A fevered atmospheric novel about a woman's search for truth. Set in 1896 Bannin Bay, Australia, it's the story about what happens when Eliza Brightwell's father goes missing in the night from his pearling lugger. Her brother Thomas, who was on the vessel, can offer no explanation and his aboriginal employee Billy Bahaari is arrested for murder but then escapes. St. Parker, a cruel policemen, chases Billy, whose thoughts appear periodically. Eliza sets off to find her father, touring through the deep underside of the pearling industry, a business filled with death and corruption. Along the way she meets Axel, a German who helps her, as does her childhood friend Min, now working as a prostitute. This moves back and forth between 1896 and 1886 when the Brightwells arrived in Australia. A tough transition made more difficult by tragedy that isn't revealed until later. Eliza's search seems improbable, given the time and the vastness of the ocean, but she persists. Her father's diary entries offer some explanations and insights (and is fascinating in and of itself) but there's something missing. I learned a great deal from this - won't ever look at mother of pearl the same way among other things- but this is notable for the incredible atmospherics and the suspenseful plot. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An incredible debut.

I'm really trying, but I just cannot connect with this book. Maybe it's not "my time" to read it? The story seems very interesting, its just a little too slow for my tastes.

The author brings to life the story of early English settlers in northwestern Australia engaged in harvesting pearls and mother of pearl which were much in demand in Europe. We’re introduced to Eliza, a true force to be reckoned with, as she arrives in Australia with her parents and ten years later as she searches to find the truth of her fathers disappearance. She is a renegade who disregards the expected behaviors of “white society”, and abhors the treatment of indigenous people.
The author transports the reader to Eliza’s world and describes people and settings so well the reader actually feels and senses what Eliza feels and senses. There is an interesting slate of supporting characters and the descriptions of settings are clear to the reader. The book was well researched and provided an honest historic perspective.
I was intrigued by the premise and could hardly put the book down.

This is closer to 2.5 stars for me. I really struggled with how unrealistic the story was, the over the top excessive descriptions, and how often we needed to read about insects. There are bugs in Australia! I get it! And at some points the detailed descriptions got out of hand. I like an atmospheric novel that sets the stage for the story and at times I marveled with the beautiful language, but this almost felt like the author had written a book that was a little too long to be considered a short story but not long enough to be a full novel so was told to go back and add stuff. The result was a slowly moving book that might have worked if it weren't about a woman trying to solve a mystery and find her missing father. There are parts that I still question and the ending didn't seem to follow the flow of the rest of the book. Does it need editing or is this the first novel and we can expect improvement in future offerings?

*3.5 stars rounded up.

On the coast of Western Australia in the year 1896, Eliza Brightwell awaits the return of the pearl diving boat owned by her family. The vessel is one of the last to come in and she soon learns from her brother that their father has disappeared. Unlike him, she will not accept as fact that he is 'gone' and sets out to learn what happened.

The setting of the story is a harsh landscape with strange and often deadly flora, fauna and sea creatures. Her father's illustrated journals of his observations enrich the story. Over the past ten years since they came to Australia from England, he has designed puzzles for Eliza to solve. And she WILL solve this puzzle and find her father! She is a formidable personality--as bold and determined as any man.

This is an engrossing novel from a talented new author. I will look forward to reading more from her in future. I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This historical book is set in the 1860s in Western Australia. Eliza's father makes his living as a pearler, locating and selling pearls. When his boat returns without him in it, the general consensus in the town is that he has been murdered but Eliza doesn't believe it. She stubbornly sets out to find out what really happened no matter who tries to stop her or what obstacles get in her way. f you are looking for a treatise on pearling, you can certainly find that here. There is definitely a lot of historical information about the subject sprinkled throughout this book. If you are looking for an interesting mystery, this one starts off rather slowly, gets interesting towards the end, and the conclusion is a mixed bag. Part of the conclusion doesn't seem to make sense although there is another part that is shocking and surprising enough to keep things interesting. If you are looking for romance, there is a little bit of that in this book as well but the romantic resolution of the story is not satisfying for any serious romance fan nor is there enough of it in general to satisfy any true romance fan. Accordingly, unless you are looking to learn more about the history and the subject of pearls, this book is just okay.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. This book is set in Australia mentioning London. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page trying to figure out what happened. This well written book will keep your attention. This book will be in stores on June 14, 2022 for $27.99 (USD).

Thank you @simonandschuster and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC of MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER.

I used to read so much historical fiction but after suffering from severe WWII historical fiction fatigue, I haven’t read much of this genre lately. When books set in different parts of the world and different eras come across my radar, I’m always reminded that I do enjoy this genre!

MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER is set the fictional town of Bannin Bay, Western Australia in 1886. I know next to nothing about this region or time period or even pearling for that matter so I was immediately intrigued. Add in the fact that the protagonist is a young woman searching for her missing father so there are hints of mystery and adventure and it was my kind of historical fiction!

I loved Eliza’s fierce character. She didn't care that the “society women” looked down on her for not acting like them, that she wasn’t supposed to go to certain places because she was a woman, or be friends with certain people because she was a “respectable white lady”. She did it anyway.

Throughout Eliza’s search for her father and the truth, she comes across corruption, prejudice, sexism and scandal. The dark underbelly of the pearling industry and how the English settlers treated the Aboriginal people and non-whites are highlight in this book as well. The author included notes at the end of the book explaining all of the detailed research she did on this region, industry and era. It’s heartbreaking but also not at all shocking knowing what we know about the corruption of colonizers.

MOONLIGHT AND THE PEARLER’S DAUGHTER is out in the US, June 14, 2022! Aussie friends, this one is already out for you!

Cw: accidental death of a child; description of mother’s death in childbirth; hanging; torture; attempted rape; racism; slavery

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Great historical fiction book, and one of the best and most interesting stories I have read in a while. I appreciated the respect for the aboriginal peoples as this book was set in the 1800s in Australia. The story follows a young woman whose family moved to an area in Australia that caters to pearl divers, and her father began a pearl diving company with his brother and became successful. However, the book begins with her father not returning from a foray out pearling, and she decides to go find him. The character development was amazing, the story seemed to be very well-researched, and the descriptions were wonderful and didn't half make me want to travel immediately to Australia despite the heat. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants something different - because this definitely was not like anything I had ever read before and I certainly mean that in a good way. Go get it as soon as it's released.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Difficult book - interesting story laden with history. Particularly informative and a realistic rendering of the time and place - Western Australia, 1886. A harsh place, a difficult time, especially for women. A dangerous place, a deadly career for men. Difficult book -top heavy with descriptive prose which at times made my skin crawl, at times just felt like it was trying too hard, at times was probably just too much for what it was trying to describe - but some of it was good, really good. Difficult book - trying to understand the vernacular and relate it to the words and the meaning and the dialogue. Difficult book - telling a story while exploring the question of whether you can “chase wealth so furiously” while putting men in grave danger and still be considered good. Stripped down to the basics - girl loves her father - the father goes missing - the girl will literally move heaven and earth to find her father - journey on and on and on.

I was exhausted by the weather, hot, so hot without relief, breathless. I was terrified by the creatures, large and small, creepy crawlies of the land, horrors of the water. I was confused by the characters and the parts they played and their interactions and explanations. It was all a little too much and too little at the same time. Despite all that it was a good book.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a copy.

Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter is historical fiction that takes place in Australia in the late 1800s. The main premise of the story is of a daughter searching for her missing father. Eliza is a strong willed woman who will stop at nothing on this search. The story takes place during the height of pearl diving in this area of Australia. I always enjoy learning something new so that was a positive for me. The treatment of the natives, while not surprising, was horrific. The diving was a dangerous occupation that was forced on these people, with no personal reward. The author paints a very real picture of living conditions that were too graphic for me. For me personally, I would barely give it three stars, but it is a well written story that many who have stronger stomachs than me will enjoy.

A woman looks for her missing father who leads a pearl fleet in Australia. She must deal with the cynical townsfolk and prejudices of the authorities.

Rich in historical detail, and with nuggets of the Pearl diving industry, this book was a gem.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

One Liner: A few hits and misses

West Australia, 1886 & 1896
Eliza’s family arrives in Bennin Bay for a new start away from London. The land is brutal, and so is the sea. The community might have people from several countries. The natives are treated like dirt and used for hard labor. After all, they dive into the deep waters to bring shells, and the owners sell the pearls to make money. Black market, corruption, slavery, abuse, and atrocities are a part of everyday life in Bennin Bay.
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.
Eliza knows she cannot sit idle, even if the community around her values women less than men. She is determined to get to the bottom of the truth. But what will this cost her? Can she find the truth about her father’s disappearance?

