Set against the backdrop of the fading American gold rush, 'How Much of These Hills Is Gold' follows the entwined fates of two orphaned siblings, Lucy and Sam, children of immigrants striving for a place to call home. After the death of their father, they embark on a harrowing journey across a wilderness steeped in dreams and devastation. Bearing their father's body, seeking a proper burial, they confront the scars of a land pillaged by greed. Family secrets unfurl and loyalties are tested as Lucy and Sam must navigate a world that never fully acknowledged their existence. Through lyrical prose that weaves Chinese mythology with reimagined American history, C. Pam Zhang tells an epic tale of belonging, survival, and the enduring power of memory and hope.