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Readers will delight in the descriptive language, so much so that they themselves will hear the sea and feel the desiccation of the heat and loneliness of the land.' Library Journal Ten years later, Eliza waits for her father and brother to return after months at sea. Eliza is horrified when her brother arrives on their pearl-diving boat, but without her father on board.
Eliza however refuses to believe that her enigmatic and strong-headed father would have simply been taken by the sea or turned on by his crew and it falls to her to go and seek out the truth of what took place on that boat but it won’t be easy. Eliza is a fearless feminist protagonist, who defies the gender norms of her era. On reading her story, were you reminded of similar protagonists? If you were a casting agent, who would you recommend to play her in a film? A gloriously rich and wonderfully assured debut, Lizzie Pook's Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter tells the story of a daughter, a family, a place and a hidden history; rendered with astonishing clarity, it is a novel that marks Lizzie Pook as a name to watch. In the coming days, we will be publishing our interview with Lizzie and can promise you that her journey to write this novel is as interesting as the book itself. We love talking to authors about the inspiration behind their books, and how they set out to write them–Lizzie’s journey is certainly an enthralling one. Fans of historical fiction often choose this genre because they like to learn about a new subject. What were the most eye-opening or fascinating things you learned from reading Moonlight And The Pearler’s Daughter ?
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The town with its enclave of Europeans rule the natives and multinational communities at the bottom of society. Eliza is her own woman, an outlier unwilling to conform to their expectations. With native intelligence and grit, and her father’s diary to guide her, Eliza inspires a drifter to help her in her quest. Alex is taken by her beautiful spirit. Lizzie Pook’s meticulous research delivers an extraordinarily vivid tale in Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter. Readers will fall in love with the characters in this book, especially the courageous, stubborn Eliza, and will find themselves transported to Bannin Bay in the late 1800s. I could not put this book down. Lizzie Pook is an author to watch!”-- Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Orphan Set in 19th century Australia, Moonlight And The Pearler’s Daughter is a grisly historical fiction and wild adventure that reveals the horrors of the early pearling industry, from the vile exploitation of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to the dangers met every day at sea. But this story is shared through the perspective of Eliza Brightwell, who arrived to Bannin Bay as a child—her father being one of the many British people lured to the remote coastlines by the promise of pearls, riches, and a better life. Eliza Brightwell arrived on the remote shores of Bannin Bay when she was just ten years old. Arriving with her mother, father and brother, Eliza realises that life in Bannin Bay is going to be hugely different from what she was used to in London. As the pearling ships return to Bannin Bay after a long diving season, 20-year-old Eliza Brightwell nervously awaits the arrival of her father's boat.
Set on the northern coast of Western Australia, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter takes place during 1886. It’s in the fictional town of Bannin Bay that 20 year-old Eliza Brightwell awaits the return of her father and brother aboard their pearling lugger, the White Starling, after nine weeks at sea. When the ship finally sails in near dusk, its flag fluttering at half-mast, Eliza is told her beloved father disappeared overboard sometime during the previous night and is presumed dead. Eliza is devastated, and when the local constabulary immediately places blame upon one of her father’s most loyal divers, Eliza sets out to prove the man’s innocence, and learn the truth about her father’s fate. Eliza’s family seems to have a decent life, and her father is a fair trader. But when their boat arrives without him, Eliza has no choice but to find out the truth. Thomas, her brother, doesn’t seem to know much. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to speak yet. Immediately, whispers from the townsfolk point to mutiny or murder, but headstrong Eliza knows her father; she is sure he is still alive. As the Bay swelters under the heat of the approaching wet season, it falls to Eliza to seek out the truth behind her eccentric father's disappearance. The beach in front of Eliza flares white and harsh. Dunes, sharp with swaying saltbush, ripple far into the distance. Below the rail, gulls skirl around a jetty that unfurls like a crocodile’s crooked tail into a long gut of mangroves. Gritty, lyrical, breathtaking. I couldn’t put it down, drawn in by its vividly-drawn characters and wealth of historical detail."— Fiona Valpy , author of The Dressmaker's GiftWestern Australia, 1886. As the pearling ships return to Bannin Bay after a long diving season, twenty-year-old Eliza Brightwell nervously awaits the arrival of her father’s boat. But when his lugger finally limps in, it brings with it a tale of tragedy: Charles Brightwell, master pearler, has gone missing at sea. How far is she willing to go to solve the mystery and save the ones she loves? And what family secrets will come to haunt her along the way? Because the truth may cost more than pearls - and she must decide if she's willing to pay the price....
The writing in this is very good and often darkly poetic. You can feel the heat and see the dirt. The sense of place was well worked as far as I am concerned. Colourful characters can be found here and even fairly minor ones have stayed with me. Without question Eliza is the lead and stand out character though. Over the course of the book I found myself increasingly engrossed in her character. I really enjoyed the glimpses into the dangers of the pearl diving industry in 19th-century Australia. It’s something I knew nothing about and it’s clearly been so well researched.
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With the spirited Eliza at its heart, Pook’s evocative debut novel spins a tale of intrigue and deception with a deft combination of gripping pacing and emotional restraint. Travel writer and journalist Pook’s heightened observational skills are well employed in this lavish tableau showcasing Australia’s vast and exotic natural treasures and fraught history.”— Booklist, starred review Willem.” She rises to be met by his sour grog breath. She ignores it. “Just thought I’d represent the welcoming party. Are you well?” She hopes her feigned pleasantness is halfway convincing. She is quite sure her uncle’s timing is intentional; he can often be found lurking once the schooners have signaled the return of the fleets. He lusts so clearly after shell he himself will no longer haul in, side-eyeing the pearlers wearing smart pith helmets, wetting his lips at the whiteness of their shining shoes.
Beautifully written, unflinching and brimming with adventure' – Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne and Elektra Eliza has no desire to fit in with the society ladies of Bannin Bay so she is ignored almost as if she is not a member of the upper class. She's lonely but she knows she is so very much better off than the people who are abused, neglected, and used up until they are dead. The stench of death is a part of this coastal town, with the butcher of animals, fish, birds, and sometimes the humans that are considered less than human. The law is corrupt, the masters are king, and everyone else is struggling to survive.
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I liked Eliza as a character. She brought an almost modern, feminist approach to her dealings with the people of Bannin Bay. I admired her tenacity and determination to find out what happened to her father. She was so brave and so stubborn and I could empathise with her frustrations as an unconventional woman living at that time. The central story is paper-thin. What makes this work (to an extent) is the setting. Deciding the final rating wasn’t easy! After much debating, I fixed the rating at the midway mark of 3 stars (rounded). This one has great potential, but the heavy prose swallows the plot. We established our #BooksMakeLifeBetter book club to encourage Shedoesthecity followers (and ourselves!) to read more—exploring all sorts of genres and writing styles by authors all over the world. It is our hope that each book also sparks interesting conversations. This book certainly had our heads going in all sorts of directions, as did Love Marriage, May’s title —we loved how each book stimulated our minds in such vastly different ways. I did enjoy this Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter. It provided a fascinating insight into the pearling industry and the setting felt really unique. I enjoyed the resolution to the mystery and I liked how the story in general ended. An interest in the contents of a man’s library does not constitute an interest in men,” Min would scold.
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