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Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls #1)

by Lisa See (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 60,292 ratings · 6,503 reviews

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

Hardcover, 309 pages

Published May 26th 2009 by Random House (first published 2009)

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Best Books of 2009

23rd out of 1,225 books — 6,459 voters

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Best Novels That Take Place in China

4th out of 200 books — 534 voters

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Jun 05, 2011 Eileen Souza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: asia, china, historical-fiction

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's more to the s...more 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's more to the story.
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Lisa See's new book (which I've been waiting for since her website mentioned that it was coming out months ago) does what she does best - writing about the relationships of people and the ups and downs of life long relationships. Whether it's best friends/lao tong (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), husbands and wives (the Red Princess mystery series), a teenager's relationship with her parents (Peony in Love), Lisa has a rare ability to wrench your heart with the unbelievably powerful feelings that these relationships evoke in our lives.

She certainly did this in Shanghai Girls - this time with sisters who grew up in modern pre-WWII Shanghai, and who because of the war are forced to make huge changes in their lives for which they are entirely unprepared.

We read this story through the eyes of Pearl, the older, smarter, less attractive sister, and how she goes through her days protecting her sister, and trying to harness the sibling rivalry that always exists between them. The tension slowly grows and grows throughout the book, until the end, where if you know Lisa See books, then you know what's coming.

The reason that I gave this book three stars is because I felt that after the explosion of emotions, there was no resolution. It was too abrupt of an ending, and I felt like the characters were lost to me before it was time for them to go. I understand why Lisa ended the book where she did chronologically (it would have required some serious additional writing, and I bet the publishers wouldn't have allowed an 800 pg book) but I wish that they had. Where is my coda?

I will read it again, and enjoy it from the perspective of one who knows what's coming, but I can't say that it's my favorite Lisa See novel.(less)

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Aug 21, 2010 Praj rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 女性

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

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Jul 15, 2010 J.Elle rated it 2 of 5 stars

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 "modern" si...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Linda Smith rated it 2 of 5 stars

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 shou...more

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Sep 09, 2010 Lyn M (readinghearts) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lynne, Donna, Cam, Leslye, Mary

Shelves: 2010, asian, historical-fiction

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 America...more

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May 01, 2011 matrioshka rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

العمل الروائيّ الطويل \ المتماسك \ المشوّق حتى آخر حرف لا يتأتّى لأي روائي ؛ وإن حصل فإنه لا يتكرر مرتين متتاليني!!
فتاتان من شنغهاي ثاني عمل روائي أقرأه للكاتبة الجميلة ليزا سي وثاني عمل أنبهر به لاختلافه وروعة سرده ..
في عملها الأول ركزت على الصين كوطن لكن في العمل الثاني ركزت على الصين كبلد مهجّر لأبنائه لأسباب اقتصادية \ سياسية في الفترة التي سبقت استيلاء الشيوعيين وحكومة ماو تسي على أجزاء كبيرة منها ..
وبما أن الكاتبة أمريـ\صينيّة فقد برعت في كشف الكثير عن الصينيين في بلاد المهجر..

خمسة أن...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Helen Dunn rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 21, 2012 Elizabeth Craig rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like asian literature, culture, and dynamic stories.

Shelves: asian-lit, my-favorites, page-turners, local-library

I really loved this book, it's one of my favorites and a must-read if you like asian literature. Lisa See builds a great story that spans over the 18 or so years that this novel takes place. At the beginning Pearl and May seem like rebellious teenage girls but soon have to grow up into young independent women because of their father's mistakes. Through all their hardships Pearl and May maintain that strong sisterly bond but, as any pair of sisters, they know how to get on each other's nerves and...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Katsumi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: war

War is the background of the story but not the story itself. The story is about the relationship between Pearl and her sister and what they go through during these hard times and the strength of these two women.

The story for me also seems to have a lesson hidden within the story about how one is in control of one's own destiny. Not trying to give too much of the story away but throughout the book it's Pearl who tells the story and the reader is lead to believe that there was no choice but to go...more

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May 19, 2012 Nenette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story talks about the good life two sisters who led pampered lives in pre-war Shanghai, their plight when they were held for months at Angel Island before they were granted entry to the US, and their struggles as second class "citizens" living in California.

