How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang - 4 stars

[Joy D]

How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang - 4 stars - My Review

As the story opens, siblings Lucy, 12, and Sam, 11, have just been orphaned by the death of their father. They seek a place to bury him. It is a story told mostly through the eyes of Lucy, a child of Chinese immigrant laborers. The plot follows their growth and development as they encounter many obstacles and challenges. It is set in the hills of California during the time period 1842 to 1862. The author weaves together a family’s history, Chinese folklore (tigers), racial prejudice, transcontinental railroads, and the California Gold Rush. It is a story of establishing a sense of home, identity, and belonging.

It contains an “anti-western” theme – telling the story of immigrants who received little credit for a massive amount of work. A trans character is integrated into the story and does not feel "tacked on." I am not overly fond of the ending, but very much enjoyed writing style and creativity.