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Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls #1)
by
Lisa See (Goodreads Author)
In 1937, Shanghai is the Paris of Asia, a city of great wealth and glamour, the home of millionaires and beggars, gangsters and gamblers, patriots and revolutionaries, artists and warlords. Thanks to the financial security and material comforts provided by their father’s prosperous rickshaw business, twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having th...more
Paperback - Large Print, Large Print, 506 pages
Published
May 26th 2009
by Random House Large Print
(first published January 1st 2009)
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I'm re-rating this book up to 4 stars, but with the contingency that it must be read with Dreams of Joy. When read in conjunction with the second book, this book is excellent - really emotionally powerful. Without the second book, you'll be horribly disappointed with the the last 20 pages - and wishing for 350 more. my original review is still below.
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Re-reading 5/2011 in prep for the second book Dreams of Joy. In retrospect, my review is fairly prophetic. I'm so glad there'...more
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Re-reading 5/2011 in prep for the second book Dreams of Joy. In retrospect, my review is fairly prophetic. I'm so glad there'...more
Lisa See brings out my finest emotions. The array of words is sown deep in my mind without the fear of being uprooted. I have a younger sister; never liked when she was born. I was extremely envious of her robbing all the parental attention. Over the years through our subtle rivalries and treacherous fights we grew closer and protective of each other. Although she is four years younger than me, I feel maternal towards her, trying every possible way to shelter her happiness and smile. I do not be...more
This was the third book I've read by this author and I'm still confused as to my feelings for her writing. The first book I read, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I loved. I think it was all the descriptions and information about the cultural nuances, including foot binding. Then, I was excited to read, Peony in Love, until I actually started it. Then, I thought maybe this book would turn the tide either way. Unfortunately, I'm still ambivalent. It was an interesting enough story: two "...more
I fell in love with Lisa See's writing a few years ago when I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. As such, I was really looking forward to reading Shanghai Girls when it came out. Initially though, people began saying that it did not compare. So it was with trepidation that I began reading this book, afraid that I would be disappointed. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. All I can say is that Lisa See has another hit on her hands with this wonderful story of two sisters who emigrate from Shanghai to Ame...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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I have really mixed feelings about this book, it's almost like the book is horrible and beautiful at the same time. The book is told from the perspective of the oldest of two beautiful Chinese sisters growing up in Shanghai during the 1930's. They live a pampered life until suddenly their father loses everything and sells them as brides to two young men from America to repay a debt. The book follows the sisters as they are forced to flee from their native country and find refuge in the home o...more
Pearl and May are two young, beautiful girls living in the modernized Shanghai. Everything seems to be perfect until their father tells them that he is broke and has to sell both her daughters to Gold Mountain Men (Chinese men living overseas who comes back in search for Chinese brides). They are arranged to embark for San Francisco, but Pearl throws away their tickets, insisting that she does not want to live her life with a man she does not love.
The bond between Pearl and May is sp...more
The bond between Pearl and May is sp...more
This book is an historical novel which takes place in the early 20th century at a time when Japan overruns China. It is written so well that the information virtually flies off the page and the character's personalities seem real not fictional.
The reader watches as May and Pearl, sisters aged 16 and 19, model for an artist who paints “Beautiful Girl” calendars, watches them as they party at night and feels their sense of adventure and joy, their sense of abandon, and then, ultimately wat...more
The reader watches as May and Pearl, sisters aged 16 and 19, model for an artist who paints “Beautiful Girl” calendars, watches them as they party at night and feels their sense of adventure and joy, their sense of abandon, and then, ultimately wat...more
Lisa’s See’s new novel, Shanghai Girls, provides a rich experience for its readers – taking them from the splendor, highlife, glamour and poverty of 1937 Shanghai to the struggles of Chinese immigrants to survive a virtual internment on Angel Island, off the coast of San Francisco, to the almost impossible challenges of trying to build a life in Los Angeles Chinatown in the context of an America that does not want them and treats them cruelly.
But despite its rich background, Shanghai...more
But despite its rich background, Shanghai...more
Good, solid read. Strong storytelling. She's clever to have kept mentioning that the girls' English was 'perfect' because this helped with voice authenticity. Otherwise, the narrative would have seemed too Americanized. On the other hand, I felt let down by the last quarter of the book, and completely nonplussed by the ending. It all felt rushed, as if she was running to the end, and not entirely believable. In fact, I DIDNT's believe it! It just doesn't seem real that in the 1950s a young Chine...more
This book was very disappointing. I went into it eager to learn about this point in history and this should have been a good book considering the premise of the story. I think it started out well and the family and events in China held my interest and seemed well-defined. Still, the tragedies never felt that compelling, and even what should have outraged me when they arrived in the US, never had the impact they would have if better written. I should have gotten angry, I should have cried, I...more
I do not understand why gifted authors occasionally butcher what would otherwise be fantastic novels.
