to reading more of her books.
**Thank you so much Penguin Teen for providing a me review copy of Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee in exchange of an honest review.**
Mercy, desperate enough to go to St. Clare's School for Girls, pretended to be a Chinese heiress so that she can fit in, but like any other typical stories, keeping such kind of secret will be very difficult for her.
The romance isn't your habitual one, it was made with such intelligence and I loved it.
I'm a Marketing Management student, and reading Outrun the Moon contributed lots of ideas for me and also put up new strategies, thank to Mrs. Evelyn Lowry and Mercy!
Historical Fiction for me, before this book, is not even close to appealing, it was plain boring. To be honest, if it wasn't for the reviews that I've read I'll never know that this book is under the genre I'll never want to read something of.
Outrun the Moon was written by a "new-to-me" author, under a "new-to-me" book category, and I can never make the words to describe how much I liked it! Her writing style was really engaging added the fact that Mercy has a really strong voice. What made me admire the book most is how she managed to include knowledge for business minded people as well as the involvement of Chinese customs and traditions.
Lee has written a note-worthy story about love, friendship, grief, acceptance and survival. I'm really looking forward to reading more of her books.
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