Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Pages: 383

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Historical / Survival

Notes for Parents: Some violence and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.
On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the “bossy” cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

What you should know:

The story is fiction but the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was very real, killing more than 3000 people and destroying over 80% of the city.

The Review

Mercy is a strong-minded and intrepid teen resolved to make her future bright. Mercy’s story is one of dogged determination and resourcefulness, first to get herself into a top school, then to survive a major earthquake. The reader gets a strong sense of the times, especially of the systemic racism that existed. Chinese culture and tradition are beautifully integrated into everything Mercy does, and her love for her family and community is inspiring. The earthquake doesn’t hit until page 174, so it felt like a bit of a slog getting to that point, but it did provide a chance to get to know the characters beforehand. Once the tragedy hits, the story is fast-paced and dramatic. There are some mature scenes, but it never gets too graphic.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

Mercy’s experiences as an indomitable teen, a child of Chinese immigrants, and an earthquake survivor are riveting and grab the readers heart almost instantly. The first half of the story is interesting, but a bit slow. Things pick up and the end is worth it.

Lee, Stacey. Outrun the Moon. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2016.