Shanghai Girls: A Novel

Shanghai,1937. Another world, almost another century. The sights, the smells, the incredibly varied and intriguing cuisines and the lives of two beautiful Chinese girls intertwine and flow along in this beautifully written novel like an inexorable river. Lisa See can write and you're there in a Shanghai which will never come again, when women still tottered about on bound feet, when the wealthy had many servants and the poor had nothing. Shanghai was a little country unto itself, self-sufficient, snobby towards the rest of China which was considered backwards and primitive. The Shanghai girls are two beautiful sisters who lived remarkably uninhibited and un-chaperoned lives, posing for advertising posters, staying out most of the night with their friends. May is the younger sister, eighteen and the favorite of the girls' father. Shewas born under the sign of the Sheep. Pearl, the narrator of the novel, at twenty-one is also lovely but tall with cheekbones, born a Dragon, and not quite as much loved by her parents as her sister, because she is not quite as beautiful. The sign one is born under is very important to the Chinese, and indeed, May is as comfortable and obliging as a sheep and Pearl is a scrapper, brave and feisty, like a dragon. In 1937 the girls are carefree, cosmopolitan, secure in their father's wealth, and they are rather heedless like the American flappers of the twenties. Although the sisters seem yin and yang, their love for each other is forged in steel and this bond is very important although at times their opposite natures clash. The Sheep versus the Dragon. Waiving off tradition, the two girls revel in their youth and beauty until their father tells them he has lost their inheritance gambling and in order to pay his debts he must farm the girls out as husbands to two brothers who have traveled from Los Angeles in search of suitable Chinese brides. The girls meet their husbands briefly, Pearl's husband is Sam and he is her age, but May's husband, Vernon, is only fourteen years old and cannot consummate the marriage. Pearl sleeps with a total stranger, her husband, but hates the experience and incredibly the sheets of her marriage bed are examined by the man who arranged the marriages, as proof of the consummation and Pearl's virginity. In the meantime Japan attacks China and Pearl and May and their mother, (their father has disappeared) try to escape the bombs by sneaking into the country, sleeping in huts or on the ground, scrounging for food. They are brutalized by Japanese soldiers and Mama dies after the soldiers strip off the coverings of her bound feet and stamp on the tortured toes. The girls manage to across the Pacific in a decrepit ship and are held at the immigration office in San Francisco for weeks, where they suffer one indignity after another in this virtual prison. May secretly gives birth to a baby girl in the shower room. Since Vernon is too young to be the father, May and Pearl change places, Pearl stuffs her clothing with pillows and May hides her growing belly behind loose clothing. Pearl acts as midwife in the shower room, and the authorities are none the wiser. But from that day on baby Joy is the daughter of Pearl and her husband, Sam, will fully accept her as his child. May keeps the paternity of the real father hidden even from Pearl, but the identity of the father will be revealed at the end of the book and his identity will have a profound effect twenty years later when Pearl discovers who actually sired the beautiful girl who has always been accepted as her daughter. When the sisters are finally freed from the immigration bureau at Angel Island and travel south to meet their husbands, they become part of a cultural roller coaster ride. In China Town, LA, they are obliged to be crammed into a small flat where the two husbands and their tyrannical parents all live together. They are also trapped in another prison of sorts, a Chinese ghetto, living with husbands they hardly know, buffeted between American culture and traditional Chinese values. They try to balance the China of memories with the present, the now reality with golden memories of the past. Can one be an American but still be Chinese? "We raised our children to be Americans but what we wanted were proper Chinese sons and daughters." But in China the respect of parents and of ancestors has been replaced by worship of Chairman Mao. An FBI witch hunt for communist sympathizers infiltrates the Chinese community, and Chinese who simply want to send money to their families are branded with the mark of Cain: communists. Author See very deftly paints a vivid picture of the Chinese experience in America, her brush is filled with background color and the strokes of that brush are expertly applied. But the ending of the novel is rather a shocker and it absolutely guarantees a sequel. I am not sure the ending works, but her sensitive approach and beautiful writing style earn her five stars for this novel. Lisa See is a highly perspective writer and she will help you see inside the Chinese psyche and catch a glimpse of the Chinese heart.

