Letters from the Corrugated Castle: A Novel of Gold Rush California, 1850-1852

by Joan W. Blos

Dear Cousin Sallie,

I begin with words I never thought to write:

I am not an orphan!

Thirteen-year-old Eldora has always believed that her mother died when she was very little, and for nine years she has lived with people that she calls Aunt and Uncle. The year is 1850, and all three have exchanged their quiet lives in New Bedford, Massachusetts, for new ones in San Francisco, the rapidly growing city that is the heart of the California Gold Rush. Shortly after their arrival, they receive a letter from an unknown woman who believes she is Eldora's mother. She is eager to meet her long-lost daughter, and a visit is arranged. As Eldora deals with her conflicting feelings about this news, she must also adjust to the challenges -- and dangers -- of living in a brash and growing city. She finds herself teaching English to two Mexicano children and beginning to learn Spanish, and an unlikely friendship with a boy named Luke introduces her to the hard, sometimes humorous, and often violent world of the mining camps. Every day seems to bring something different and new to consider. But can Eldora discover where -- and to whom -- she belongs?

Told in letters that ring with the voice of the times, Letters from the Corrugated Castle is an intriguing adventure set in a fascinating time in California's history -- a worthy conclusion to the geographical trilogy begun with A Gathering of Days, winner of the Newbery Medal, and Brothers of the Heart.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, 19th Century

310 pages, Hardcover

First published May 8, 2007

About the author

Joan Winsor Blos was an American writer, teacher and advocate for children's literacy. Her 1979 historical novel A Gathering of Days won the U.S. National Book Award in the category of Children's Books and the Newbery Medal for the year's most distinguished contribution to American children's literature. She lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Dear Cousin Sallie, I begin with words I never thought to write: I am not an orphan!

Premise/plot: Letters From the Corrugated Castle is told entirely through a series of letters. The letters are primarily from Eldora, our heroine, to her cousin Sallie. (Though sometimes she writes someone else.) But the letters are not exclusively from Eldora. The book has sections devoted to both main characters, Eldora, of course, but also a friend of the family named Luke Hall. Luke Hall writes the other letters. If there are additional letters written by different characters--they are few and far between. These two are the main characters. Eldora and Luke live in San Francisco. They start out as mere acquaintances at best--they don't have much in common, or even many people in common, but by the end of the story, their worlds are merging more and more. (Luke Hall even lives with her aunt and uncle for a bit of time while his own father is recovering.)

So the book is set in California during 1850-1852. During the course of the book, California becomes a state.

Eldora's story is definitely more of a coming of age story. She has believed herself to be an orphan all of her remembered life. But she learns that her mother did not die of a fever as they believed. She survived. And she's found her daughter again. Should Eldora leave the couple--her "aunt" and "uncle" that have raised her since she was two or three??? Should she go with her mother to another California town and live at her mother's inn???? Or is San Francisco where she belongs?

Luke's story is also coming of age in many ways. At first, he is ONLY about wanting to find gold and get rich. He wants to grow up really quickly. He doesn't want to fool with going to school and following rules when there's gold to be found. But slowly but surely he learns there is more to life...and education is essential to having a rich life.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I was surprised by the low ratings this one has. The one stars that say I hate historical fiction I can understand because there will always be haters hating. That would be their "review" for any historical novel basically. The two and three stars that find fault with the characterization and storytelling are more confusing. Reading is subjective. I know this to be true.

I did not find the book boring--far from it. I found it an engaging read. Granted, I didn't read it in one day, I read it one section per day perhaps. But I always put it down wanting to read more. And I always picked it up excited to keep reading. I felt that other characters were fleshed out because we got to know them through both Luke and Eldora's writing.

Much has been said in other reviews that the book was lacking because we don't have any responses to the letters; we never once hear from Cousin Sallie, for example. I didn't find this problematic. Not many epistolary novels do. I'm sure there is probably at least one that does because there are almost always exceptions to the rules--but for the most part, this is completely normal to only have ONE side of the correspondence. It makes me wonder how many epistolary novels the other reviewers have read in their lives to find this one flawed because of this "one-sided-ness."

Now I will say that I completely understand why some would find it jarring to switch back and forth between Eldora's story and Luke's story. (Both, of course, told through letters.) That I get. I mean I liked both narrators. I did. And I personally did not have issues with this switching back and forth. But I could see why that might be a legitimate reason for someone to say this book isn't what I wanted.

The book is INTROSPECTIVE and character-driven. I could see how some might think it was lacking action. But again, some people might enjoy it because it is introspective and character-driven.

[Keith Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Joan Blos when she was alive, and still enjoy her books. I do think she's best when writing for children, and this young adult novel didn't quite do it for me. Still, there is much to enjoy in this look back at the California gold rush. Here's a little review I wrote back in the day

https://annarborobserver.com/articles...

