Some of the reviews on this book got a 5, some got a 2 and a 1 but the vast majority gave it a 3 or a 4. I think I'll also go with the majority on this one. If I could I'd give it 3.5 but as I can't I'll go for the generous option as it's a debut. What I liked was that it was well written, fast paced and its frequent (but not excessive) emotional ups and downs guarantee that it won't get monotonous. The main characters are also quite well developed and getting to know them throughout the book was something I enjoyed. Finally I like fiction books that have some sort of educational value. I didn't know much about the Gold Rush and life in the outback back in the day so I'm now glad that I know that little bit more. On the downside, I personally don't like stories that start with a negative backdrop, so the brutal murder of the 2 protagonists' parents at the beginning wasn't something I enjoyed. I also didn't enjoy the rape scene (not elaborating to avoid spoiling but thought it might be worth warning about). Finally, where were the chapters??? I know there were frequent breaks that started with a capital letter in bold type but it's not the same thing. This is obviously a personal view because I am a fan of (preferably short) chapters that adjust the pace. Overall it was something different and it was done well but a few of my personal dislikes were unintentionally touched upon. I definitely don't regret reading the book and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of fast paced historical adventure. Thank you to Readers First for the free copy