An Australian historical fiction work that has a mystery built in. I enjoyed this book and say it would be a good summer beach read. The main character, Eliza, had been brought to Australia for her family to seek their fortunes in pearl harvesting. Reminded me of the gold rush in California in terms of the feel build by the author. Eliza ends up alone early in the story and forced to figure out what has happened to her father. She has to manage hurdles of small-town nosey people, a male dominated attitude and a past event that haunts her. I liked her unconventional female character and attitude in that she acknowledges these hurdles but then pushed past them to get the answers she wants. The mystery twists a couple times all while giving the reader insight into a niche area of history.

I started this about 3 times. I love historical fiction, and this one is based in the late 1800s Australia. It'd definitely an unhappy story, and I guess I wasn't in the right mood for it.

Thanks to NeGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter by Lizzie Pook.
The story is set during the late 1800s in Western Australia, at a seaport centered on the pearling industry. When Eliza's father fails to return on his boat, Eliza braves the nefarious men and dangers to find him. She proves to be stronger than others expect her to be, and uncovers secrets in her search for her father.

Very well researched - recommended

Eliza Brightwell and her family have spent months at sea, trying to get to Western Australia. As the ship pulls up to Bannin Bay a new life is at their fingertips. They are so excited and filled with hope. The ocean is where her father will make his fortune, if he is brave enough. Diving for pearls is a de heroes job and it can take a toll on a person. Then years after they have landed, after one particularly long trip, her fathers ship comes back without him. Eliza has to get to the bottom of this mystery. She begins her search and leaves no stone unturned. She is headstrong and realizes how terrible the world of pearling is. People have no scruples. She comes to find out family secrets, she never wanted to know but that doesn’t deter her. This was a wonderfully written book. I enjoyed the story and the characters. You can tell the author did her research about this topic and location. I don’t think she missed anything. Midnight and The Pearler’s Daughter was a unique novel and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read and review it. Thank you to Netgalley and Lizzie Pook for my copy for an honest review. This was a 4 star read for me. If you love Historical Fiction, this is a book for you. Enjoy!!!

3.5 rounded up to 4 because of the historical aspect
In Western Australia, 1886, Eliza Brightwell waits for her father and brother to return from months at sea collecting pearls. When her father doesn't return, Eliza determines to find him. Her quest uncovers a surprising revelation that might tear her fragile family apart. Is she strong enough to withstand the challenge?
This book flows fairly well. The alternating timeline can be confusing in places, though.
The end was a bit of a letdown. I like the mystery throughout the book but didn't feel that "wow" factor.
Eliza is a strong woman with a mind of her own. I like how she refuses to follow societal norms and instead makes her own way in the world.
The historical references at the end of the book were my favorite part. The author includes her sources and inspirations for the story, which led me to do further research.
I also like the acknowledgements of territorial lands and harm done to natives. I appreciate that feature of this book and the reminder to take care in how I treat others.
This book is entertaining and educational. Definitely worth a read!

3 stars.

Eliza Brickwell is the 20 yo daughter of a pearler in Australia at the turn of the century. When he is at sea, her brother goes with her so she is left alone in town, one which she doesn’t really fit into. When her father’s boat returns without her father, she is left to pick up the pieces and figure how what happened. Along the way you meet different characters of the town, and her headstrong naivety leads her into some very predictable situations. The ending, to me, was lackluster.

Just meh. The story was decently entertaining but left me feeling very meh about the whole thing. The premise of the story was appealing but the actual follow through was a bit unpolished.

Interesting and fascinating story of 1800's Australia and its pearling industry. I found the topic to be intriguing, one targeted to a very specific point of Australian history. Even though it is fiction, I love learning something new.
I found the story to be very dark. It might just be the historical setting, but the corrupt world of the pearlers and the atrocities against the aborigines overshadowed the story. I found Lizzie to be a strong female protagonist, but could not quite connect with her. The mystery and intrigue surrounding her father's disappearance captured my imagination.
I found the plot to be original and with the author's impeccable attention to detail, many fans of historical fiction will find this a satisfying read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

3.5 stars rounded upwards. My thanks go to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the review copy. This book is for sale now.

Eliza has always been close to her father, a man that runs a fleet of pearling vessels. Her mother is gone, so it’s only Eliza, her father, and her brother. Then one day, the fleet comes back, but her father isn’t with it. He’s gone missing! Did he fall overboard? No, not that anybody saw, but if he isn’t on the ships, it seems the logical explanation.

For a variety of reasons, Eliza doesn’t believe it. She is determined to find him herself; yet to do so, she must go places and do things that are absolutely unacceptable for a woman in Western Australia in 1886. Fortunately—and conveniently—a young German man wants to go these same places, and he accompanies her. From there, things proceed in about the way you might expect.

Other reviewers that came before me say that this story is beautifully written, but terribly sad. I steel myself, but though the story is melancholy in places, I don’t find it depressing. However, I am also less impressed than I anticipated.

The good: I love the setting, and the setting plays a large role in this tale. Australian pearl divers! I have never read anything like this before, and I learn some things. I have never thought before about how the pearls that jewelers sell are collected. Though I would imagine that the process has changed over the past 150 years, it is still interesting to me. Along the same lines, I appreciate the amount of detail in the author’s notes.