Lisa See's "Shanghai Girls" starts off a bit slower than "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," but I quickly became wrapped up in the tale of two sisters, May and Pearl, who work as beautiful girls (a.k.a. calendar models) in Shanghai, China, until their father goes bankrupt and decides to sell his daughters into arranged marriages with American husbands. Tragedy quickly...more
Lisa See's "Shanghai Girls" starts off a bit slower than "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," but I quickly became wrapped up in the tale of two sisters, May and Pearl, who work as beautiful girls (a.k.a. calendar models) in Shanghai, China, until their father goes bankrupt and decides to sell his daughters into arranged marriages with American husbands. Tragedy quickly...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A friend thought she was reading Shanghai Diary when she happened on to this book and recommended it. Because I enjoyed Shanghai Diary I decided to read this also. This is a historical novel which begins in 1937 at the height of Shanghai’s glamor days. The beautiful Chinese sisters May and Pearl Chin are enjoying a carefree life of fun and fashion. It all begins to change when their father gambles away the family’s comfortable existence and arranges to have his daughters married off to two Am...more
It was really hard for me to get into this book. Her writing told us things about the characters, rather than showing them, which I didn't like. She also skipped huge chunks of time (probably in the interest of length), which I thought compromised some of the things she could have showed us about the characters relationships. Like you didn't see Sam and Pearl together that much, though they loved each other, or get a strong sense of the families' day-to-day life.
I did want to know m...more
I did want to know m...more
I didn’t like Snow Flower and the Secret Fan too much when I read it several years ago, but when I heard that Lisa See was on a massive promotional tour that was stopping near my house, I picked up Shanghai Girls to give her another chance. As it turns out, Shanghai Girls is very similar to Snow Flower, which has the advantages of clear narrative and good pacing with historic details and characters behaving according to Chinese values. It also has the disadvantage of being another dip in the Chi...more
My wife and I have ties to China that make any novel based in its history and people of great interest -- so it was no surprise that "Shanghai Girls" caught and kept me throughout its dramatic plot and compelling character study. The novel draws a vivid picture of Shanghai in the 1930's, the city's bizarre combination of foreign enclave and urban poor; then it captures the shocking rupture of the Japanese invasion -- and the subsequent refugee flight to Hong Kong and then California...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Lisa See's "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" proved such compelling reading, I decided I needed to read more of her work. "Shanghai Girls" was the next book I downloaded on to my Kindle app of See's work, and by freak choice, "Dreams of Joy" at the same time — without realising it would provide the necessary sequel. I had seen See's book cover at my local bookstore but avoided it, for the obvious reason that it looked like fluffy reading. It turns out "Shangh...more
Mengisahkan kepahitan dua perempuan kakak-beradik yang meninggalkan negeri Cina....menawan hingga akhir...
Pearl dan May, sebagai putri dari saudagar angkong yang kaya, sangat menikmati dan menjadi bagian dari sudut kemewahan kota Shanghai. Mereka adalah gadis-gadis cantik - sebutan untuk para model yang bekerja pada seniman-seniman pembuat iklan. Setiap hari mereka menikmati masa muda mereka - dari berbelanja di butik hingga menjadi model bagi para seniman pada malam harinya.
A...more
Pearl dan May, sebagai putri dari saudagar angkong yang kaya, sangat menikmati dan menjadi bagian dari sudut kemewahan kota Shanghai. Mereka adalah gadis-gadis cantik - sebutan untuk para model yang bekerja pada seniman-seniman pembuat iklan. Setiap hari mereka menikmati masa muda mereka - dari berbelanja di butik hingga menjadi model bagi para seniman pada malam harinya.
A...more
This is a story of two sisters; one beautiful and self-serving, the other selfless and plain. Life for these "beautiful girls" is almost too good. They spend their days shopping, reading the latest magazines, and socializing among the who's who in Shanghai. Tragedy strikes and the women are forced to face the enormity of their problems, blatantly ignoring any of the warning signs.
They are forced to marry Chinese Americans in which they hope is in paper only. They are force...more
They are forced to marry Chinese Americans in which they hope is in paper only. They are force...more
spoiler alert...
I read this right before I left for my 2-week summer vacation. I was trying to finish it before I got on the plane, so I stayed up until about 4 am, and had to wake up about 9 am to catch the train to catch my plane. I still didn't finish it. I had about 50 pages left. I left the book in Tokyo, and took The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, instead. You see, I didn't wanna carry a bunch of extra stuff, and I knew it would only take me a short while to finish it. So, I left i...more
I read this right before I left for my 2-week summer vacation. I was trying to finish it before I got on the plane, so I stayed up until about 4 am, and had to wake up about 9 am to catch the train to catch my plane. I still didn't finish it. I had about 50 pages left. I left the book in Tokyo, and took The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, instead. You see, I didn't wanna carry a bunch of extra stuff, and I knew it would only take me a short while to finish it. So, I left i...more
Lisa See does it again! Shanghai Girls is a fantastic story about two sisters raised in Shanghai and through many trying circumstances make a new life for themselves in Los Angeles.