How things change! The Chinese who escaped to the United States during the Sino-Japanese war would never have thought China's rising position in the world today. But looking around us now, have things really change? China may be one of th...more

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May 17, 2011 yamami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

تُبهرني الروائية ليزا سي في تمكنها من أدوات الرواية ، لديها القدرة في شَد القارئ من الحدث الأول في الرواية حتى يُسدل الستار على جميع الأحداث المشوّقة والمُبهرة ، لديها قدرة مُذهلة في سَرد الأحداث وربطها ببعض لتَخرج بعمل متماسك وقوي ، إلى الحد الذي يدفعك لأن تأخذ نفساً عميقاً وتبتسم برضا عند الصفحة الأخيرة من الرواية ..

تُركّز ليزا سي في هذه الرواية ، على فتاتان من الطبقة البرجوازية-آنذاك- كانتا تعيشان في شنغهاي التي كانت أكثر مُدن الصين ثراءً في ذلك الوقت ، إذ كانت تُسمّى باريس آسيا.
ثمّ يخسر الأ...more تُبهرني الروائية ليزا سي في تمكنها من أدوات الرواية ، لديها القدرة في شَد القارئ من الحدث الأول في الرواية حتى يُسدل الستار على جميع الأحداث المشوّقة والمُبهرة ، لديها قدرة مُذهلة في سَرد الأحداث وربطها ببعض لتَخرج بعمل متماسك وقوي ، إلى الحد الذي يدفعك لأن تأخذ نفساً عميقاً وتبتسم برضا عند الصفحة الأخيرة من الرواية ..

تُركّز ليزا سي في هذه الرواية ، على فتاتان من الطبقة البرجوازية-آنذاك- كانتا تعيشان في شنغهاي التي كانت أكثر مُدن الصين ثراءً في ذلك الوقت ، إذ كانت تُسمّى باريس آسيا.
ثمّ يخسر الأب جميع ثروته ويرهن بيته وأملاكه ثم -ولينقذ ما تبقى- يقوم بتدبير عقد زواج لأبنتيه من صينيين يعتزمون الهجرة والعيش في سان فرانسيسكو ، وفي تلك الأثناء تندلع الحرب بين اليابان والصين ، وتتوالى الأحداث بسرعة لاهثة ، لينتهي المطاف بالفتاتان في تشاينا تاون بسان فرانسيسكو ، جاءتا مُثقلتين بالجراح التي تُخلّفها الحرب، في الروح والجسد ، وقد فقدتا كلّ شيء ، ليبدءا من جديد في مُجتمع أميركي يرفض وجود الصينيين ويعزلهم في مدينة مُغلقة ..

نُسِجَت هذه الرواية على الكثير من الأحداث ، الكثير من الإحباطات ، الخسائر ، الأكاذيب المُحكمة ، الأمل والعناد التام في الاستمرار ..
الرواية رااائعة بحق ، وأتمنى أن أعيش لأقرأ كهذه الأعمال ..
سأعدّها من أجمل ما قرأت في هذا العام 2011

،
خمس نُجيمات : )
وقلب <3
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Sep 09, 2010 Cynthia rated it 2 of 5 stars

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 of t...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Aik Chien 인첸 rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 special and st...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 special and strong. As the elder sister, Pearl has a feeling that she has the responsibility to look after May, and always does her best to keep her safe. During the Japanese invasion, Pearl and her mother suffered the humiliation of being raped repeatedly by Japanese soldiers. Pearl sacrificed herself to protect her sister from being ravished by the cruel men because she knew that the soldiers are bound to search the place and finally find them (she and May), who were not concealed safely under the wooden planks.

During their confinement at Angel Island, the 18-year-old May gives birth to a child in result of a premarital relationship with a man. For fear of being rejected by her in-laws, May pleads her sister to accept the child, named Joy, as her own. At first, Pearl intends to run away, but after many years living with the Louies, she begins to have a feeling of home and family, although Chinese are constantly discriminated by the Americans.

The characters of this story are very well drawn, especially Old Man Louie's stinginess and fatherly concerns and Pearl's determination, stubbornness, fears and weaknesses. Pearl's character can be summarized by this sentence:

"We’re told that men are strong and brave, but I think women know how to endure, accept defeat, and bear physical and mental agony much better than men."

