How Much Of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang
Synopsis
In the twilight of the Gold Rush, two siblings cross a landscape with a gun in their hands and the body of their father on their backs . . . Ba dies in the night, Ma is already gone. Lucy and Sam, twelve and eleven, are suddenly alone and on the run. With their father's body on their backs, they roam an unforgiving landscape dotted with giant buffalo bones and tiger paw prints, searching for a place to give him a proper burial. How Much of These Hills is Gold is a sweeping adventure tale, an unforgettable sibling story and a remarkable novel about a family bound and divided by its memories.
Reviews
'An emotional new debut . . . Set in the midst of the American gold rush, C Pam Zhang's epic debut follows two orphaned siblings, Lucy and Sam, who confront the fantasy of the American Dream while carrying their father's body across the west in search of a place to bury him.' Sunday Express
'C Pam Zhang's arresting, beautiful first novel is filled with myths of her own making as well as sorrows and joys.' New York Times
'[An] arresting debut novel . . . [it] has a mythic quality through which Zhang dissects history and belonging . . . One thought echoes through the book: "What makes a home a home?" With each act a new meaning emerges - beneath the grit is a tender and searching tale .' Francesca Carington - Sunday Telegraph
'A literary western with a fresh take on gender and feminism that's been likened to Sarah Waters.' Stylist
About the Author
Born in Beijing but mostly an artifact of the United States, C Pam Zhang has lived in thirteen cities and is still looking for home. She's been awarded fellowships and scholarships from organisations including Bread Loaf, Tin House and Aspen Words. She currently lives in San Francisco.