Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an interesting story of life in 19th century western Australia, focusing on life in a small pearl diving town. Eliza is the daughter of an apparently wealthy owner of at least one pearl diving boat. The family (father, mother, brother Thomas and Eliza) came to Australia from England 10 years before the events of this book, along with her uncle and aunt. At this time, mother has died in childbirth, and when the book opens, the boat comes back to town without the father. Nobody knows what happened to him, and brother Thomas just dashes off to another town, without telling Eliza much of anything.

The strongest part of this book is the evocation of life in this time and place, and it was fascinating to learn about - I really knew nothing about this, and I felt very much that I learned a lot about something new to me.

My biggest problem with the book (and this may be a personal problem) is that the characters seemed to lack depth. I am a character-focused reader, and I wasn't able to connect with any of these characters. Most of the characters were awful people. Some were nicer than the rest, but I didn't see any reason for this - it was just stated that they were awful, or that they were nice. I didn't see any basis for the brother's horrible behavior, nor did I understand the father in the least. For that matter, I didn't see any reason for the behavior of the nice characters, particularly Axel and Min. Even with Eliza, I had trouble connecting with her. Sadly, I think the characterization relied heavily on "tell, don't show."

So, in all, it's mainly worth reading for an interesting portrayal of a time and place in Australian history that seems fairly novel.

I requested this book as I'd read two other books about pearlers: White Chrysanthemum [loved] and Island of the Sea Women [liked]. Both of these books are set in Korea in the 1940s and forward. Pook's book, takes place in late 19th century Western Australia/Bannin Bay. Not about pearlers per se [and more about male pearlers than the previously mentioned books which centered on female divers], this book does have a strong female character--Eliza Blackwell, only 20 years old.

An extremely hardscrabble life confronts the Blackwell family who arrived from London in 1886. Fast forward to ten years later when Eliza's father's boat returns without him and a man is imprisoned for his murder. The wheels are set in motion for Eliza to discover what happened to her father. Was it mutiny or murder? Was the arrested man, Billy Balarri [an Aborigine] responsible? The racist jailer Parker believes so; Eliza does not.. She sets off on a quest to discover what happened to her father, Charlie.

The cast of characters includes many descriptions of her father, Charlie, her brother, Thomas, and Charlie's brother, Willem. Add in Axel Kramer, a German man who accompanies Eliza on her search, the close-minded women's circle of Bannin Bay, Knife, a young Aborgine, Min, a female friend of Eliza's and others.

Much about sea life, and the threat of various animals and insects. Racism, sexism, colonialism. But mostly a mystery that kept me going.

The progress of the story is interspersed with italicized diary entries from Charlie; although the last entry is from Eliza.

A couple of phrases stuck with me:
"a mouth untroubled by teeth"
"women laugh flutily"

And I learned new words--which are oddly related:
cajeput, an aromatic medicinal oil similar to eucalyptus oil from a chiefly Australasian tree
jarrah, a eucalyptus treer native to western Australia

Is it a neat and tidy ending? No spoiler, but yes.

This is Pook's debut novel--wow.
3.75

Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook takes us on an inspiring journey of a young woman who lives in Australia during the 19th century. Eliza Brightwell is an enigma to most of the people in the small pearl diving community because she is not a typical English lady. Eliza demonstrates courage and perseverance as she struggles to find her father and the truth about his disappearance. I could not put this book down as the story unraveled with countless historical details about the pearl diving industry and the expectations for a young woman during the British colonial rule in Australia. We learn about the struggles and strengths of Eliza as she attempts to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance from a pearl diving expedition. This is an amazing story that leaves you on the edge of your seat as you learn about the risks and rewards of the pearling industry. I highly recommend this book.

Eliza was a likeable strong female main character. There were times I thought she should stick up for her self more though. I enjoy reading about late 1800’s pearling in Western Australia, something I did not know much about before reading this book. There were some parts of the ending of story that I did not agree with which kept this from being a 5 star read for me.
I receive a free arc from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical fiction so I was very happy to receive this ARC copy. This book appealed to me because it is about a subject that I really knew nothing about and that is pearling. Eliza Brightwell , her parents and her brother leave their home in England for Bannin Bay in Australia to find their fortune in pearling. This is a very hard and competitive business but, Eliza's father feels the family will do well here.

Yes the business does do well until it doesn't. Eliza awaits both her brother Thomas and her beloved fathers return on her fathers ship , the Starling . When only her brother returns and she cannot get any answer as to what happened to her father from her brother, Eliza knows something is really wrong when Thomas suddenly leaves her again without any information only that he has business that needs to be attended to. Eliza then takes it upon herself to get answers. Sergeant Palmer, the local authority and a terrible human bean told Eliza that they have arrested someone in her fathers death. She does not believe anything Palmer is telling her, in the meantime the prisoner escapes with Palmer hot on his trail. Eliza does not believe her father is dead, has found his diaries and decides to go off and find him. . With the help Axel Kramer, Knife the aboriginal boy and Father McVeigh's lugger, the three set off to find some answers. When Eliza finds her brother drunk yet alive, she listens to the real story of the Starling's last journey, This story puts a fire and desire to find her father and try to make things right. The voyage is filled with storms, sharks, crocodiles, the fear of what she will find or will she find anything does not stop Eliza from finding her father.

I loved how Ms. Pook described the beauty and the beast of this era. The seascape, the pearling industry itself and the tension between the various groups that are involved in this industry. The story was beautifully written I needed to know how this story ended. Eliza was a strong women who was determined to find answers in a world where men dominated an industry and women weren't even involved in any business conversation. I enjoyed seeing her grow and show how strong she was even with the many hardships she faced. She did not sit back and take no for any answer.

Lizzie Pook is a new author for me and i am happy that I was approved for this book. So thank you NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for the arc and introducing me to not only a new author but the subject of pearling. I truly loved it and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.

Eliza Brightwell’s family picks up and moves from London, England to Bannin Bay (fictitious location), Australia (late 19th century) after a series of failed attempts at different business endeavors.

What started out as a prosperous move is spoiled by several family losses, yet somehow they persevere. Eliza’s father is a pearler by trade; the only honest one there is in Bannin Bay. But there is much competition for what lies beneath the ocean and he soon finds himself being blackmailed.

The ultimate grief comes when Eliza’s father fails to return home from sea one day! Eliza is determined to find out what happened to her father. You don’t just end up missing on a boat and no one on board notices. She soon realizes her father kept secrets from her. However, many clues lie within his diary and with the help of friends, she sets out to search for answers.

This is a story of family, faith, strength and perseverance. A story of grief and guilt that haunts despite the passage of time. Of a young woman who lived her life against the grain of what was expected of her by society.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. Well written, I felt transported back in time. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter by Lizzie Pook takes you to the 19th century in Australia. A family moves from London to Bannin Bay pursuing a future in pearl diving. You meet Eliza Brightwell as a young child and follow along her experiences. A historical fiction novel with a mystery to solve. Eliza’s father has disappeared and she is determined to figure out what happened. You get to see how challenging it must have been ti be female and try to do this during the late 1880’s. I really enjoyed the unique setting and details for the historical part. It was a page turner and I wanted to find out what happened. I want to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early.

An Australian historical fiction book us what drew me in as I have read many historical fiction books, but never one set in Australia. I guess I expected more history band more descriptions of the territory, dress, and daily lives if our characters. The plot was good and the story moved at a good pace, but it just didn't keep my interest. I had to force myself to finish. I give it 3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I tried but couldn't engage with this book. Its slow pace and constant overly descriptive musings were too much. I gave up at 54%. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is based in the world of 19th century Western Australia, as it focuses on Eliza, the Pearler's daughter of the title, in her search for her missing father. Eliza's beloved father has vanished from his ship, The Starling, on one of his voyages. No one can give Eliza an explanation as to what happened or where her father is. Hence, she begins her quest to find out the truth.

The author's writing really draws the reader into the world of Eliza. This is an atmospheric adventure full of mystery. As most great historical fiction novels, I learned so much about Bannin Bay, and the perilous pearl diving that went on there, The writing immerses you in the salty bay.

What I also enjoyed was the main character reminiscing about the past. It was a great tool to use to gradually build up a picture of the main character's past and also made us question the people around her. I loved how Eliza does not conform to society's expectations of what women at that time should do,or how they behave. She is brave, courageous and willing to do just about anything to find her father.

Excellent - recommend!

Australian fiction is one of the areas I'm lacking and very interested in, so when I came across Lizzie Pook's novel, I jumped at the chance to request it as an early read. The story is set in 1886 and young Eliza has sailed from England to Bannin Bay in Western Australia with her parents, older brother Thomas, Uncle Willem and Aunt Martha. They are pursuing Eliza's father, Charlie, who had a dream of making a fortune through pearling. The notion of an easy life is quickly squashed and the story jumps 10 years, to 1896, when Eliza is awaing the arrival of her father's pearling lugger, the Starling, which has been at sea for over 3 months.

However, the Starling doesn't come in until late in the day, and her father is not on board, he has gone missing and the assumption is that he went overboard, although rumors abound of murder and mutiny. However, Eliza does not believe Charlie is dead. Events culminate in the revelation of family secrets that lead to Eliza on quite a journey to track down the truth.

Pook captures the historical period with her wonderful descriptive prose, shining a light on and capturing the horrors when it comes to the racist treatment of aboriginals that beggars belief, their never ending nightmare, enslaved, brutalized, murdered with impunity, families broken up, forced to become pearl divers and facing daily abuse and violence. I was completely immersed in the rich and riveting storytelling, in the time and place, the twists and turns, and the vibrant portrayal of the corruption, deceptions, blackmail, and violence that underpin the Bannin Bay community and the pearling business, the criminal underbelly, and the numerous unsavory individuals.

Eliza’s father, a master pearler, goes missing under mysterious circumstances. She will brave encounters with gunslingers, thieving cockatoos, crocodiles, swarms of ghost crabs, and much worse to find out what happened to him.

This was a really fun mystery! I loved the setting; I can honestly say I have never read a book set in 19th-century Western Australia. I really didn’t know anything about the early pearling industry, other than the fact that natural pearls come from oysters. So I certainly learned a few historical facts, fun ones and not-so-fun ones, about this once-prosperous trade. As many of you know from my prior reviews, I love when fiction teaches me about bits of history that I was formally ignorant to!

This is a very fast-paced narrative, as it opens with the disappearance of Eliza’s father and we learn the background of the characters while she begins her search for answers. Australia is a wild place, even more so in the 1880’s, so reading about the landscape and its wildlife was definitely interesting! I can’t say that I was emotionally connected with any of the characters, but I did really enjoy them, especially Axel and his eager adventurer spirit.

In all, a really fun read with a unique setting! Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter will be published on June 14, so go ahead and mark your calendars.

Thank you to Lizzie Pook, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Little slow for me to get into, but once I did it was very enjoyable. A story of pearl divers and the business of pearls in the late 1800’s. A young woman’s father disappears from his diving ship without anyone seeing a thing. She will not accept that he is dead and goes on a search to find him herself. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter
By Lizzie Pook

This book takes place in Australia in the late 1800s. It is an interesting enough story about the Pearlers who took crews (sometimes forceably) in search of pearls and mother-of-pearl.

Eliza Brightwell is a young woman in a rough colony called Bannion Bay. Her father brought his family here from England to salvage his fortunes. He and her brother, Thomas, take the luggers (boats) out to make their living and support the family. Eliza, meanwhile is hampered by all the strictures placed upon a young, white, unmarried woman at that time and place. When disaster strikes, Eliza, with the help of her friends, Min, Axel, and Knife, sets out to break through the barriers and save the day.

What makes the story so interesting is the inclusion of Eliza's father's naturalist notes throughout. These note lay bare how hard and unforgiving this place was. I found this book educational, though I was a little put off by the ending. Worth a read!

Wonderful immersive historical fiction book about Australia and its early history that was engaging and held my interest to the end . The plot was heart rending .
Thanks for letting me review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

In the year 1886, 10-year-old Eliza Brightwell arrived in Bannin Bay, Western Australia, with her mother, father, brother, uncle, and aunt. The Brightwells' sailed from London to Western Australia with eager anticipation; Charles Brightwell planned to buy a fleet of pearling luggers to haul shells to the Americans and French, thereby saving the family's fortune. Eliza was not expecting Bannin Bay to be very different from London, but everything was; the weather was tropical, the plants pungent, the smells of the jetty with fish guts and scales layering the ground were overpowering.

Ten years later, Eliza eagerly awaits the return of her father and brother after sixty-one days at sea in White Starling, their lugger. But when the boat limped into the harbor late in the day, Eliza felt dread at what could have happened to cause the lugger's discredited look. Her brother Thomas at length appeared and told her her father was gone, and Eliza experienced her worst fears.