The story has an excellent plot, which implores me to keep on reading. I really take my hat off to the truth and lies that Lisa creatively inserted into the story. They never fail to make me surprised and shocked at the same time. I have always loved Lisa's way of writing : There is a smooth flow and strong transitions, which makes me to understand and follow the story easily. Even though I love the story, I have a feeling that Shanghai Girls ended too abruptly. I didn't expect it to end so soon and was earnest to read the next chapter, but when I turn the page - there's the acknowledgments page.

Shanghai Girls explores the loving yet conflicted relationship between sisters --- how they support each other during bad times, share the happiness during good times and blame each other when something bad happens. Towards the end of the novel, each of them finally confronts each other, pouring out all their anger and hurt which they have kept in their hearts for so long.

Your sister is the one person who should stick by you and love you no matter what, but she’s also the one person who knows exactly where to drive the knife to hurt you the most.

As the adage goes, blood is thicker than water, Pearl and May eventually becomes supportive of each other again when there is a problem. Their sisterly-bond can never be destroyed. Lisa See brings us on a provocative journey along with Pearl and May, from Shanghai to Angel Island and finally to America. She has once again exhibited her gift and talent in writing through this amazing and gripping novel, Shanghai Girls.

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May 25, 2012 Helynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Linda Sea is a wonderful author for enlightening us Caucasian American women about the plights of our Chinese sisters throughout various periods of history, both in their native country and as immigrants to the United States. Shanghai Girls is the years-long saga of two heroines, sisters Pearl and May, who have lived a fairly privileged life in Shanghai in the 1930s. They are educated, proud of their lovely clothes, and enjoy posing for an artist friend who paints their pretty faces on magazine...more Linda Sea is a wonderful author for enlightening us Caucasian American women about the plights of our Chinese sisters throughout various periods of history, both in their native country and as immigrants to the United States. Shanghai Girls is the years-long saga of two heroines, sisters Pearl and May, who have lived a fairly privileged life in Shanghai in the 1930s. They are educated, proud of their lovely clothes, and enjoy posing for an artist friend who paints their pretty faces on magazine covers and advertisements. But the wartime and the reversal of their father’s fortune make it necessary for them to marry men whom they do not know, who are immigrating to America. However, the stubborn sisters decide they will not meet their husbands in Hong Kong, as planned, to sail the Pacific, and take off with their mother in the opposite direction. Their harrowing experiences on the road as they encounter hostile Japanese forces include a brutal rape scene that almost made me stop reading right then and there. The sisters eventually make their way to Angel Island, the Ellis Island of the American West Coast, and a community in which Chinese immigrants may be held for years on end until their paperwork and sponsorship by other immigrants is sufficiently clear. While on the island, Pearl’s daughter Joy is born, and the sisters and baby are finally able to be reunited with their husbands, who are brothers, yet not brothers in the house of their parents, who really aren’t. ( Sea explains here the interesting—and somewhat disturbing— phenomenon of “paper sons” who are able to fly under the radar of U.S. immigration officials and enter the country allegedly as offspring of established immigrants who are willing to lie for them and take them in.) Their story in America is a revealing look at ongoing racism against Asian immigrants, who thrive in Chinatown and other areas of California despite grueling poverty. Many of these people are bright, creative, talented, and contributing members of the U.S. population, yet unwelcome in mainstream (Caucasian) schools and businesses for no better reason than their different appearance and exotic culture. There are successes and sorrows along the way as Pearl and May strive to protect a deep secret and to survive peacefully in their families and community. The story ends with a vital trip back to China to settle old issues and help bring a measure of peace to old family scores that were never really settled. Be prepared for some brutality and tragedy, but this is a story well worth reading.(less)

