There was a time when the Chinese people of mainland China migrated to other countries to try and change their fate. In keeping with the theme of experiences (as was found inthe previous book reviewed), this author also does a brilliant job in describing the struggles of Chinese immigrants in the United States of America.
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by Koh Jin Le
Shanghai Girls is a novel by Lisa See. The story is divided into three parts: Fate, Fortune, and Destiny. It centers on the complex relationship between two sisters, Pearl and May, as they go through great pain and suffering in leaving war-torn Shanghai and trying to adjust to the difficult role as wives in arranged marriages. They also struggle to keep their heads up as Chinese immigrants to the U.S. Here, See treats Chinese immigration from a personal view through Pearl's narration. America's mistreatment of Chinese immigrants is stressed in the novel.
The sisters' story is placed in the context of critical historical events, famous people, and important places -- the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Battle of Shanghai, internment at Angel Island, Los Angeles Chinatown, Hollywood, World War II, the Chinese Exclusion Act, McCarthyism, and so on. Historically significant people appearing in the novel include Madame Chiang Kai-shek, actress Anna May Wong, film personality Tom Gubbins, and Christine Sterling, the "Mother of Olvera Street."
In Shanghai Girls, See moves on to treat the loving yet conflicted relationship between two best friends who also happen to be sisters, especially in the context of their relationship to Pearl's daughter Joy. In speaking of Shanghai Girls, See has commented: "Your sister is the one person who should stick by you and love you no matter what, but she’s also the one person who knows exactly where to drive the knife to hurt you the most." That being said, in Shanghai Girls it is the love of Pearl and May for each other that prevails.
This novel is definitely worth-reading because it depicts the hardship and mistreatment faced by Pearl and May after the Battle of Shanghai. Touching and meaningful, I’ll give it a five-star rating.
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