314 pages
English language
Published Sept. 15, 2009 by Random House.
Two sisters leave Shanghai to find new lives in 1930s Los Angeles in this fresh, fascinating adventure.
I found this to be a fascinating story that taught me a bit about a part of history that I was not aware of, which is the best thing about this type of novel. I found Pearl to be quite likable and will read the sequel because I'm concerned about her future.
I didn't get as much enjoyment from this book as I have other books by Lisa See. [b:The Island of Sea Women|40538657|The Island of Sea Women|Lisa See|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549839392l/40538657.SY75.jpg|62803411] was my first from her, and I liked it so much I also read [b:Snow Flower and the Secret Fan|40873273|Snow Flower and the Secret Fan|Lisa See|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532005164l/40873273.SY75.jpg|1453585], which I also enjoyed, if a bit frustrating. I wish I could say the same about this book, but it was all of the frustration for not a lot of gain.
Sisters Pearl and May are displaced Beautiful Girls from Shanghai, basically pin-up girls used in advertising campaigns. They believe themselves untouchable and unapproachable, but soon find real life politics and war intruding on their sheltered and pampered lives. In order to save themselves, they find their way to American and Angel Island, chasing after arranged marriages that they were reluctant to pursue …
I didn't get as much enjoyment from this book as I have other books by Lisa See. [b:The Island of Sea Women|40538657|The Island of Sea Women|Lisa See|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549839392l/40538657.SY75.jpg|62803411] was my first from her, and I liked it so much I also read [b:Snow Flower and the Secret Fan|40873273|Snow Flower and the Secret Fan|Lisa See|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532005164l/40873273.SY75.jpg|1453585], which I also enjoyed, if a bit frustrating. I wish I could say the same about this book, but it was all of the frustration for not a lot of gain.
Sisters Pearl and May are displaced Beautiful Girls from Shanghai, basically pin-up girls used in advertising campaigns. They believe themselves untouchable and unapproachable, but soon find real life politics and war intruding on their sheltered and pampered lives. In order to save themselves, they find their way to American and Angel Island, chasing after arranged marriages that they were reluctant to pursue before it became their only way out.
I found Pearl and May unlikeable in different ways. Pearl is rooted in tradition and sensible actions, while May is the dreamer and used to getting her way. On several occasions in the book, Pearl has to save May from her own careless actions, who then flippantly doesn't see anything she's done as being wrong. Pearl herself turns bitter and suspicious of everyone and everything as she ages, and the fact that the two sisters never air their grievances against one another at all during their lives together comes to a (predictable) head near the end of the story. Lisa See loves driving home the importance of communication in her books, and this one is no exception.
I also never really felt connected with any of the characters. Things happened, but without that connection I also didn't really feel anything when they did. I just felt a vague sense of importance, like "hey this is relevant to the story" rather than any real grief or sympathy for the main characters.
I don't know, this one felt like a miss to me. If you've never read Lisa See before, read one of the other books by her I've mentioned here, because I think they do a better job at telling a story you feel connected with.