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Oct 17, 2010 thewanderingjew rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 watches the...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 watches them hear their father's tale of woe as he informs them that he has lost everything to gambling debts and must sell them as wives to settle these debts so he can continue to provide for himself, their mother and mentally deficient brother. Their carefree life of luxury is suddenly over.
The reader now feels the girl’s shock, bewilderment and ultimate defiance as they suddenly descend into another world of poverty and hardship, no parties, no fun, no room for careless, thoughtless or selfish behavior any longer. As one year follows another, the reader is taken on their journey, experiencing the horrors of war and reeling from the shock of their losses and suffering their tragedies with them. It is not a book that leaves you with many happy thoughts but it is a book that you will find hard to put down until you finish. Although, you will read it in a matter of days and into the night, you will think about it far longer than that. The story stays with you.
As the book moves along, we follow the girls as they quickly lose their innocence trying to survive. We watch them keep trying to climb back up again. Their family secrets and deceptions are revealed. Many, which began in innocence, cause even greater pain and sadness with the passage of time. We watch as one sister deceives the other and brings about tragic consequences because of her naivete and jealousy. Each domino falls, followed by another, causing additional pain. There are so many levels of underlying deceit and corruption touching the lives of these characters that the truth and lies merge into a seamless pattern, making it hard to distinguish one from the other.
It is a book about family obligations, love, jealousy, hate and discrimination with all the accompanying inequities. It is a book about the miseries of war with its rape, torture and death in its quest for power and control. It is a book about the acceptance of one's fate based on one's history and ancestry.
The main characters face a constant battle to overcome all of the obstacles placed in their way. This book cries out for a sequel because it leaves many unanswered questions about the ultimate fate of the three main female characters, Joy, Pearl and May. I, for one, am hoping for a sequel soon!
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Feb 23, 2009 Larry rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: lisa-see

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 Girls is ul...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

This is a women's story.

It's about two Chinese sisters Pearl and May. It's about their life growing up in Shanghai. Their fate when their father loses everything. The harrowing details of their immigration to America. Their petty jealousies towards each other, but most of all it's about their love for one another and reliance on each other through every phase of their lives that uplifts this wonderfully written, heart wrenching story.

This is a historical novel.

You can tell Lisa See did her resea...more

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Aug 24, 2010 Maia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction

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

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Jul 20, 2011 Ariana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was a bit skeptical of the book before I picked it up but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. It definitely kept me interested and I appreciated the added bonus of learning a bit about the Chinese culture and heritage. The history never seemed too extensive or boring; on the contrary, it added to the literary character story.

I was not a fan of the ending as it definitely left more to be desired. *Kindle readers beware that you have to skip a lot of acknowledgements to get to the true end.

Would...more

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May 18, 2013 Katrin Cornelia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked and enjoyed the book. But I didn’t LOVE it. Let’s start with positives. Lisa See has managed to capture the feel, sight and sound of China and America back then, I felt like I was there, it completely transported me back in time! The plot was well thought and believable.
Now let’s talk about the characters. I really enjoyed reading about May. She was depicted as spoiled and egotistical, and may come across that way, but in truth I find her strong and independent. I was also fascinated by...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Regan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked Shanghai Girls because it used an interesting plot to teach about the history of China during the Second World War. It also did a good job of showing the ways how life was for people who immigrated to the United States during this time period from China. I found the immigration process very interesting and was surprised by how the main characters, Pearl and May, were treated throughout the book. I also enjoyed the plot because the characters seemed to continually get wrapped up in secret...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Tamhack rated it 4 of 5 stars

The author, Lisa See: "Shanghai Girls is a historical novel." It has many true characters and events; Shanghai in the 1930s, the Sino-Japanese War, Los Angeles Chinatown, Angel Island, the Confession Program, etc. in it. But the main heroines, Pearl and May, their family and the plot of the novel is fictional. Lisa See did extensive research, reading and interviews to write the book. "The interrogation scenes in Shanghai Girls are taken almost verbatim from the entrance examinations of Mrs. Fong...more The author, Lisa See: "Shanghai Girls is a historical novel." It has many true characters and events; Shanghai in the 1930s, the Sino-Japanese War, Los Angeles Chinatown, Angel Island, the Confession Program, etc. in it. But the main heroines, Pearl and May, their family and the plot of the novel is fictional. Lisa See did extensive research, reading and interviews to write the book. "The interrogation scenes in Shanghai Girls are taken almost verbatim from the entrance examinations of Mrs. Fong Lai (Jung-shee), the wife of one my great-grandfather's paper partners, and from hearing transcripts belonging to my great-grandfather Fong See and his brother Fong Yun."

Plot: "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 and that 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 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."

I liked this novel as much as her other novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. She is a writer who bears human nature as its true character-- in all kinds of situations. The only part I didn't like was the ending--it left one hanging and I was looking for a conclusion. But I guess that is life--it was just the next stage.

P51-" It's said that the worst part of the bombing experience is the seconds of total paralysis and silence that immediately follow the initial concussion. It's as though- and I think this is an expression used in every culture-time stands still."

