As in her other work, Melanie Benjamin brings her historical novel California Golden to life through vivid descriptions and sensational twists and turns. She narrates the story of sisters Mindy and Ginger, who, after being neglected by their surfer mother Carol, grow up to lead difficult and lonely lives. Although the sisters try hard to form a bond with their mother, she is occupied with the burdens of her own past. They eventually separate and choose very different paths in life. Through an unexpected journey littered with obstacles, Mindy and Ginger make their way toward what they need most — each other.

California Golden explores the themes of glamour, desire, motherhood, sisterhood, and what it meant to be a woman on the cusp of second-wave feminism. Mindy and Ginger grow up mostly without the help of their mother in the 1960s, as Carol's professional surfing career means ...