In 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are—Shanghai girls.
Series: Shanghai Girls #1
Release Date: May 26th 2009
Publisher: Random House
Source: Provided by Reviewer
Reviewer: Elle Ay Esse
Rating:
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Reviewer’s Thoughts
Shanghai was one of those cities that appeared to be completely unaffected by WWI. Referred to as the “Paris of Asia”, those who could boast Shanghai as their home were usually enveloped in luxuries, riches, friends and happiness. Told from the perspective of Pearl Dragon, Shanghai Girls is a story of love, betrayal, sisterhood, family, culture and mystery.
I must first state that I read many reviews on GoodReads prior to starting the book. I learned then that is the first book in her two novel series. The second book is Dreams of Joy and continues right where Shanghai Girls leaves off. Many of the reviews for Shanghai Girls stated that the abrupt ending was off putting. Perhaps because I had been warned that there was a second book, this did not bother me nearly as much. I say this to you all, dear readers, because I could see how not knowing about the sequel would cause ratings on Shanghai Girls to drop.
Beginning in pre-WWII China, Pearl and May are wealthy sisters who work as Beautiful Girls. This means that they are painted at night by artists who are commissioned by brands for marketing purposes. There are calendars, posters, labels, all sorts of merchandise that proudly displays the faces of these beautiful sisters. Pearl harbors an intense love for her artist Z.G. Li and enjoys modeling for him most of all. She dreams of a life they could share, enjoying the delights of China and all it contains. Sadly, her bubble is broken one evening when she and May return home only to be told that their father has gambles away the family fortune and both Pearl and May will be married to western Chinese men in order for their mother to keep their home.
Devastated Pearl runs to Z.G. who tells her that perhaps it is for the best. In the days leading up to the meeting of the husbands and the marriage ceremonies, May begins to model in the nude for Z.G in hopes of making enough money to run from the situation and make her own life somewhere. Unfortunately, Japan and Nazi Germany have other plans for China.
In a blink, war has begun and the sisters are married to men from America with orders to join them at a later date. With no intention of doing so, the sisters realize their father has run off and their mother is not the wilting fowler they believed her to be. Instead they discover a plan hatched by their mother to help them flee what has now become war torn China.
Tragedy after tragedy, the girls finally make it to America where it is discovered that Pearl is pregnant. They are held at Angel Island for months, under interrogation about their husbands, how they have gotten to America and how they can become citizens. After the baby arrives, they are finally allowed to go live with their husbands in old Chinatown, just outside of Hollywood. From there life as they know it has changed so drastically both Pearl and May begin to feel as though they are no longer Beautiful Girls from Shanghai and instead poor immigrants taking refuge in America.
Now let me say that I rated this book exceedingly high for its historical accuracy and detailed descriptions. With each turn of the page I felt that I was fully immersed in Old Shanghai or old Chinatown and Hollywood. The character development was ever evolving and, predictable at times, but still very well written. This book was not jaw dropping and the mysteries are explained as they occur, yet the story flowed and ebbed with an easy read.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Erick Larson’s Devil in the White City. Not that the stories are comparable but the historical value is rich enough for anyone who loves this particular breed of fiction.
As always, Happy Reading!
Elle Ay Esse
