Review of Yosemite Trail Discovered

[Shrabastee Chakraborty]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Yosemite Trail Discovered" by Marie Sontag.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Yosemite Trail Discovered is the second book of The Whitcomb Discoveries series by Marie Sontag. It chronicles the adventures of Daniel Whitcomb, a teenage accountant working for the legendary gold prospector, Jim Savage. As more and more gold seekers continue to infiltrate California, skirmishes with the resident Indian tribes become inevitable. Caught in the middle of these sudden attacks, Daniel strives to maintain a relationship with his fiancée and continue a career in law. He is also desperate to solve the mystery of the fire that took his parents’ lives years ago. What does destiny have in store for Daniel?

Sontag based her novel on real events and incorporated actual historical characters with some imagined ones. The masterfully woven narrative made it hard to distinguish the seam between reality and fiction. Sontag authentically portrayed the society, economy, and politics during the California gold rush. Despite being a sequel, the novel could also serve as a standalone. I had no trouble following the storyline as Sontag included the necessary references from the first book.

Sontag's descriptions of the rapid invasion of the Indian territories by the white people seemed accurate. The novel depicted the ever-increasing conflict between two different ways of life. The story was rife with unpleasant encounters, revenge, and retaliation that could cause any situation to escalate. Daniel’s impartial perspective enabled us to see both sides of the same story. The pointless, rampant carnage made my heart heavy. However, a few people fighting for the rights of the Indians conveyed a sense of hope.

I loved the characterization. Some of the characters were grey, making questionable life choices and displaying a harsh exterior while maintaining a core of compassion and empathy. Some were decidedly evil and conniving, especially the corrupt politicians who would go to any length to fulfill their agenda. Sontag gave Daniel and Jim satisfactory character arcs. I enjoyed viewing the story through Daniel’s perspective, who constantly struggled to remain moral in a dishonest world. His insecurities over his guardian’s motives and occasional outbursts made his character even more realistic. This coming-of-age story also talked about Daniel’s glowing feelings of first love, mounting anticipation of the first kiss, and the agony of heartbreak, which Sontag detailed with tenderness.

I did not have any complaints about the book. There were a few formatting errors that another round of proofreading could resolve. Being minor errors, they did not detract from my reading experience. Consequently, I rate the novel 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate historical fiction. Although geared towards young adults, there are quite a few violent scenes, so the readers should exercise caution.

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Yosemite Trail Discovered
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[Damis Seres Rodriguez]

Oh I love historical novels, I would love to read this. Thanks for the review!

[Paully_]

One character I admire is Daniel. The book cover is beautiful too. Thanks for the awesome review.

[Azubike Richard]

One thing I liked about the book was the role Daniel played in the book. Awesome work

[Daniel Oluwabiyi]

I admire adventure novels. However I have not read the first book in the series so I will be sure to do that.

[Seyram ZEKPA]

Nice Book. Hero character full of principles and values. Also seeking for justice and little revenge. Perfect combo