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok. I believe it was young adult... The writing was fairly basic. And some.historical context or maps would have been helpful.

[Marge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and sweet

[P.D.R. Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the form of letters, this unusual book is about 13 year old Eldora. Eldora has just moved with her Aunt and Uncle from New Bedford to the gold rush bustle of 1850 San Francisco.

Eldora is an orphan. Her mother, ill with cholera, was refused passage on a ship to San Francisco. The Captain promised to take baby Eldora to her father and her mother sent her. But in San Francisco the Captain could not find Eldora's father. He took her home to New England and gave her to his childless aunt and uncle.

Now a letter arrives. It's from Eldora's mother, she survived and has finally traced her daughter. Eldora has difficult choices to make. Her mother is wealthy, but has great responsibilities. Eldora wants a mother who will mother her. Her mother lives in a remote area, Eldora wants friends and schooling, but Eldora is a girl of the 19thC. No teenage angst and tantrums for her. She has been taught to reason and think and with the help of her friends she makes the best decision for herself.

An excellent read, superb research, a genuine 19thC heroine and a satisfactory conclusion.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a little boring, unfortunately. I really wanted to like it, but i just couldn't. It's great in that it's an epistolary novel, which gets kids thinking about their own writing and puts them very much in the narrators head. It's also interesting in that it gives some wonderful details about the settling of California during the gold rush years, the hard realities of the mining camps and perhaps a not-so-nice facet of our "melting pot" country (dealings between Mexican and Euro settlers and business people). I guess there just wasn't enough action for me and i found the writing to be a little too cleansed for my tastes. I've not read one for this specific era, but in general i think i've liked the Dear America series better.

[Truitti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept of a 13 year old girl in San Francisco during the gold rush. The novel is written through letters primarily from the girls perspective. However, you don't see every letter from her nor the responses from the people she wrote. This is definitely a novel for the young teen girl. I enjoyed some of the issues she faced and also enjoyed how innocent Eldora is. However, it does lack adventure and despite being in the hustle and bustle of San Francisco life, it is mostly set in neighborhoods which confusingly has miners walking around offering to buy baked goods from ladies living in corrugated domiciles. I enjoyed some of the flavor of the times but not all of the story components.

[Bonnie Zhong · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Eldora. Eldora lived in Massachusetts with her aunt and uncle. She has always thought her mom was dead. Then one day, she goes and moves to San Francisco. She gets a letter from an unknown person that she thinks could be her mom.
I just started reading this book but it sounds alright. Well, personally, i dont like books that takes place in history. But this book has that mysterious touch to it that makes it interesting. Also, as i read on, i really wanted to know if that person that was sending her the letter was her mom. or was it someone fake, or someone that was messing with her.

[Bonnie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read to page 180, but it was pretty boring, actually, so I quit.

It's an epistolary novel, but you only get the letters going one way, and not the responses, so it was kind of weird.

Also, the main girl meets this guy, and she doesn't like him at all, but all of a sudden, the book splits so half of it is letters from him, and half is letters from her, and suddenly the two of them are great friends. That was also weird.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this novel, told in a series of letters written between several different characters, I didn't like the ending. I wanted to hear more about the growing relationship, hinted at in the almost-kiss, between Eldora and Luke. Perhaps Blos is planning on writing a sequel that will elaborate on their relationship-- I hope so!

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a historical fiction, which I liked. But the book wasn't my favorite. It took me sometime to read it. It was definitly a simple and easy read, it just didn't draw me in. I wish more had been played up on the little love story. I also felt like they made it difficult to really get to know the main characters.

[Karen Pickard-Four · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction set in California in the 1850s and told through a series of letters. Quick read and really takes the reader just into the beginning of California's Gold Rush era and the racism/hardships of the era.

[Mtogo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love historical fiction but this one just didn't do it for me. The setting is California during the Gold Rush. The book is written as letters by different characters. But it's always one-sided. You never get to read the return letters. It feels like a half-told story.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, easy read and interesting. Not too much of a story, but still fun to pick up and read.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really great book. This book is about 1850 life.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book slow and heavy. Plus, all the characters seemed to have the same voice - serious. Surely there was some joy to be found in Gold Rush California!

[Kelsey]

this is a book i am reading for history

[Barbara L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the idea of a historical novel set during the California gold rush, but the story was slow and, at least to me, pretty boring and the characters failed to engage. Disappointing.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a "Dear America" book but not as interesting or nearly as long. Some closure, some satisfaction, but most of those books end on a happier note, not an abstract. Eh.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok but was kind of boring. Not the best but still ok

[Lynn Cansler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of Little House on the Prairie.