A Sky Painted Gold was a joy from start to finish and exactly what I needed after seven agonising weeks in the worst reading slump I’ve ever been in. A Sky Painted Gold was a joy from start to finish and exactly what I needed after seven agonising weeks in the worst reading slump I’ve ever been in.
The book follows Lou, a Cornish girl who has never known anything other than the small community she’s grown up in. When the summer of 1929 rolls in, Lou gets caught up in the lives of the Cardew siblings, who aren’t strangers to the glitz and glamour of parties not unlike those seen in The Great Gatsby. It’s about coming of age, discovering who you are, and finding out exactly what it is you want in life.
I was immediately struck by Laura Wood’s gorgeous, breath-taking prose. It can be a tricky thing to get right: I’ve read many similar YA books that lean towards pretension, yet what is so skilful about A Sky Painted Gold is that Lou’s awe at the new world she’s been invited to — and arguably, her naïveté — mean that you too get caught up in it. From the moment she enters the Cardew house, Lou’s journey is the reader’s journey, and the tone and style of the book perfectly fit her narrative voice.
I loved how the theme of being in somebody’s shadow was explored, both in the relationship of Lou and her sister, Alice, and in the glitzy world of the Cardew’s. Coupled with this, my favourite aspect (other than the romance) was undoubtedly the exploration of how one life may be ideal for someone, yet undesirable to someone else.
Most YA books feature romance in them now and so I often find it difficult to differentiate between them in my mind. A Sky Painted Gold, however, featured so many of my favourite tropes: the lingering hand hold, the “pfft! I don’t really like him!” moments, catching each other’s eyes and looking away. It was truly like watching the best period drama, which always manage to create a swoon-worthy yet sweet atmosphere, and I would like multiple spin-offs and novellas and short stories (or even a full sequel!!) because I can’t bear to let the characters go. It’s also worth nothing that, although not a major plot point, Wood manages to effortlessly incorporate LGBTQ* relationships, which I wish was seen more in historical fiction. It felt very normalised and didn’t go down the “shameful” route, which always makes me happy to see.
I’ve fallen head over heels in love with A Sky Painted Gold at a time when I was seriously questioning whether I could fall head over heels in love with a book again. Laura Wood is a new favourite UKYA author, and I really hope A Sky Painted Gold’s success reinvigorates the historical YA fiction genre.
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