Gold Rush Girl

by Avi

Newbery Medalist Avi brings us mud-caked, tent-filled San Francisco in 1848 with a willful heroine who goes on an unintended -- and perilous -- adventure to save her brother.

Victoria Blaisdell longs for independence and adventure, and she yearns to accompany her father as he sails west in search of real gold! But it is 1848, and Tory isn't even allowed to go to school, much less travel all the way from Rhode Island to California. Determined to take control of her own destiny, Tory stows away on the ship. Though San Francisco is frenzied and full of wild and dangerous men, Tory finds freedom and friendship there. Until one day, when Father is in the gold fields, her younger brother, Jacob, is kidnapped. And so Tory is spurred on a treacherous search for him in Rotten Row, a part of San Francisco Bay crowded with hundreds of abandoned ships. Beloved storyteller Avi is at the top of his form as he ushers us back to an extraordinary time of hope and risk, brought to life by a heroine readers will cheer for. Spot-on details and high suspense make this a vivid, absorbing historical adventure.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Adventure, Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Childrens

306 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2020

About the author

Avi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use." Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Nothing but the Truth, and the Crispin series. His work is popular among readers young and old.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

"(P)eople do not generally grasp the true value of reading: It is not to learn about others. It is to learn about oneself."

–Gold Rush Girl, P. 7

Is it better to live in affluence under someone else's authority, or be destitute but control your own destiny? This is the question for thirteen-year-old Victoria (Tory) Blaisdell in Gold Rush Girl. 1848 Providence, Rhode Island: Tory's family on her mother's side is an important name in society. Her mother's sister, Lavinia, married into great wealth, and leverages her status to control Tory's immediate family. They generally acquiesce to Aunt Lavinia's wishes, and Tory is required to live as an exemplary young lady. The Blaisdells are on firm financial footing until a catastrophe in the global market causes Father to lose his job. A quick bounceback is not expected, but rumors from the new U.S. territory, California, indicate that gold is plentiful there for anyone willing to migrate west. Father decides to embark on a seven-month sea voyage to California, hoping to establish a career in gold mining and then send for his family. He'll be taking Tory's nine-year-old brother Jacob along, but insists that Tory remain in Providence with Mother for now. The separation won't be forever, he promises.

That would be the end of Tory's part in this book, if not for her unwavering desire to be independent from Aunt Lavinia. Tory cooks up a scheme with Jake to stow away on the Stephanie K., the ship that will transport Father and Jacob to California. The Stephanie K. is so overloaded with passengers that no one notices Tory slipping aboard, dressed in boys' clothing. She waits a few days before revealing herself to Father, removing any chance he might alert the captain and have her sent home. The long voyage on the cramped, smelly ship feels interminable, but excitement bubbles up as the Stephanie K. nears San Francisco. The "city of gold" is drastically different than Tory pictured it. Packed with luckless gold hunters, San Francisco is a den of filth, rats scurrying everywhere. Father planned on buying a nice little house until he could afford finer accommodations, but instead they must settle for a drafty tent by the road. It soon becomes clear that Father's golden dreams will require him to leave San Francisco for several months on his own. Before departing, he begs Tory to watch after Jacob and stay out of trouble. What will she and her brother do until Father returns?

"Let it be said: it is fine to be noticed, but it is delightful to be invisible."

—Gold Rush Girl, P. 41

"Is there anything more appalling than believing that the people you think can help—should help—are your enemies?"

—Gold Rush Girl, P. 183

Jacob, who has lived in luxury all his life, assumes Tory will stay home and tend to his needs. She refuses; Tory left Providence to get away from living according to the whims of others. Like the plucky female heroines in her favorite novels, Tory is ready to work for her independence. She accepts a steady job to keep herself and Jacob afloat, using her free time to explore San Francisco and consider what she wants from life. Annoyed, Jacob voices interest in signing on as a cabin boy for one of the many ships that sail out of San Francisco. The bay contains hundreds of abandoned sea vessels, a maritime graveyard known as Rotten Row. Jacob wonders if he'd be happier leaving the city aboard one of these reclaimed ships. Tory doesn't take his musings seriously, more interested in having fun on the town with Thad Colton, a boy her age whose family also came to San Francisco seeking their fortune. Tory's nonchalant attitude changes when Jacob goes missing. The city is teeming with unsavory folks, even some who drug and kidnap young boys, forcing them to become crew members on ships exiting San Francisco. Not knowing when Father will return or how soon Mother may arrive in the city as planned, Tory desperately searches for a sign her brother is alive. She's tortured by guilt over leaving Jacob alone so often, and the only remedy is to find him, though that means confronting some powerful, despicable men. Assisted by Thad and a Negro boy named Sam Nichols who has a lead on Jacob's whereabouts, Tory invests all her energy into solving this life-or-death mystery. Will the Blaisdells be shattered like an errant ship on the rocks of Alcatraces Island, or will Tory finally prove she can handle the responsibilities of independent living?

"When the curtain lifts, is it not delightful to be on center stage?"

—Gold Rush Girl, P. 44

When you're under the thumb of a petty tyrant, it's easy to see freedom as a ready-made solution, your ticket to happiness. Tory squirmed under Aunt Lavinia's domineering insistence that traditional gender and class roles be followed. Tory longs to blaze her own trail, unhindered by her aunt's worldview. Gold Fever has gripped 1848 New England, conjuring visions of vast fortunes that one couldn't spend in a lifetime, and Tory falls victim to it just like her father. Arriving in San Francisco, she sees the truth: easy money is a myth, and earning a living requires hard work. Is this what she wants? Does she desire independence, or merely a romanticized fantasy of the concept, in which she can live however she wants without paying the price? Discovering hard truths is part of growing up, but Tory needn't do so alone: Thad and Sam are her friends, learning the same truths she is. Tory becomes more fluent in the subtle language of friendship with each challenge the three of them overcome. Not every feeling is conveyed in words; silences among companions can be even more expressive. "I was learning one must listen hard since what is truly said might well be mute." Tory's bond with Thad and Sam is critical to figuring out the next phase of her life, whether it be adventure on the high seas or the domestic simplicity that Aunt Lavinia favors. Tory's satisfaction will come from making her own choice, wherever it leads.

