Synopsis

Based on true events, The Paper Daughters of Chinatown in a powerful story about a largely unknown chapter in history and the women who emerged as heroes.

In the late nineteenth century, San Francisco is a booming city with a dark side, one in which a powerful underground organization—the criminal tong—buys and sells young Chinese women into prostitution and slavery. These “paper daughters,” so called because fake documents gain them entry to America but leave them without a legal identity, generally have no recourse. But the Occidental Mission Home for Girls is one bright spot of hope and help.

Told in alternating chapters, this rich narrative follows the stories of young Donaldina Cameron who works in the mission home, and Mei Lien, a “paper daughter” who thinks she is coming to America for an arranged marriage but instead is sold into a life of shame and despair.

Donaldina, a real-life pioneering advocate for social justice, bravely stands up to corrupt officials and violent gangs, helping to win freedom for thousands of Chinese women. Mei Lien endures heartbreak and betrayal in her search for hope, belonging, and love. Their stories merge in this gripping account of the courage and determination that helped shape a new course of women’s history in America.

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Praise

“Recommend to fans of compelling, character-driven historical fiction inspired by true events, such as Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours (2017). YAs will be drawn to the dramatic stories of the young Chinese women brought to America.”  -Booklist, starred review

“Despite the disturbing subject matter, meticulously researched book is unputdownable. The book is as much a history lesson about a shameful piece of American history as it is a glimpse into the life of a heroine whose legacy lives on today. Readers will come to care about all the women featured in the book and will marvel at the extraordinary accomplishments of a determined woman ahead of her time. Based on true events…Fascinating.” – Historical Novel Society

Review

I have read several books lately that depict events in history, and even though it is fictionalized, the books are based on enough facts to educate the reader (and me) about tragic events in the past.

We hear a lot in the news today about slavery, racism, and trafficking, but I was not aware of the Chinese women that were sold into prostitution and slavery in San Francisco (and other areas) in the late 1800s in the early 1900s. This book sheds a light on the events of that time and the work of one woman, Donaldina Cameron (Dolly), to rescue as many of those young girls and women as possible.

I was amazed at the amount of research the author did prior to writing this book. She shares that information at the beginning and the end of this book. Make sure to read those, especially at the beginning, because it will set up the story for you and perhaps give you an insight into this book while you are reading the novel.

This story weaves together both hope and tragedy. Not every rescue was a success but Dolly never gave up and continued to fight for these young girls to show them that life could be better for them outside of the brothels and opium dens. It broke my heart that some of these girls were as young as 9 (potentially younger) and in many cases, I do not think their parents knew what was going to happen to them when they sent them to the United States. The sad part is that it was their own countrymen that forced them into this life and sold them over and over again.

There are two storylines that are told, the one of the home and another of a young woman, Mei Lien. The story of the home starts in the late 1800s and Mei’s story starts in 1903, however, we find the stories merging several years later. While many of the characters were actual people that were involved in the Occidental Home, Mei Lien is a fictional character. However, her story could easily be one of the many women that came through the home and was probably a combination of many of the women that did come through and were impacted by Dolly and the home.

Dolly was definitely a force to be reckoned with during her time at the home. Her bravery astounded me and gave me hope that there are those out there fighting for those that cannot defend themselves. She put herself in harm’s way more than once and must have had angels watching over her as she rushed to extract those in trouble from their situations. She also gave her life to this pursuit and while she never had children, considered all of the Chinese girls her children and they looked fondly upon her as well.

This book could easily have been twice as long and gone into more depth of what Dolly did for the home and her personal life. While we see glimpses of her family, a man she loved, and some of her history, it was not the main focus of the book (nor should it have been). Her life, her calling, was the Occidental Home and she realized that and gave up any sort of life outside of the home because she felt this is where she needed to be. You have to admire those that realize their calling in life and go full force into that life.

This is a wonderful book and we give it 5 paws up. Anyone that is a fan of historical fiction based on actual events will most likely enjoy this book.

About the Author

HEATHER B. MOORE is a USA Today bestseller and award-winning author of more than seventy publications. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of the United States, including Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical research.

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