kiperoo's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a sucker for historicals, and Stacey Lee nails this one with such authentically-voiced characters I'd follow anywhere. Love the friendship between the girls (and the boys!) and seeing how they survive all the terrible obstacles they meet. Once I finally found the time to read, I couldn't put it down!
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
4.0
I've never been much of a gamer, but I absolutely loved playing Oregon Trail when I was in grade school. Many kids of my generation have fond memories of sitting in front of an Apple IIe or similarly cutting-edge, mouse-less computer and trying our luck at virtual pioneering. You could choose to be a wealthy banker and outfit your wagon with as many supplies as your oxen could carry, but that didn't prevent Mary from getting snakebit or John from developing dysentery. The Trail was ruthless, favoring only the strong (and those with the dexterity to shoot pixellated rabbits).
What if, instead of setting out on the Oregon Trail with a fully stocked wagon, you were a young Chinese-American girl on the run from the law, accompanied only by an escaped slave girl and your treasured violin? In Under a Painted Sky, Stacey Lee transforms the usual “heading West” narrative, imbuing it with some much-needed diversity and freshness.
Samantha lives with her father in Missouri, where they operate a general store and scrape out a modest living in their adopted home country. But everything changes for Sam in a single, terrible day, and she is forced to leave town and elude the authorities who would apprehend her. She meets Annamae, a slave girl trying to reach freedom and reunite with her brothers, and the two decide to stick together and help each other out. Dressed as boys and calling themselves Sammy and Andy, they head West, claiming to be joining in on the gold rush.
Their disguises are put to the test when they encounter a group of cowboys headed in their same direction. Sammy and Andy decide they'll be able to make faster progress if they travel on horseback with the boys, but it's a delicate balancing act to keep their true identities a secret. Of course, the Trail poses its own dangers, and the band of travelers will come up against some very real threats.
Lee really builds the suspense as the end of the book approaches, and she doesn't shy away from depicting the sometimes brutal reality of pioneer life. I was invested in all the characters and could hardly wait to find out how—or if—they would survive the journey. I've read a couple really good YA selections this year, and Under a Painted Sky belongs high on the list. It has the perfect combination of adventure, history, culture, and even a little romance. Great summer reading.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
What if, instead of setting out on the Oregon Trail with a fully stocked wagon, you were a young Chinese-American girl on the run from the law, accompanied only by an escaped slave girl and your treasured violin? In Under a Painted Sky, Stacey Lee transforms the usual “heading West” narrative, imbuing it with some much-needed diversity and freshness.
Samantha lives with her father in Missouri, where they operate a general store and scrape out a modest living in their adopted home country. But everything changes for Sam in a single, terrible day, and she is forced to leave town and elude the authorities who would apprehend her. She meets Annamae, a slave girl trying to reach freedom and reunite with her brothers, and the two decide to stick together and help each other out. Dressed as boys and calling themselves Sammy and Andy, they head West, claiming to be joining in on the gold rush.
Their disguises are put to the test when they encounter a group of cowboys headed in their same direction. Sammy and Andy decide they'll be able to make faster progress if they travel on horseback with the boys, but it's a delicate balancing act to keep their true identities a secret. Of course, the Trail poses its own dangers, and the band of travelers will come up against some very real threats.
Lee really builds the suspense as the end of the book approaches, and she doesn't shy away from depicting the sometimes brutal reality of pioneer life. I was invested in all the characters and could hardly wait to find out how—or if—they would survive the journey. I've read a couple really good YA selections this year, and Under a Painted Sky belongs high on the list. It has the perfect combination of adventure, history, culture, and even a little romance. Great summer reading.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
hannchilada's review against another edition
5.0
Stacey Lee is my hero. A whole queen, if you will. I've read The Downstairs Girl before, but this book, despite having a similar historical premise, managed to be completely different…and I loved it.
Still, it was clear to me that this book was an earlier publication of Lee's. There were a lot of nitpicky editor things that I pompously noticed, and will quickly review for all of you detail-oriented snobs like me out there: Her introduction of the Chinese zodiac and its themes were introduced in clearly unnatural ways, leaving it to feel shoehorned in, especially in the beginning. The ending had a touch too many climaxes, leaving a hiccupping feeling. The beginning and the ending didn't feel as connected as some more polished books do, and I had beef with the little dream sequence at the end.
BUT. I adored this book, you guys. Probably far more than I adored Downstairs Girl. My main problem with The Downstairs Girl was its idealism and failure to fully address hard subjects. Under a Painted Sky did not disappoint me in that regard. It was full of the realities of life as a slave and as a Chinese American in the mid-1800s. I really relished the mature but positive perspective it provided, and I love Lee's introduction of representation into historical fiction.
The dynamic of all of the characters is beautiful as well. I could read about Andy all day, don't even get me started. And the relationships within the remuda made me laugh and made me cry. It was beautiful to follow these five young people through a series of interesting vignettes, and Lee's charming voice was the unassuming cherry on top.
So yeah, though The Downstairs Girl is getting all the press, but I would absolutely recommend picking up this less-noticed diamond hiding in the rough. Or maybe that's just my passionate and strong dragon side coming through…
Read more reviews at my blog, Hardcovered by Hannah!
Still, it was clear to me that this book was an earlier publication of Lee's. There were a lot of nitpicky editor things that I pompously noticed, and will quickly review for all of you detail-oriented snobs like me out there: Her introduction of the Chinese zodiac and its themes were introduced in clearly unnatural ways, leaving it to feel shoehorned in, especially in the beginning. The ending had a touch too many climaxes, leaving a hiccupping feeling. The beginning and the ending didn't feel as connected as some more polished books do, and I had beef with the little dream sequence at the end.
BUT. I adored this book, you guys. Probably far more than I adored Downstairs Girl. My main problem with The Downstairs Girl was its idealism and failure to fully address hard subjects. Under a Painted Sky did not disappoint me in that regard. It was full of the realities of life as a slave and as a Chinese American in the mid-1800s. I really relished the mature but positive perspective it provided, and I love Lee's introduction of representation into historical fiction.
The dynamic of all of the characters is beautiful as well. I could read about Andy all day, don't even get me started. And the relationships within the remuda made me laugh and made me cry. It was beautiful to follow these five young people through a series of interesting vignettes, and Lee's charming voice was the unassuming cherry on top.
So yeah, though The Downstairs Girl is getting all the press, but I would absolutely recommend picking up this less-noticed diamond hiding in the rough. Or maybe that's just my passionate and strong dragon side coming through…
Read more reviews at my blog, Hardcovered by Hannah!
crystal_reading's review against another edition
Review Copy: ARC via Publisher
See review at Rich in Color http://richincolor.com/2015/02/review-under-a-painted-sky/
See review at Rich in Color http://richincolor.com/2015/02/review-under-a-painted-sky/
paperschemes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ihateava's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kmedusa's review against another edition
3.0
I expected great things of this book. That's where the problem lies at the end, as always, expectations
It is a cowboy story, with two girls playing cross-dressing to save their lives while living with three sweet and beautiful guys (who share two neurons). Although I liked the main characters, West was hard to swallow. Just as Sammy, I didn't quite figure him out and I'm not his biggest fan. Andy/Annamae was the reason I kept reading, while I enjoyed Sam's narrative and sympathize with her suffering. Cay and Peety are sweet and I would love to meet them in real life.
This gang faces may dangers along their adventure and it is interesting to see how their bond is formed and improved, through their long journey of 4 weeks. Well, maybe I am just too cynical and lacking social abilities to believe this trope.
There are some great and funny scenes that made me laugh out loud (my mother even came to check on me to see why I was so hysterical). Also, some horrible descriptions of torture and what being a slave must have been, those were all hard to stomach, but brought a necessary reflection about those terrors. There is talk about prejudice against someone for the color of their skin, or the shape of their eyes, or for their sex/sexuality. It all resonates adequate for the setting period.
My main complaint is I expected more depth to those characters. And my second complaint is Sammy constant fear with two things for the WHOLE story. There were different problems and action going on and "oh yeah, I just remember I need to worry about this and that again". I got bored with the lack of solutions to that until the (almost) end.
Anyway, I would recommend this book to anyone who like YA tropes (like, teenagers bounding easily and falling in love effortlessly and without reason in 4 weeks after first meeting), cowboy stories and cross-dressing. It may not impact and transform your life, but it is a entertaining story that can make you feel the characters' emotions. I may have not cared much about what was going on, yet I rooted for them to reach safety. Hope you can like it too.
It is a cowboy story, with two girls playing cross-dressing to save their lives while living with three sweet and beautiful guys (who share two neurons). Although I liked the main characters, West was hard to swallow. Just as Sammy, I didn't quite figure him out and I'm not his biggest fan. Andy/Annamae was the reason I kept reading, while I enjoyed Sam's narrative and sympathize with her suffering. Cay and Peety are sweet and I would love to meet them in real life.
This gang faces may dangers along their adventure and it is interesting to see how their bond is formed and improved, through their long journey of 4 weeks.
Spoiler
It is amazing how they went from "hey stranger I need a favour" to "we are a big and happy family" so fast.There are some great and funny scenes that made me laugh out loud (my mother even came to check on me to see why I was so hysterical). Also, some horrible descriptions of torture and what being a slave must have been, those were all hard to stomach, but brought a necessary reflection about those terrors. There is talk about prejudice against someone for the color of their skin, or the shape of their eyes, or for their sex/sexuality. It all resonates adequate for the setting period.
My main complaint is I expected more depth to those characters. And my second complaint is Sammy constant fear with two things for the WHOLE story. There were different problems and action going on and "oh yeah, I just remember I need to worry about this and that again". I got bored with the lack of solutions to that until the (almost) end.
Spoiler
Also, I just couldn't buy how ANY of those morons could not decipher those two were girls! And when they did why not talk about it???Anyway, I would recommend this book to anyone who like YA tropes (like, teenagers bounding easily and falling in love effortlessly and without reason in 4 weeks after first meeting), cowboy stories and cross-dressing. It may not impact and transform your life, but it is a entertaining story that can make you feel the characters' emotions. I may have not cared much about what was going on, yet I rooted for them to reach safety. Hope you can like it too.
m_amelia's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! It moved quickly enough to keep your attention but was still slow enough to be very descriptive. A must read for historical fiction lovers!!!