"As one grows up, it can take a while to understand that sometimes it is not your mother or father who have the greatest influence on your life."

—Gold Rush Girl, P. 2

The raw elements of this novel—thirteen-year-old female main character, a sea voyage, a story built on themes of independence—suggest a story similar to The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, the pinnacle of Avi's career. However, Gold Rush Girl feels completely different. The first half of the book is slow, offering minimal intrigue. Only after Tory finds a clear mission—retrieve Jacob from those who presumably kidnapped him—does the narrative gain momentum. It builds as Tory, Thad, and Sam wend their way through the decaying hulks of Rotten Row, time growing short if Jacob is to be saved. Because of the inconsistent pace, and an ending that lacks emotion, I only rate Gold Rush Girl two and a half stars, but I could just as easily round up as down. It isn't vintage Avi—after fifty years writing for kids, I'm just impressed he still had so much storytelling verve—but this is a good, sturdy novel. I remain, as ever, a devoted fan of the man who gave us Wolf Rider, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Crispin: The Cross of Lead, and Catch You Later, Traitor.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING: 3 STARS
2020; Candlewick Press

Please note that my eARC was not formatted correctly so I did feel a bit frustrated as I read the book. "TH" were omitted so I had to take a guess on words, which would not be so bad if one of the characters wasn't named Thad, lol.

Tory Blaisdell's maternal aunt has very strong opinions on what men and women should be doing. Young girls do not need schooling and should take care of her family and younger brother. Young boys should get an education. When Tory's father loses his job, her aunt turns her back to them. Her father decides to sail west (San Francisco) for gold. Tory decides to stowaway with her father and brother. The camps are rough places, so Tory tries to dress like a boy. One day while her father is out in the gold fields, her brother goes missing. Tory is on her own to rescue her brother.

This was a cute story. I was hooked in the beginning but then the middle sort of lagged. Finally when it became more interesting, it felt like it just ended. If this becomes a series, I can see why it ended that way. Fingers crossed.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's the thing. I have six--yes, really six--feisty daughters. So I love feisty, spunky heroines, really I do. (I wrote a whole blog post about them, in fact, three daughters ago.) I love surrounding my daughters with stories of young women facing with courage and resilience the obstacles life puts in their path. Sometimes, though, the spunk can be taken too far.

It is possible for a writer to create a heroine so spunky that she crosses over that invisible line into "I just can't buy this" territory. And for the first 2/3 of Avi's newly-released Gold Rush Girl, his main character is just that kind of spunky. Annoyingly, unbelievably spunky. Fourteen-year-old Victoria "Tory" Blaisdell, despite being brought up by a submissive mother and domineering aunt, has no qualms about standing up for herself and taking life by the horns. Tory talks back to her aunt and parents, gets a job without their permission, sneaks out to further her education, and finally stows away on a ship to San Francisco so she can join her father and brother in their quest for fortune during the San Francisco Gold Rush of '49. And somehow, even though her father keeps pushing her back into "care for the house and your brother" duties, she gets away with it all. She never gets punished, or even reprimanded harshly, so she just goes on defying parental orders and good advice and doing whatever she wants. Perhaps there were some girls like this in the mid-nineteenth century, but I just couldn't buy it.

Because the plot and setting were completely fascinating (apparently Gold Rush-era San Francisco was crazy), I kept reading despite finding Tory very hard to relate to in the first half of the book. And while I don't think writing a female character is by any means outside of the scope of a male writer, it bothered me that a male author seemed so bent on making his female character strong and male characters weak. It almost felt manipulative, as though he were trying to buy the hearts of female readers by saying, "We all know girls are much stronger and smarter and wiser than boys," like Peter Pan cajoling Wendy to come to Neverland with him.

But then... the story shifted. A little past the midpoint, Tory's extreme spunkiness gets her in huge trouble. And she knows it. She owns up to the chaos she's caused, the way her feistiness actually risked the lives of others. She's haunted by her faults, realizing that her weaknesses had been masquerading as strength.

While the conclusion of the book brought a resurgence of spunk that I could have done without, I still found that the overall character change justified the less-than-identifiable character at the beginning. And I found myself impressed with Avi's writing skill; it takes a really good writer to keep me reading despite disliking the main character, and an excellent writer to bring about this kind of change in a believable manner.

So if you love reading about feisty girls, reading Gold Rush Girl is an obvious choice. But even if you don't, give it a try for the setting and plot--perhaps you'll find this particular feisty girl is more likable than you'd have thought.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this e-ARC to review!

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tory Blaisdell of Sheldon Street in Providence is the daughter of a wealthy banker and absolutely hates it. Like her favorite heroine, Jane Eyre, she's determined to be independent of her Aunt Lavinia's strict notions of ladylike behavior. She just has one major problem-she isn't allowed out on her own. The streets of Providence are simply unsafe for a young lady. Tory rebels with the help of her little brother Jacob and begins her journey towards independence. When her father loses his job, it's Tory who finds the situation most tolerable as it allows her more freedom. Then her father declares his intentions of heading to the gold fields of California to pick up some of the "abundant" gold. He plans to bring Jacob along on the grand adventure. While Tory's mother thinks Tory should go along to look after young Jacob, Father disagrees and Tory is left behind with Aunt Lavinia -horrors! However, Tory is not to be deterred. Her will is her destiny and her destiny is freedom in San Francisco! Although San Francisco turns out not to be what they expected, she finds her newfound freedom exhilarating but freedom comes at a cost as she soon discovers. While Tory is left alone with Jacob, he is kidnapped by evildoers and Tory feels responsible. She won't rest until she finds her brother and brings him safely back.