On the other hand, the character development is underwhelming. Neither Eliza nor Axel is much different at the ending of the story than at the start. Eliza is a bit wiser, and she has learned things about her father and brother that had been kept from her before, but I can’t call hers a dynamic character; Axel is even less so. The same applies to the quality of the writing. It isn’t bad, but after the buildup, I expected it to be better than this. But the worst thing is a plot twist, right within the climax, that is jaw-droppingly improbable. My mother used to warn me that if I roll my eyes up into my head, they may stay there, so I am grateful to have emerged from this novel with my vision intact. Ohhh, brother.

So for a bit I consider that this is a three star read, but the resolution involving Eliza and Axel is very nicely done, and it wins me back enough to round it up to four. I recommend this book to those interested in the setting.

I don't typically read this genre, but am glad I took a chance out of my comfort zone! This was a really good story that kept my interest and kept me curious throughout. I loved the characters!

I too had a hard time getting into this book. In thinking back to the book, it wasn't the writing, or storyline that bothered me...it just didn't grab me

DNF after 6 chapters - I am finding it very difficult to focus on this story. It is very slow and tedious to read.

A historical fiction set in Australia in the late 1800's about the pearling industry and a daughter's search for the truth of her father's disappearance.

Eliza Brightwell is left behind when her father and brother leave on a pearling mission. She is ecstatic when she sees the boat come back into the harbor, but is heartbroken to learn that her father is not on the boat and the crew doesn't know what has become of him.

This is the story of her journey to find what really happened to her father and set the accused aboriginal man accused of throwing him overboard free. Eliza travels to find her brother and try to learn the truth through many different struggles alone.

This is a decent debut, but it is a little thin in some spots and a little wordy in others.

DNF at 12 percent.
This wasn't for me. It's well written, but I don't find the characters or the plot interesting, so it was hard to focus on the story.

I received a reviewer copy of Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter by Lizzie Pook from the publisher Simon & Schuster from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Ten years ago Eliza Brightwell arrived in Western Australia from London with her family to start a new life. We start the novel with the pearl-diving boat captained by her father returns from months at sea-without Eliza's father on it and rumbles of murder appear. Eliza searches for truth uncovering what hides behind the pearling industry and the streets of he small town. What will she risk to find her father?

What I Loved: This book has an interesting topic. A lot of historical fiction seems like its all at the same period. I think that this books setting of British connected Australia is intriguing. I also like that this book does not ignore the indigenous communities and their exploitation by colonists. This is something that often gets ignored and I appreciated that the author went there. Also, I like the little feminist takes.

What I didn’t like so much: I really struggled with this book. It didn't work for me, I don't know if it was because I went on audio. The characters didn't feel memorable to me and I couldn't fully keep track of them, which made me not really care. I also wasn't captivated by the mystery/adventure. It reminded me of Heart of Darkness in a way, where the pay off is okay but the getting there is hard.

Who Should Read It: People who like adventure novels. People who love books about children finding their fathers.

Summary: A woman looks for her missing father amidst the background of late 1800s Australia pearling industry.

This is a lush, beautifully written historical novel taking place on the coast of Western Australia in 1896.

The Brightwells left London a decade earlier to seek their fortune in Australia. The main character is Eliza, a young woman whose successful "pearler" father has disappeared from his ship, stranding her with a disagreeable aunt and uncle, a questionable adult brother, and memories of her dead mother. She's desperate to find her father, and headstrong enough try, despite looming odds and a growing list of secrets.

Switching among 3rd person, flashbacks and journal entries, the book covers a lot of ground: the colonization of Australia; sexist, racist and classist portrayals; a fascinating history of pearling, different from - yet similar to - fishing & whaling stories. Much of the description in town, & a cross country horseback journey, is reminiscent of the old American West. The author was a travel writer, and has a marvelous talent for describing Australia's brutal weather, ocean voyaging, and lonesome small-minded towns with a variety of talented and/or nefarious characters & businesses. Eliza starts out naive, but is a fast study.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, I learned a lot.

A pearl is a source of beauty but underneath it all is a dark underworld of how those pearls are actually found and Eliza is bound and determined to find out what is happening. In Western Australia 1886 a boat returns without Eliza’s father on it. She takes it upon herself to figure out the mystery of his disappearance. This is a story based on Lizzy Pook’s research on the pearl industry and it’s so interesting!
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Thank you #SimonandSchuster and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

This historical fiction was set in Australia, a first for me I think.

I really enjoyed it. Loved the characters and the imagery. The writing was so well done that I could easily imagine this being a real story.

I love the cover as well!

This just was not for me. I can appreciate that it’s well written but the story itself just did not compel me like I anticipated it would.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Set in the late 1880's in Western Australia, Eliza Brightwell arrived with her family in Bannin Bay after fleeing London.

Ten years later, Eliza's father captains a pearl-diving boat. As the boats come in. she realizes the flag on her father's ship is half-mast, indicating a death on-board. As the team departs, Eliza cannot find her father and finds out that her father went missing and could not be found.

Eliza does not believe that her father is dead she feels in her in bones he is still alive. While women are not taken seriously, she strikes out to find him or the truth. Along the way, she is met with pushback and men who treat her poorly. Will she find him? What else will she learn along the way?

Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook. Pub Date: June 14, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟. Atmospheric historical fiction novels are usually a hit for my reading taste, but this book sadly just didn’t do it for me. Set in Australia in 1886, this is the story of one girl’s journey to finding her father who disappeared. I found this book to be slow, depressing and without much substance. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley