LitPick Review
Gold Among The Trees is a thrilling novel about Peter Holroyd and his quest for a history changing discovery. Holroyd is an academic specializing in Ming and Qing dynasty maritime travels, and is given a job by an old friend to uncover why someone in Hong Kong is in search of a ship that sailed from South China to the East over 300 years ago. Intrigued by this quest, he takes a position as a visiting professor at a university on Vancouver Island so he can do more digging on whether the Chinese got to North America long before everyone thought they did. But his search for answers got him entangled in two murder cases, theft, and questions about his credibility. Is his mission really worth all the danger and turmoil?
Opinion:
The book is a well-written fictional story with a wonderful blend of history and fiction, with details that will have you questioning what you know about history. I personally learnt a few things about American history and also about the Ming and Qing dynasty. I was particularly intrigued by the Qing dynasty modes of execution, one of which is the Ling Chi (Death by a thousand cuts). The main character, Peter Holroyd, is a well-developed character. His curiosity as a researcher gets the better of him most times, thereby ignoring the consequences his actions may hold. I love it. His life is a written description of what some researchers face on their quest for answers: the detachment from family and the moving from country to country and continent to continent, be it comfortable or not. I usually sympathized with his wife, Pearl, from time to time. The author's narratives are beautiful. He has a way of using vivid imagery to make readers feel like a part of the story. I also love how he describes little details, like at the beginning of the book when the author mentioned "flower beds nestling between green swaths of tended grass." It evokes a sense of serenity and smell of summertime. It expands the reader's imagination. The book's intriguing plot makes me want to read more. The tension is there, the thrill is there, and to top it all, a lot of unanswered questions. The trifecta of a best seller!