Avi returns to the Sheldon Street setting of Something Upstairs, the house where he used to live in Providence.
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*My own personal photo, please don't steal or share, thank you.

There's no connection to the earlier novel and no mention of enslaved people previously living in the house. This story is set in 1848 after Rhode Island had technically abolished slavery and nothing is mentioned of previous inhabitants in the house so we are to assume this is not a companion to the ghost story. It was funny to read about Providence in 1848. As with Something Upstairs, it's used fictitiously with real places mentioned within the story.

Although it was fun to read about Providence, this section went on way too long. The story didn't pick up for me almost almost halfway through as Tory begins to realize Jacob has been kidnapped. It took me days to get through the first half of the novel. It didn't grab me until the search for Jacob really begins and then I had a hard time putting it down. I winced a lot at the Blaisdells' hopes for California knowing that they wouldn't find a gleaming modern city with grand homes and servants like they had in Providence. I knew gold wasn't just there to be plucked out of the water or off the streets so it was hard to watch the characters head off to San Francisco and experience the misery of the shantytown it was in 1848. The story of crimpers/crimping was new to me, however, and I found that aspect of the wild west interesting if not detestable. I knew about the abandoned ships stuck in the harbor but I didn't know that much about them so that was also somewhat interesting.

I wanted to like Tory being a fellow independent-minded, literature-loving girl. I truly understand her feeling like Rhode Island is an anchor ancora and her hope for a better life. However, I found her rather annoying. She's so smug and superior to everyone else. Plus, her obsession with one 19th-century novel I can't stand is rather too much. I wanted to smack Jane and shake Tory and introduce her to some truly feminist writings. Tory seems to have missed Mr. Rochester and the ending of the novel and focuses solely on the middle section as Jane learns to become independent. I was glad Tory learned a lesson and the lesson wasn't TOLD to the reader. She realizes what she did wrong and feels terribly but never hits the reader over and over with it. I appreciate that a LOT! Avi tries to write Tory's voice in a 19th-century manner but I don't think children wrote or spoke like that. I've read a lot of elite women's diaries and some elite young women's and girls diaries and they didn't write like that. However, for Tory it works because she's emulating Jane Eyre, whom she believes to be a real person.

Tory's parents are believable for the time but more or less two-dimensional. They want what's best for their family and believe wealthy Aunt Lavinia knows what's best. They're unable to stand up to her anyway. I believe Tory's father loves his children but he's selfish and lazy. He leaves a pre-teen girl as the head of the family essentially, ignoring his own responsibilities. His plan to get rich quick is silly and impractical and Tory knows this. Avi portrays Aunt Lavinia as a mild villain, someone horrible the reader will love to hate yet she is a Society lady and she knows the rules. She's just trying to keep the family from causing a scandal. It's tough for a modern person to fully comprehend 19th-century etiquette and the fear of losing one's position in the world. Tory is able to reject that because she's young and doesn't really understand the way the world works. Women like me are grateful to women like Tory who did take a stand and change things for the better but that takes courage and money to be that eccentric. Tory has courage but not money or age on her side. Jacob is the complete opposite of his sister. He's very young, only 10 and has been sheltered and spoiled his entire life. Jacob doesn't take to San Francisco the way Tory does and worries a lot. He seems to have bad anxiety but being spoiled and sheltered may have caused that.

In San Francisco, we meet an assorted bunch of new people. Tory's first new friend is Sr. Rosales, a Mexican man who runs a café shack across from the Blaisdells' tent. He's kind and caring, looks out for the children and does what he can to help them without losing his business. He's the only adult "good guy." Typically for a middle grades story set in the 19th-century, the other adults are unhelpful or downright evil. This is very much a child-centered story where the children are the intrepid heroes. Tory's new best friend Thad is a boy of few words. He's not quite as hard working as Tory and likes to gamble but he's a true friend. I like him a lot. Then there's Sam, a Black boy from New York who longs to go home. Sam is a good friend too even though he probably wouldn't call himself Tory's friend. He has a different motivation to find Jacob and it's a good one. Sam's story gently illuminates the plight of free Blacks in antebellum America. It's a tough story to read but not too graphic or scary for the younger end of the target age range.

I enjoyed this story much more than The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle but Something Upstairs will always be my sentimental favorite.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: GOLD RUSH GIRL by Avi, Candlewick, March 2020, 320p., ISBN: 978- 1-5362-0679-1

“San Francisco is 49 square miles surrounded by reality.”
-- Paul Kantner

“Thinking of the one I love
You know what I’m thinking of
San Francisco days, San Francisco nights”
-- Chris Isaak (1993)

“Portsmouth Square, or the plaza, as some called it, was the center of the city. It had a flagpole from which hung the United States flag, with its thirty stars. The old Mexican adobe customs house was on the plaza, as was the alcalde’s office, which served as city hall. The post office was near.
It was also where the Parker House and the El Dorado, the city’s biggest gambling saloons, stood. Every hour of every day they drew wagering and drinking men. The drunken, staggering miners often dropped grains of gold on the big, open, muddy area. Jacob and others (including impoverished men) would go there in search of specks and now and again found some. Since gold might be worth from eight to twenty dollars an ounce, it was worth looking.”