This is a fantastic story about sisterhood and the ties that bind us together. Pearl and May, the sisters in the book, experience great hardship and tradegy in their lives. It is their response to this adversity that shows the depth of their love for one another and the ties that bind them together. ...more
This is a fantastic story about sisterhood and the ties that bind us together. Pearl and May, the sisters in the book, experience great hardship and tradegy in their lives. It is their response to this adversity that shows the depth of their love for one another and the ties that bind them together. ...more
Another great one by Lisa See, but I do think she dropped the ball on the last 3 chapters. Pearl (21) and May (18) are two modern, well-to-do sisters living with their father and mother in Shanghai in the 1930s. They pose as local models, dress in the latest fashions, socialize with an international crowd, and know they will marry for love, unlike their mother whose feet were bound and who was matched with their father by their families. However, their lives as they know them come to a scree...more
Well...this is my first review here on goodreads so I am a little confused on what exactly I should say and how I should present this text. I am just going to give it a go and hope it doesn't turn into some bumbling mess.
So...On with my review for the book Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.
At first, I will admit I was very dissapointed and a wee bit confused. The first two chapters proved to much for me to bear and I quit the book. This was back in February or March. I then picked up ...more
So...On with my review for the book Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.
At first, I will admit I was very dissapointed and a wee bit confused. The first two chapters proved to much for me to bear and I quit the book. This was back in February or March. I then picked up ...more
I listened to the audiobook. This is fantastic historical fiction. The novel starts out in 1937, in Shanghai, China. It is a glamorous and exciting place to be, especially if you are young and beautiful and come from a family that has achieved financial stability. Sisters Pearl and May see themselves as modern Westernized women, rebelling against authority and traditions. The girls spend their time shopping, visiting nightclubs and earning their own money posing as ‘Beautiful Girls” for an artis...more
This is quite possibly the most depressing book I have ever read.
I understand that this happened to a lot of people during World War II, the whole rape-sad-escape-sad-angelisland-sad-babydies-sad-ostracized-sad-husbanddies-sad...but dude the entire book is sad and depressing.
The thing is, it's not even sad in a beautiful, emotional way. It's not sad that it will make me cry. It's sad because I'm horrified and angered and all shivery from the horrific scenes painted in s...more
I understand that this happened to a lot of people during World War II, the whole rape-sad-escape-sad-angelisland-sad-babydies-sad-ostracized-sad-husbanddies-sad...but dude the entire book is sad and depressing.
The thing is, it's not even sad in a beautiful, emotional way. It's not sad that it will make me cry. It's sad because I'm horrified and angered and all shivery from the horrific scenes painted in s...more
I'm a little torn about what to rate this book. It's either a 3 or a 4. I absolutely loved reading about Shanghai. So much was familiar but in a lot of ways, Shanghai has changed so much since those days. It was fun reading about Chinese culture as I could relate to a lot of it. I thought that the author did a beautiful job describing sister relationships and how complex they are. That was my favorite part about the book. The relationships showed how resentments and grudges can build up, ...more
Pearl and May are sisters living the good life in Shanghai circa 1937. But tragedy hits and their lives are forever changed. They live through war, immigration troubles, arranged marriages and so much more.
I absolutely loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by the same author. I kind of felt like this book was trying to recapture the success of that book. Both were about sisters, either by birth or custom, and the ups and down of that relationship. I still liked it quite a bit but I...more
I absolutely loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by the same author. I kind of felt like this book was trying to recapture the success of that book. Both were about sisters, either by birth or custom, and the ups and down of that relationship. I still liked it quite a bit but I...more
I see now from reading the reviews that this book fits into a series of novels that covers the arc of modern Chinese history, and reading it in conjunction with others and (hopefully) the happy ending of the final one could change your view of this story. But really, I couldn't stomach it after listening to a few chapters, and jumping to the last chapter where May gives the big reveal of secrets on That Fateful Night confirmed that I didn't want to waste my time on the middle part. I didn't lik...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ask Lisa See!: How deep into history did you have to research? | 4 | 59 | Nov 09, 2011 08:41pm | |
| 100 KINDLE BOOKS FOR $3.99 OR LESS | 2 | 47 | Sep 02, 2011 05:52am | |
| KPMG Book Club - ...: Book Discussion Questions | 1 | 1 | Aug 25, 2011 11:38am | |
| My interview with Lisa See | 3 | 60 | Jul 04, 2011 08:21pm | |
| Srpski prevod knjige Devojke iz Šangaja | 3 | 15 | Apr 05, 2011 04:58pm |
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Lisa See is a Chinese-American author. Her books include Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), Dragon Bones, and On Gold Mountain. She was named the 2001 National Woman of the Year, by the Organization of Chinese American Women. She lives in Los Angeles.
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“Maybe we're all like that with our mothers. They seem ordinary until one day they're extraordinary.”
—
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“May and I are sisters. We'll always fight, but we'll always make up as well. That's what sisters do: we argue, we point out each other's frailties, mistakes, and bad judgment, we flash the insecurities we've had since childhood, and then we come back together. Until the next time. ”
—
44 people liked it
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