A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood

My next challenge in The Book Junkie Trials was to read a beautiful or colorful book. Right away, I thought of A Sky Painted Gold. I know it is difficult to tell from the picture above, but in person, the cover of this book is absolutely stunning. The gold parts are shiny and reflective, giving it a very Art Deco vibe (which is very appropriate, as the novel is set in the 1920s). It's currently my favorite book cover of all time, so I knew this had to be the one I read for this prompt.

I first come across A Sky Painted Gold through a recommendation on YouTube. One of my Booktubers, Lucy the Reader, absolutely loved it. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and when she recommended it for fans of The Great Gatsby, I was done. I had to have it. I ordered it right away. So obviously, I had pretty high expectations going into this novel. I was hoping to find a new favorite.

The plot follows a seventeen-year-old girl named Lou. She lives a modest life in her sleepy Cornish village in 1929 and dreams of becoming a writer one day. As a creative and imaginative soul, she's always had a fascination with the old Cardew mansion that stands empty on its own island nearby her house. Sometimes she sneaks over to it to explore its fruit orchards, gardens, and elaborate rooms. Her secret visits there come to an end, however, when the Cardew siblings suddenly return to the house to spend the summer.

At first, Lou is intent to observe the antics of the wealthy and glamorous Robert and Caitlin Cardew from afar, but when fate puts her in Robert's path one evening, she can't resist his invitation to attend one of their parties for real. Immediately, she is drawn into the glittering, golden world of the Cardew siblings, where the money, alcohol, and good times seem endless. However, as she spends more and more time in the mansion, she begins to realize that there is more to Robert and Caitlin than they are telling her and the extravagant lifestyle they are living isn't quite as fabulous as it seems.

I really enjoyed A Sky Painted Gold, and the comparisons to The Great Gatsby are apt. The 1920s setting feels lush and expensive, and the Cardew's lifestyle definitely encapsulates the wild excesses that characterized the era. Lou's character is similar to Gatsby's Nick Carraway, an outsider pulled into a lavish world utterly unlike her own. Like Nick, she is simultaneously entranced and dismayed at the things she see there and learns a lot from the experience. The comparisons aren't endless, however. Laura Wood dives deeper into the lives of the wealthy characters, exploring the reasons behind their wild behavior, and Lou's story is decidedly more sweet and romantic than Nick's. This is a young adult novel, after all.

There was something very compelling about this story, even though it isn't exactly action-packed. Wood's writing is beautiful and vivid, and Lou's coming of age story is very engaging to read. Her character development is handled quite well, and she clearly grows and changes over the course of the novel. The Cardew siblings are also interesting characters; they are flawed, mysterious, and likable all at the same time. Wanting to figure out what was going on with them kept me turning the pages. 

A Sky Painted Gold was a great reading experience. I was impressed with Wood's ability to recreate the world of the 1920s and I was completely drawn into Lou's journey. There were a few moments in the story that felt a bit slow, and I found myself wishing for more drama at times, but overall I thought the book was wonderful. I'm glad to have come across this author and I am looking forward to reading more from her in the future.     


Challenge Tally
Book Junkie Trials (Glimmer - Read a beautiful or colorful book) 12/17
Finally in 2019: 32/6 Books Read - Complete!

Total Books Read in 2019: 50