As a wide-eyed middle schooler, I experienced San Francisco’s Summer of Love on the evening news. In high school, I soaked in the Last Days of the Fillmore movie with my friends at our local Long Island theater. Shortly thereafter, I attended my first (of many) Airplane and Dead concerts. Within a decade of high school graduation, I followed my heart to California, initially settling in the rural hills north of the Golden Gate. Nowadays, I have the pleasure of living in the magical city that I once dreamed about. The aforementioned Portsmouth Square is just a short block from Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant, an establishment with which I’ve had a thirty-year love affair.

Did you know that in Gold Rush days, before the shoreline was filled and built up, Montgomery Street was on the waterfront? Did you know that a whole fleet of nineteenth century ships are buried amidst the foundations of downtown San Francisco buildings? There is much fascinating San Francisco history and geography tucked into this glorious romp through California’s Gold Rush days. GOLD RUSH GIRL is the best book for young people about the 1849 Gold Rush since Sid Fleischman’s BY THE GREAT HORN SPOON, a book I first read back in fourth grade.

“How fine it all was. I felt as if I were no longer the person I had been in Providence. I had achieved all the independence I could ever want. My spirits were so elevated, I raised my arms high and called out, ‘I love San Francisco!’”

GOLD RUSH GIRL is the story of fourteen-year-old Victoria Blaisdell. Tory is a well-read girl with gumption whose inspiration derives in large measure from her love of Jane Eyre. She’s not willing to be stuck at home in Providence, Rhode Island, while her father and little brother Jacob head out to the Gold Rush. Instead, Tory stows away on their ship and successfully ends up in San Francisco, earning money through odd jobs, and keeping watch over Jacob while their father heads off into the foothills in search of gold. Through her first-person account, we are immersed in the glorious, chaotic, and oft-dangerous daily scene.

The danger increases immeasurably when Jacob suddenly disappears. Tory has good reason to believe that he has been kidnapped and taken aboard a ship. But which one?

Tory joins forces with a pair of resourceful teen boys she’s befriended, one of them a free black with sailing experience. They eventually take possession of a free-for-the-taking thirty-foot ketch that had been abandoned by gold seekers. They head into San Francisco Bay. While I typically don’t pay much attention to dust jackets, Sarah J. Coleman’s eye-catching artwork here is a wonderful representation of the three adolescents, onboard and on their way to find and rescue Jacob.

Avi’s conclusion to the story, while thoroughly fulfilling, begs for a sequel. I, for one, can’t wait!

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Nostalgia Reader]

I feel bad about dnf'ing this book, but I set it down for about a week and haven't had any iota of interest of picking it back up again. If it was still the only thing I was reading, I might have ended up finishing it after a while, but for right now it's just not my jam.

That being said, it's still a great historical fiction book, but I felt like it got too bogged down with the historical rather than the fiction. I never got a good connection and feel for any of the characters and the plot wasn't engaging--it felt like it was just moving along rather than having some dynamic ups and downs. There was a lack of dialogue and action in general as well, so it just felt like I was reading something that was originally a sort of essay on San Francisco in the gold rush era, that then had a story built around it.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, solid, middle grade fiction! The only thing I didn’t really like was the dialogue. It seemed like no one could speak in complete sentences. 🤪

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to read this, not because it wasn't a special adventure story set in the California gold rush days, but because of the challenging days we're experiencing. I'm fine, staying home except for a few trips to the grocery, but feel a little scattered!
However, this story by Avi is quite a wonderful trip back to the San Francisco of Gold Rush days where a young girl, Victoria Blaisdell of Providence, Rhode Island whose father has lost his job and gets the 'fever', opts to take only her younger brother along to California. "Tory" wants independence and hates the expectations of a 14-year-old girl, no school but dancing school, act like a lady, no outings without accompaniment.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for the copy!
Readers will be thrilled to see that Tory won't be stopped. She stows away on the ship, thus beginning the adventure that is not always easy, but her strength does not stop her will to be who she wants to be. You'll be surprised at the terrible conditions of that old San Francisco, most living in tents, mud everywhere, no schools for the younger brother whom Tory is left in charge of as her father takes off to the goldfields. It's a tale hard to imagine, but Avi says there really was a Blaisdell family that lived in Providence and his descriptions of "Rotten Row" where hundreds of ships were abandoned in the bay as men arrived to take off for the fields nearly defy belief. Those wrecks now at the bay's bottom have since served as a landfill for what is now land extended into the bay.
Tory makes one good friend, a boy, and then another, who help her rescue her brother who's been 'crimped', kidnapped to serve on one of the few ships that leave for other destinations. She knows in her other life, she would never have been allowed to have such friends. But Avi creates a wonderfully strong girl who tells her own story, who only wants to survive in her own way. She then rescues her brother in a hair-raising finale. Avi's descriptions make the story come alive all through the book. Here's one example, a brief part of the sight of the bay as Tory and friends watch before they must start a most dangerous task in the rescue: "Bay waters flip-flopped against the ship. The quietude enhanced these meager sounds, and put brittle edges to my nerves, as if they were being plucked."
I'm sure some might say that the tale is a bit far-fetched, but I also remember reading a memoir a long while ago when a young boy at fourteen had to take over the family farm when his father died suddenly. Teens, even young ones, are capable of much more than we realize. It's a tale that will touch young readers who may be having dreams of a life that differs from their family's.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for the advanced copy!

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newbery Medalist Avi brings us mud-caked, tent-filled San Francisco in 1848 with a willful heroine who goes on an unintended — and perilous — adventure to save her brother.

Victoria Blaisdell longs for independence and adventure, and she yearns to accompany her father as he sails west in search of real gold! But it is 1848, and Tory isn’t even allowed to go to school, much less travel all the way from Rhode Island to California. Determined to take control of her own destiny, Tory stows away on the ship. Though San Francisco is frenzied and full of wild and dangerous men, Tory finds freedom and friendship there. Until one day, when Father is in the gold fields, her younger brother, Jacob, is kidnapped. And so Tory is spurred on a treacherous search for him in Rotten Row, a part of San Francisco Bay crowded with hundreds of abandoned ships. Beloved storyteller Avi is at the top of his form as he ushers us back to an extraordinary time of hope and risk, brought to life by a heroine readers will cheer for. Spot-on details and high suspense make this a vivid, absorbing historical adventure.

Out March 2020

320 Pages

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

At first the main character’s personality got on my nerves with her defiance and disrespect toward her parents. She is a child and acts like there should be no boundaries in place to protect her especially during a time when dangers were everywhere for a young girl. I struggled with this for some time as a parent who has raised girls, and wondered at the message the character’s behavior would give readers of her age. Especially since she seemed allowed to get away with this without consequences.

We have to remember the era. During this time, there was no “spare the rod, spoil the child” following as it today. If we were to credit the writer with a true historical fiction, then this child would not be getting away with her behaviors unpunished. It is obvious for readership eyes (10-14 years), that some of the historical fiction aspects had been altered. Unfortunately, this created a very unbelievable character. With that said, I think the writer was trying to prepare the readers for what the main character would face further on in the story, by making her this way at the beginning. This is a risk that may turn readers off.

The historical facts shown about San Francisco during the Gold Rush was fascinating especially the author’s use of details of the saloons and back-alley life. Details used for the ships of the time were also well-done. The idea of a cheeky, naïve teen on the dark streets of a rowdy and dangerous time was cleverly written without a parental cringe aspect.

If you can get past the beginning (the most important part of the book), pretend that it’s normal for a teen girl of this era to run back alleys and stowaway on sailing vessels while pretending to be a boy… then this may be quite the book for you. If you’re a parent of girls, read something else.

Brilliantly done, challenging as a parent to read, but obviously something that should be read and enjoyed by middle-graders, not chapter bookers.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventurous Victoria Blaisdell sees her chance for a new life when her father decides to sail to California in search of gold. Disguised as a boy, Tori boards the boat and hides until they are well on their way. Upon arriving in California, she realizes that she may have left Rhode Island, but her father's idea of who she is still remains. As he leaves for the gold fields, Tori is left to mind her brother and keep house, once again. Determined to have her own adventure, Victoria finds a job and quickly makes herself at home in San Francisco. But one night her younger brother doesn't return. Rumors of kidnappers quickly follow. Tori and her friends are left with no choice, but to find him on their own. Will Victoria rise to the occasion as a heroine?

Set during the Gold Rush of 1894, Gold Rush Girl is filled with details and adventure that quickly draw the reader in. There is so much to like about this book. Tori is a strong female character. She embraces the unknown and refuses to be underestimated. She's a good friend and empathetic toward others. Further more, she becomes aware of her own shortcomings. Not in a way that belittles her strong character, but rather supplies depth to who she is and shows the even with shortcomings, the reader doesn't need to back down. But rather grow. All this wrapped into one and set during one of the most exciting times in history? Yep, Gold Rush Girl definitely deserves a read... and a second... and a third.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Geordie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria 'Tory' Blaisdell is a girl in her early teens, growing up in Rhode Island in the 1840s. When her father loses his job, the entire family must pull up stakes and move to San Francisco, pursuing gold-fever dreams of easy wealth. In San Francisco (lavishly described as a stinking mud-hole) she discovers the freedom and self-control she had always longed for, but also responsibilities that will force her to risk everything.

This was a fun book, a lot of great characters and pretty good story-telling. Tory is progressive and ahead of her time, but not absurdly so; you can see how she is a product of her time, but also a compassionate person who cares about others. Her partnership with two boys her age works well, and patterns good behavior for young readers; she relies on them when she needs to, and she pulls her weight when she needs to.

The first half of the book is, unfortunately, pretty slow. The set up of who she and her family are, and their move to San Francisco, are both necessary, but they drag. I wish the first half had been edited more ruthlessly, because it's the last half where the action and the characters shine. I'm also weirded out by the Mexican character who talks like Dora the Explorer. When he says things like; "It is muy peligroso - very dangerous - for you, the men there are like lobos - like wolves" I cringe. I don't think the author is intending to be condescending to readers or minorities, it's just, people don't talk that way, and it's hard to listen to.

That aside, a darn good book. Really good for kids, me and my wife got caught up in the story too.

[Stephanie P (Because My Mother Read) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher to review.

It had a similar feel to The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle with a strong girl defying expectations of her time period.

I found the setting of the historical time period intriguing, but I didn't feel like the story was fleshed out quite enough. The language felt a little stilted to me and I would have liked some more complexity in the characterization.

I think kids looking for a historical adventure with a strong girl in the center would enjoy this one though!

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyed this children's book by Avi. I think children who enjoy adventure and historical fiction would also enjoy this tale about a plucky young teen trying to take charge of her destiny while having to watch over her younger brother while her father is off in the gold fields. Also learned a bit about San Francisco during the gold rush, and was shocked that entire ships would be abandoned . . . but you ought to read about it yourself.

[Heidi Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t believe there is a book written by Avi that I’ve read and haven’t loved! Tory is a brave, bold young heroine who will stop at nothing to save her brother Jacob. In the wilds of early San Francisco, she makes friends with Thad and Sam, and together the three rescue Jacob, kidnapped by the crimpers. It’s a crazy story, filled with factual history, and would make a wonderful classroom read aloud.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child, 60 years ago, my mother signed me up for the Landmark book of the month program. That was where I learned to love historical fiction - which was much more fiction in those books than history.
Today Avi has taught me so much more true history wrapped in fiction. Gold Rush Girl was a compelling "strong girl" story as well as the history of the beginnings of San Francisco, one of my favorite cities. I thought I knew a lot about that city, but had no idea about all the ships buried in the landfill on the harbor.
An outstanding book for which the must be a sequel.