Lizzie Pook has an unparalleled knowledge of pearlers and the societal shortcomings of the time. She clarifies that the beautiful pearl given up by the oyster contrasts diabolically with the sordid conditions in the industry. A pearl diver encountered many dangers: whales and sharks and other killers, the sea (many sailors could not swim), diving was a dangerous pastime; also, remorseless men who cheated and stole what they could not acquire with honest dealings. Her wildly descriptive prose brings to life the sordid underside of living conditions in bleak Western Australia.

I found many fascinating characters in Moonlight and the Pearler's daughter. Missionary Father Ernest McVeigh, Archibald Parker, convicted for beating a man to death and later made a Sergeant of Police. Also, a real-life person of the time, bosun Conrad Gill, complete with a wooden leg and a cockatoo – and we learn that a lugger's crew bond firmly to keep each other safe as going to sea is so perilous.

I love that Eliza represents a larger-than-life character; she has manners and morals, is fearless and places herself in danger with her determination to find her father. Eliza idolized her father, who was also a naturalist; his diary, sprinkled throughout the book, provides a naturalist's view of exotic fauna and flora. Eliza was a curious child, and Charles gave her lots of attention and praise. Eliza protests that she is interested in men but not in a husband. Should we believe that?

Midnight and the Pearler's Daughter is an intriguing whodunit. Eliza follows every clue with tenacity. Lizzie Pook takes this opportunity to explore with the reader the islands and seas of the Western coast of Australia that made up the pearling industry.

I rate Moonlight and the Pearler's daughter 5 out of 5 stars for phenomenal research, a spellbinding whodunit, unique characters, and enviable prose. However, some readers may find the sordid underbelly of the time and the continued occurrence of kidnapping and slavery going unpunished disturbing.

I recommend Lizzie Pook's rousing creation to lovers of adventure stories, independent women, history, and geopolitical understanding from an excellent writer.

Eliza and her family left London for far away Western Australia. Her Father did very well by having his own Lugger and crew. He would spend weeks away gathering shells for their Mother of Pearl. There was much money to be made from these shells. The competition for the best shelling spots was fierce.
When her father’s ship was late returning one trip. Eliza refused to believe that her beloved Father was lost forever even after those around her had given up all hope.
Her love and determination forced her into situations that a young girl should never have to endure.
This was very thoughtful and heart rendering.

I didn’t quite see the resemblance to The Light Between Oceans. The story started out well with you quickly finding a mystery was in the works. But I was expecting a lot more detail in the diving for pearls, that was lost in the side stories with the people and Eliza’s desire to find her father.
I enjoyed the book but I felt it had a lot more potential that what it came out with and I didn’t like the direction it took in the ending.
I personally thank the publisher for the privilege to be offered this ARC from Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with 4 stars.

This historical novel takes place in the 1890s in The Kimberley, Western Australia’s sparsely settled northern region. How sparsely settled? Even today, in an area greater than Minnesota and Wisconsin combined, there are less than 40,000 people.

Eliza Brightwell is a young woman. Her father and brother are pearlers, primarily harvesting shells for the mother-of-pearl button industry. (The pearls themselves were valuable but not the industry’s focus.) And although the boat owners were white, the pearl divers who did the dangerous work were primarily Asians, Pacific, and Indigenous Australians.

When Eliza’s father goes missing shortly before his ship returns after a 3-month voyage, she is certain he is still alive, and she is absolutely determined to rescue him. An early feminist, she does not let social norms keep her from this pursuit. It is this mystery that drives the narrative, which sometimes seems a bit convoluted.

The author describes the settings and the people in electrifying detail. Occasionally, though, she tends to assume that the reader is familiar with Australian flora and fauna, as when she compares a young man to a godwit.

Review posted via. GoodReads
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4623470515
This story is about a young woman in Western Australia, in the late 1800s. Eliza Brightwell's father and brother both work in the pearl industry. Diving for pearls and harvesting them. When the ship returns without Eliza's father and her bother unwilling to talk, Eliza sets off to find answers. Her brother quickly leaves town and with more questions than answers, Eliza will stop at nothing to find the truth.
I was not a big fan of this book. The author is very talented but I thought there was a bit too much imagery. Explaining how exactly the cockroach was dying was just a little over the top. I also had some trouble understanding all the characters and their roles. It took a while before I realized who all the characters were. This was not the book for me but it was well written! I would absolutely give this author another try!