I was engaged with the story and characters almost from the very first paragraph. The writing style is simple and easy to follow. The personalities of the two girls -- so similar in looks, but so different in their approaches -- create interest. Their position in life as upper middle class members of Shanghai society and as "beautiful girls" with active social lives and classy wardrobes keep the reader hooked. As the story develops and they enter into multiple troubles and tragedies, it's nearly impossible to stop turning pages to find out what happens next. The writer frequently does not give you what you expect, so there are twists that are difficult to predict. Kudos to her for that: I've read too many novels lately where I know exactly what's going to happen next. I appreciate the elements of history in this novel that had me checking the internet for facts and details: What did Angel Island look like? Who was Christine Sterling? I know there's a Chinatown in LA, but never heard of China City. What was a "beautiful girl?" I was chuckling at the descriptions of the 1940s movies depicting Chinese by taping up the eyelids of Caucasian actors and actresses. Many of the places and events described in the book are captivating, especially if you are familiar with the locations or have a general interest in this history before you read. Spoiler warning: the book ends on a cliff-hanger and you will have to get the sequel ASAP. I'm about to do that. I'm cutting it by one star because at times it can be a bit soap-opera like and "telling" -- telling one event after another. This just crops up in sections of the book, towards the end, however.

Lisa See’s Shanghai Girls is, as always, a beautifully written and deeply moving story. She has such a gift for bringing history to life through intimate, emotional relationships, and this novel is no exception. At its core, it explores the bond between two women whose relationship is at times tumultuous, complicated, and even painful—but also filled with moments of resilience and connection. Set against the backdrop of war, immigration, and cultural upheaval, the story feels richly detailed and historically accurate. Lisa See clearly did her research, and it shows in the vivid settings and the authenticity of the characters’ experiences. You don’t just read about that time period—you feel immersed in it. What stands out most is how the relationship evolves. Despite misunderstandings and hardships, there is always an undercurrent of love, forgiveness, and ultimately, growth. It’s a reminder of how complex and enduring close relationships can be. It’s a beautiful but sad story—one that stays with you. I always enjoy reading Lisa See’s books, and Shanghai Girls is another powerful example of her storytelling.

The dramatic events and compelling relationship between the sisters gripped me from the beginning and I had a hard time putting it down. I like a novel that gives you one clear viewpoint, then another at the end which completely shifts the story. I sympathized with Pearl as the long-suffering older sister who pulls her optimistic little sister through a life fraught with hard decisions and hopeless situations. I agreed with her that May just didn't understand how hard life really is. Then when May pointed out all the evidence that Pearl's life was actually much better than Pearl ever realized, saw all the evidence for that point of view, too. Excellent! I would have given this novel four or five stars, except for the way it ends about three quarters of the way through the narrative. At such a dramatic point, we get no more? It's a real cliffhanger ending and I hope very much that there is a sequel on the way. If not, I have to call that ending unforgivable.

After reading Snow flower and the secret fan (which I also enjoyed) I started reading this book and could not rest until I had finished it. Absolutely fascinating but also really tough at times. This is a story that will stay with me.

Un livre à dévorer que cette chronique tragique de la vie de deux sœurs de la petite bourgeoisie de Shanghai d'avant-guerre. L'invasion japonaise les lance sur la route et jusqu'en Amérique où elles subiront la tyrannie d'un patriarche chinois et les préjugés racistes des blancs. Jusqu'á un dénouement inattendu et tragique.

Liked the characters and story line. A good mix of interesting chapters. Recommend to anyone who has an interest in China and the culture. I had never thought much about the prejudices the Chinese were subjected to for generations in the US.

Woah, the last part of this book has left me breathless - the pace was upped fantastically and WOW I need to read the second book asap. I loved this book after the first couple of chapters and knew immediately that I'd need to read more of Lisa See's books. The character building was of top quality throughout and I really feel like I know Pearl. At times May really annoyed me, she wasn't serious enough for me, but I like that the sisters are opposites. This story wasn't about a happy ending; it was about telling the truth and about creating a realistic life for realistic characters - things would be great and then something would happen to make it not-so-great, which helped make the story seem so very, very real. I suspect there were people whose lives planned out how Pearl and May's have, and at times it honestly felt like I was reading a true story. There were so many surprises throughout and all of the characters surprised me at one time or another. This book has so many layers to it and, as I've said, it was written so well that it felt like real life... why hasn't this book been made into a TV show?! So, so much happened in this book and I'm hungry to read the sequel - I hate that I can't afford to buy it right this second and that I instead have to wait for it to be available at the library :( I want to know where the character's lives are going - although there is one particular character that won't be in the sequel and I am so sad, because I was in love with said character. I don't know what else to say other than I loved this book SO much and it's definitely going on my favourites list!

Amo Lisa See e ho letto molti dei suoi libri. Shangai Gilrs è coinvolgente e appassionante, un libro per chi ama i romanzi ambientati.