[Shella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Netgalley and Candlewick Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a terrific addition to the historical fiction genre. Avi never disappoints as he gives the protagonist, Victoria (Tory), a strong voice and puts the reader right in her shoes. It opens in 1848 in Providence, Rhode Island. Tory and her family are controlled by her domineering aunt. Between Tory's desire for her independence and her father's gold fever- she becomes a stowaway on her father's and brother's ship headed to find California gold. After landing in San Francisco several months later, they find themselves in a city that is shocking. With only being able to afford a tent, Tory and her brother are left on their own while their dad heads to the diggings. San Francisco is not a hospitable place for anyone, especially a 10 year old boy and 14 year old girl. In fact, there are hardly any women in the city. Tory dressed as a young man, scraps enough work and wages together to feed herself and brother. Tragedy happens and Tory desperately seeks to save her brother. The majority of the book depicts daily living and the debauchery of Gold Rush San Francisco. I think readers will be shocked to discover that none of the book takes place in the mines or the people panning for gold. I don't know if there will be a sequel- the story arc of this book comes to a solid ending, with some of the characters embarking on another adventure. I would give the book a 4 star rating. The strength is in the tone, characters, and description of the setting. I think the probability that Tory was not sexually assaulted in this environment is very unrealistic. The roles she took on in this environment were also unrealistic. Despite that, what students will learn about San Francisco during this time period is worth a very high recommendation. Update- I was talking with our school media specialist and we both agree that the publisher should consider for creating better book jackets - more eye catching and appealing to the intended audience.

[Janssen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just not nearly as good as I hoped.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria, or Tory, longs to escape the "proper" life of her Rhode Island town and seek the kind of adventure she loves to read about in novels. When her father and brother make plans to travel to California to search for gold, she sees her chance - and joins them on board as a stowaway.
Tory is an astute and plucky character and it's easy to root for her. The details of San Francisco in 1849 are amazing, with a real "you are there" feel.
The plot drags in places, particularly the first half, and can be repetitive. But if you stick with this one, you're in for a treat! I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the story, hated the overuse of italics.

[Micah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Cross-posted from my review at Young Adulting
Oh, to be a thirteen-year-old saving my brother from child traffickers on a foggy San Francisco day in 1849. Thanks to the novel Gold Rush Girl, I got to imagine living just such a life.

Victoria Blaisdell is thirteen years old and living in the stuffy world of 19th century Rhode Island when her father’s business goes bankrupt. Her family’s life is upended when he decides to pursue the latest get-rich-quick scheme of gold mining in San Francisco, bringing along her ten-year-old brother, Jacob. Victoria, however, desperately wants an adventure and sneaks along. Once in California her father goes to seek his fortune in the gold mines and leaves her as sole caretaker for her brother. She begins to revel in her independence, but when Jacob is kidnapped, she must outsmart the child trafficking ‘crimps’ and search for him among the dozens of abandoned ships in San Francisco Bay’s ‘Rotten Row.’

Avi builds a rich historic world through use of cultural details and setting descriptions. An example might be how Victoria’s hero, Jane Eyre, is used as a role model for Victoria in both action and voice. Jayne Eyre quotes such as “Your will shall define your destiny,” and “I would rather be happy than dignified,” become echoing refrains whenever Victoria deals with conflict. To those who have read his now-classic True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi revisits familiar terrain, touching on explanations of ships and ship jargon without getting too weighty. A light internet search may be necessary for those who are totally new to sailing culture, but for the most part we learn with Victoria as she adventures around the Bay.

But there are some strange moments. Historicity is always a difficult task in writing historical fiction and one can empathize with Avi for the difficult puzzle he gave himself to solve: how to navigate an Anglo middle-class teen girl in 1848 into a swashbuckling adventurer? How to do so without killing or vilifying family and thus creating yet another emotional plot arch to unsnarl? To get Victoria from a dignified young lady to a life of derring-do, he jumps her through a series of somewhat fantastical hoops, starting with a convoluted stow away scheme that includes two days of crossdressing during a seven-month voyage, before her father ditches her in the tent city of San Francisco where she then becomes the equivalent of a single parent. While middle-grade and young adult genres often rely on the incompetence of adults to thrust young protagonists into taking power of their own lives, this seems especially negligent. To top it off, the writing occasionally feels dated, like the characters are part of a 1990’s TV cast with token racial representation but only a vague head nod towards any deeper exploration of identity.

That said, none of those points should deter any young reader looking for some fast-paced gold rush literature. Karen Cushman’s The Ballad of Lucy Whipple and Liza Ketchum’s Newsgirl are also fun reads that explore the same history as Gold Rush Girl.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

14-year-old Victoria Blaisdell imagined herself as a brave heroine and adventurer, but living in Providence Rhode Island in 1849 she had to lead a proper life instead, until her meek father caught "Gold" fever. When he made the decision to sail to San Francisco with Tory's little brother Jacob, she made sure she was on that ship too, even if she had to sneak on. San Francisco provided even more adventure than she required, especially when her father left her there to care for her little brother, in this city full of thugs and dispirited men. Victoria is a survivor and actually began to enjoy this rough dangerous city, until Jacob mysteriously disappeared. Promising her father and mother she'd protect her little brother, Victoria had an impossible task ahead, to locate him in this big dangerous city, AND try to save him. I really appreciated how this nail biting historical tale gives lots of background of the history of San Francisco during this time, with crazed gold seekers, their raucous behavior in saloons, and accounts of the origin of Rotten Row full of forsaken ships, with descriptions of many of the types of ships they observed, even describing the many tasks necessary to sail a boat, including under standing sailor terms for navigating, and the historic Island of Alcatrace with its screeching pelicans. Victoria is a courageous girl you'll root for as she faces the underworld in this celebrated city. Avi's portrayal of Victoria and all the danger she faces, and his description of this gold obsessed city in the mid 1800's is so suspenseful, readers won't be able to close the book. Gold Rush Girl places you directly into the lives of the gold seekers and their families, and the price they paid for their hunger for gold. Gold Rush Girl will appeal to both upper middle school girls and boys, they'll enjoy meeting Victoria's 2 kindred spirits, who also craved spirited adventures. Sam the brave bugle playing musician who is black, and Tory and Thad the boy she meets shortly after she arrived are both white.