What I Like:
• I haven’t read a story set in this backdrop before. While I know what colonizers do to natives (as an Indian), the pearl diving community was new to me. I haven’t heard of them before.
• The descriptions of the settings are beautiful despite the grim and dark storyline. The metaphors got a little too much at times, but I got to ‘see’ a different land.
• Eliza and Min are well-etched. They are flawed people with good hearts. Their friendship has its own beauty. More of their childhood journey would make them even more real.
• The ending is satisfying and dissatisfying. Eliza’s character stays true to her arc, making me happy. A couple of characters get the closure.
• The author’s note at the end is detailed and informative. Without revealing spoilers, I’ll just say that the author created her characters and the setting from real people and places.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The pacing is slow. If I wasn’t lucky enough to get extra reading time, the book would have taken another day to end.
• Some of the scenes were a little too convenient. Despite the odds, Eliza doesn’t find it too hard to navigate through the male-dominated society.
• There isn’t enough information about the natives and their lives. We are they are treated worse than dirt, but we have very little insight into their daily lives, customs, and culture.
• Alex’s character never really took off. I wanted more depth to his character, considering the role he plays.
• The dissatisfying parts of the ending are the loose ends. Some are just left to the reader’s imagination. I’m not fully okay with the one that is connected to the central plot. The other satisfied me.

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.

To sum up, Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter has to be picked up for the historical setting and glimpse into the lives of pearl divers.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

We find Eliza searching for her missing father. His pearling ship came into port however he wasn’t on. Eliza confronts her brother but she finally realizes it’s up to her to find her father.
Eliza is a tough strong woman. I don’t think too many women from that time period would do what she did.
The book starts with a slow build and really finishes with a bang.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. I received it as an ARC for my book club and just couldn't get into the story. I know that for someone else this may be a hit, but the pace and the characters didn't make me want to continue reading after halfway through.

There were so many things I liked about this work of historic fiction. For starters, I learned a lot about Australia and the pearl fishing industry, also much regarding the social structure of the colonial invasion that was typical of the British empire in the 1800s. I also absolutely loved the detailed and vivid descriptions of the natural landscape and history. This was a real strong point of the author’s. It was evident Ms Pook thoroughly researched her subjects and wrote beautifully when she was writing about flora and fauna. I would have been more engaged with the narrative had she given equal time to character development. There just wasn’t enough attention given to this element and so I felt I never really got to know any characters well enough to care about them. Ms Pook also made a valiant attempt to address the racism and social inequality that was rampant in the British colonies, but again, characters lacked depth. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an honest review in exchange for this ARC.

Trite but true – Books Open the World to Us. “Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter” takes us to a time and place we could never have known otherwise. Through Lizzie Pook’s wonderful research, we learn of life in western Australia at the turn of the last century. Specifically, the life of those who dive for and sell pearls found off the coast. It is a story of ships, those who work on them and dive off them, and the small, rugged community that grows up around them.
And then there is the intrepid Eliza, whose beloved father and brother disappear one day leaving her alone. As she learns more about their disappearance, she comes to believe that they have not been lost at sea but are still alive. It is her quest to find them that is at the center of the story.
The author paints a vivid picture of a frontier town populated by a strange mix of Indigenous people, Chinese men, some very proper Englishmen and women, and some evil characters thrown in. It is a town that must deal with the usual human conflicts as well what can be punishing Pacific Ocean weather. Lizzie Pook makes us feel both.

I enjoyed this novel, set in Northern Australia in the late 1800's. Very atmospheric, the author has done a wonderful job of painting the picture - surrounding us with vivid descriptions of the harsh and hostile place in which the Pearlers and their families live.

Eliza came with her family from England to make their living in Bannin. Her father owns a fleet of luggers - the boats used to harvest the mother of pearl shells that were so sought after at the time - along with his brother Willem. The boats are crewed by a rough and ready ragtag bunch of sailors; divers who make the risky trips to the bottom of the ocean, tenders who man their lifelines, and deckhands from many countries. Various tragedies have already befallen Eliza's family by the time the main story begins.

When the boats come ashore before the rainy season starts, Eliza's brother returns but her father is not with the crew. Her brother Thomas refuses to say much about what has happened, and leaves for a nearby town to conduct the business necessary to keep the fleet running.

Eliza refuses to believe that her father is dead, and starts out on a journey to discover his fate. When one of the deckhands is arrested for her father's murder, she knows there is more to the story than meets the eye, and feels the need to prove his innocence too. A strong feminist character, we see Eliza's determination to uncover the truth.

I liked Eliza's character along with several of the supporting characters such as Knife and Axel. The plot was interesting and was routing for Eliza as she tried to make her way in such a harsh man's world.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Eliza discovers that beneath the glamorous veneer of the pearling industry, lies a dark underbelly of sweltering, stinking decay. "

It didn't capture my attention or interest. Lots of descriptions which didn't really pull the story forward.

2.25☆