[Way Through The Wardrobe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel set during the Californian Gold Rush of 1848-1855 by award-winning author of historical fiction, Avi, this book is a page-turner. We are initially introduced to Victoria Blaisdel (Tory), struggling with the blandness of life for a girl on Rhode Island in the mid 1800s. However, her fate quickly turns when her father loses his job and he resolves, along with countless other men, to head to San Francisco, naively certain that he will find gold and mend their fortunes. Tory, stubborn and determined, refuses to accept his decision to leave her behind with her mother, and instead stows away on the ship carrying them to San Francisco.

On arrival, all is far from what they had hoped, and Tory is left to fend for herself and her brother in a mud-filled, iniquitous shanty town in which she is a lamb and the hundreds of failed miners around her are, as their kindly neighbour says, ‘the wolves’. To make matters worse, criminals in the town are kidnapping youngsters and before long Tory’s brother finds himself in danger. Tory is wrenched from her solitary life of independence and forced to confront the truth that if she doesn’t help him, no-one else will.

Avi writes in the first person, and in a style intended to emulate speech in the 1800s – which some readers will like and others struggle with. But the novel is as eye-opening to the reader as its developments are to Tory herself, and as we see San Francisco from her point of view, we journey along with her in the revelation of what the town was really like at this point in its history. The story encompasses themes of gender inequality as well as racism, and so is a thought-provoking read for middle-grade readers, as well being a compelling account of the power of faithful friendships, and the importance of family.

Overall, as the first of Avi’s books I have read, it’s definitely left me feeling that I could learn a lot by reading more of his many historical novels, and as a gateway for children to immersion through fiction in different points in our past, they are hard to beat!

[Rachel Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued by Gold Rush Girl from both the premise and cover art, and for the first 100 pages or so I was very interested in the story of Tory Blaisdell, a plucky and independent (or aspiring to be independent) teenager who is confined by New England social norms. When her father loses his job and jumps on the California gold rush bandwagon, Tory stows away on the ship and goes with him and her younger brother, Jacob, to have an adventure of her own. San Francisco of 1849 is very different from the refined life she knew in Rhode Island, and it's a difficult adjustment, and I enjoyed the first half of the book or so when it illustrated her hardships for becoming independent, for developing her own life, for moving on past her father and brother's influence on her life.

Then when the main crux of the story happens, when Jacob gets kidnapped by the Crimps, and the entire rest of the book not only revolves around that plot point but it seems Tory's personality and common sense disappear completely, well, it was then that I got really annoyed at the story. Tory continued to act impulsively—which maybe I can attribute to her personality because she does say she wants adventure and a life written in exclamation points—and endanger people's lives with her impulsivity and her not thinking anything through. From about page 112 through page 306, the whole story was about this singular plot point, the suspense and thrill of solving it, and then the quick resolution of it and a slightly edifying and hopeful ending to suggest Tory and her friends did go on to live adventurous lives. But through all of this, I found Tory becoming increasingly annoying, going from being a naive but hopeful and ambitious girl, to a foolish and insensitive one. The only other good character was Tory's friend Sam, but she also jeopardized his career and his very life when she decided to make her stupid choices.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gold Fever has reached Victoria and her family on the East coast. Father and Jacob were to go first and mother and Victoria would follow. But she could not stomach the thought of staying behind with a controlling aunt wanting her to be more "ladylike."

Victoria begins to plot a way to sneak aboard the ship and stay hidden until out to sea. But she soon realizes it would be cruel to leave without telling her mother so tells her all about the plan. Gratefully, her mother sees the wisdom of going along to be a help in caring for her younger brother and a support to her father in keeping house. So begins a host of new experiences in the pursuit of gold.

After a long and gruelling voyage, they arrive at the coast of California but have to wait until weather conditions permit a safe landing. Once on land again, California turns out to be a far cry from the luxury Victoria once took for granted. She soon discovers that she won't be accompanying her father but instead left solely in charge of her brother. No easy task to try to keep him out of trouble and scrounge up work to help pay for food and other necessities while her father is away.

As the days turn into weeks and then months, Victoria and Jacob face challenges they never expected and dangers that threatened their very existence. Avi keeps readers in suspense wondering if they will ever be reunited as a family again.

I highly recommend this exciting story that offers an interesting and realistic picture of the time period and the sacrifices families made to try to better their lives. Victoria and readers alike will learn that some things are more important than gold.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Gold Rush Girl from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Have you ever been struck by lightning? I have. I write not of the sparkling that bolts from the sky, but of gold, the yellow metal buried in the earth and the shatter-wit world of those who seek it. That world turned me topsy-turvy, so that I did things I never dreamed I would or could do.

Premise/plot: Victoria 'Tory' Blaisdell leaves her Rhode Island home with her father and younger brother, Jacob, to go to California to find gold. The book chronicles their many adventures and misadventures. Tory did not want to be left behind with her mother in the care of a bossy aunt. But she didn't quite count on how rough, dangerous, and appalling the situation would be when they arrived. The dad soon leaves to go to the diggings leaving fourteen-year-old, Tory, in charge of Jacob. She has to be his caretaker yet also the one who earns enough money day by day by day to survive. Tory soon learns that she can do just about anything she sets her mind to, but, it is easier to dress as a boy if you want to find work. She makes a few friends--including Sam and Thad--but as the months go by....the family faces the unthinkable.... one day she returns home to discover that Jacob is completely missing. Can she find her brother????

My thoughts: It was a quick read. It was well-paced and packed with adventure, danger, and mystery. I loved Tory's narrative. I loved that she was brave and spunky. She was inspired by Jane Eyre to "take hold" of her own destiny. She was a positive person who tried to hold onto hope despite her circumstances. She wasn't one to let life just happen to her.

[Coleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting middle / junior high level book that takes the reader from Rhode Island to San Francisco 1848 Gold Rush. Of course, when someone wants to get rich, they head for the buried gold, right? That is what Victoria's [known as Tory] father decides to do when he loses his job as an accountant. Tory and her younger brother go with him, while Mom waits for the gold to be produced, and all expecting to live in a fine home with a good school for educating their son in San Francisco. The reader can tell from the beginning this is NOT going to happen.

The book provides a good description of San Francisco in those gold rush days but realistically, the situation was probably much worse than described. The author spins a good tale, but I took exception with his portrayal of Tory in some instances. When she and her brother and/or others are hiding from no-good-niks, and her friends warn her to be absolutely quiet, she might as well have yelled out 'HERE we are!' The first time was an OH NO moment, but after that when she did it again and seemingly just didn't have a brain in her head, I had to ask myself, WHO could be that stupid?

No surprise, but I also did not think the ending was particularly good, but I am known for being tough on endings. And I am not a young reader that might have liked the ending!

I won this book in a Goodreads' giveaway.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen-year-old Tory feels constrained by the rules for young ladies in 1848 when she is confident, capable, and wants the chance to be independent. After her father loses his accounting job and her family must depend on a critical relative, her father decides to take the family from Rhode Island to California to find their fortune in the gold fields. When they get there, San Francisco is not the dream they were promised. However, Tory finds more freedom there than she ever had back east until her brother goes missing- presumed kidnapped to work on a ship departing soon. Tory along with her new friends must race to rescue him or he may be lost forever.

This new historical adventure novel by popular and award-winning author Avi will not disappoint middle school readers looking for a fast-moving adventure story. The setting of 1848 San Francisco is amazing and the lawlessness of the gold rush offers the chance for Tory to be a believable character given an amazing chance to break out of her prescribed box. Like most middle grade fiction, Avi leaves the reader with a satisfying ending but also offers the possibility that the adventures of Tory and her new friends could continue in a sequel.

I would highly recommend this book for purchase for any school or public library. This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.

[Pam Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Your will shall decide your destiny”. When thirteen-year-old Victoria – Tory – Blaisdell reads this sentence in Jane Eyre, she just knows it was meant for her. Being a girl in 1848 is not easy. Her aunt dictates every part of her life. Neither of her parents have the courage to go against her. When her father gets gold fever and decides to go to California, taking her younger brother Jacob with him, Tory stows away. Once in San Francisco, she becomes the breadwinner for herself and Jacob after their father leaves them for the diggings. She makes friends with Senor Rosales who runs a café across the way from them and with fellow teens Thad and Sam, who gets in trouble with his employer for talking to a white girl. The trio joins forces to rescue Jacob when he is “crimped” (kidnapped) and held on one of the ships in Rotten Row, the section of the bay where ships have been abandoned once they reached the city. Tory is focused on finding her brother, but she also worries that she may have to go back to her old life once her father returns and her mother arrives from back East. Once again, Avi brings history to life with vivid descriptions and dangers. Californians especially will discover new things about their state and a time that has been romanticized. Tory’s impulsiveness leads to scary situations but her determination to be her own person never wavers.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Gold Rush Girl, Avi does what he does best which is to give us a plucky independent hero who rises above her situation and summons courage to save the day.
Fourteen year old Tori is bored with life in Providence, Rhode Island and bored with the role society and her overbearing aunt seem to be imposing on her. She longs to be independent and in control of herself. When her father loses his job and sets sail to seek his fortune in the California gold rush, she sees her opportunity to finally be free of her hum drum life. What she finds instead is that independence isn't always what you expect it to be and that there is nothing more important that having good friends.
I thought this was a brilliant bit of storytelling. I loved how Avi was able to stay true to the speech of the time period but still captivate a modern audience with the drama of Tori's adventure. She is an imperfect hero; always making rash in-the-moment decisions that jeopardize her plans, but that only adds to her humanity. The comparisons to Charlotte Doyle are many and I think kids will love Tori just as much as they have loved Charlotte over the years.
I can't wait to add this story to my collection. I recommend this title for grades 4-8.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction for middle grade/late elementary school ages. Victoria stows away when her father and brother sail to the California gold fields. When they get there their father goes alone to the gold fields while Tory and Jacob stay in San Francisco. Tory works while Jacob falls in despair. Jacob is then kidnapped and it is up to Tory to find him before their father comes back from the gold fields and their mother comes from the East..

I enjoyed this story. I liked that it is historical fiction and I learned more about the gold fever that struck the country from a young person's point-of-view, especially since it was a girl's first person account. I would have liked to hit Jacob up along side of head and tell him to quit looking for problems and troubles. Tory formed friendships with boys which would have been frowned upon back East. I loved her independence. I also liked her solution when finally reunited as a family. She is no damsel in distress and works hard to keep her independence.

I hope there will be more stories of Tory and the changes that are happening in the West as well as in the rest of the country. The open endedness of this book leaves that possibility open.