P138- "This isn't like Shanghai, where we were separated by race, money, and power but still saw each other every day,...Here everyone is separated from everyone else--Japanese, Mexicans, Italians, blacks and Chinese. White people are everywhere, but the rest of us are at the bottom. Everyone wants to be a s single riche kernel better than his neighbor."

P157--Describing the life of a rickshaw puller: " Today a woman passenger kicks Miguel and then swats him with her purse. Why would she do that? Because she can."

p163-"A wife has a mother-in-law, " Yen-yen trills "A wife has the despair of her children. She must obey her husband even when he is wrong. A wife must work and work but never receive a word of thanks. It's better to be a servant and the mistress of yourself. Then, if you want, you can jump in the well. If only wet had a well..."

Some recommended films of this era: Behind the Rising Sun, Bombs over Burma, The Amazing Mrs. Holiday

P228-" So often we're told that women's stories are unimportant. After all, what does it matter what happens in the main room, the kitchen, or in the bedroom: Who cares about the relationships between mother, daughter, and sister? A baby's illness, the sorrows and pains of childbirth, keeping the family together during war, poverty, or even int he best days are considered small and insignificant compared with the stories of men who fight against nature to grow their crops, who wage battles to secure their homelands, who struggle to look inward in search of the perfect man. We're told that men are strong and brave, but I think women know how to endure, accept defeat, and bear physical and mental agony much better than men."

P266-" Daughters can sometimes be cruel. They sometimes say things they don't mean, but that doesn't mean her words won't sting."

P267- 'Everything always returns to the beginning," May responds, and I wonder if she's thinking about the original meaning of the aphorism-that no matter what we do in life, we will always return to the beginning, that we will have children who'll disobey, hurt and disappoint us just as we once disobeyed, hurt and disappointed our parents- or is she thinking about Shanghai and how in a sense we've been trapped in our final days there every since we left, forever destined to relive the loss of our parents, our home, Z.G. and carry the consequences of my rape and May's pregnancy?"

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Mar 13, 2013 Wfbcreeds rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookclub

n 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 the time of their lives. Though both sisters wave off authority and tradition, they couldn’t be more different: Pearl is a Drago...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book, along with its sequel Dreams of Joy, is the March selection for our book club. So glad it was chosen. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Lisa See books (especially Snow Flower and The Secret Fan). This book covers the years 1937-1957. (Lisa See said in an interview that she planned a novel covering 1937to 2007 but 100 pages in realized she was still in 1937.) Lisa See said that she chose 1937 because that was the year that the cataclysmic modern history of China began. In 1937 Shangha...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See got thumbs up from our book club. Growing up in Shanghai, May and Pearl Chin are both models for Z.G. Li, a painter and photographer, whom they both fall in love with. As “beautiful girls,” the sisters live a life of parties and glamour until their father loses the family fortune and sells the girls to prospective husbands. The girls refuse and during the Japanese invasion of Shanghai in 1937, they attempt to cross the countryside to make their escape. Along the way th...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Sandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sandra by: Donna

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

Can hardly wait to read the second in this "series", of two. In the acknowledgements, Lisa See makes sure we know how this book is based on facts, thanks those who helped her, and gives one pointers on what else to read to obtain further information about what the early Chinese experience was, in our good ole USA. It's good to read books like this, helping to remind us that assimilation isn't all that easy. Especially if your skin is not the right color, or your eyes are a little slanty. I remem...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Agape rated it 4 of 5 stars

I bought this book because it is a NY Times bestseller, and because I thought it would reveal an honest glimpse into life in China during the 1930's. However, the book was heavier on plot than it was bent on peeling back layers so the reader could experience the culture and essence of China during this time period. That said, the book follows the entwined lived of sisters Pearl and May, who are forced into arranged marriages and have to move from Shanghai to San Francisco.
Although the sisters a...more I bought this book because it is a NY Times bestseller, and because I thought it would reveal an honest glimpse into life in China during the 1930's. However, the book was heavier on plot than it was bent on peeling back layers so the reader could experience the culture and essence of China during this time period. That said, the book follows the entwined lived of sisters Pearl and May, who are forced into arranged marriages and have to move from Shanghai to San Francisco.
Although the sisters are close, they struggle with jealousies that occasionally rear up. But, since the sisters married brothers, they know they will have to live with each other and want to do so as peaceably as possible. So, in order to co-exist they choose to love each other by not fully addressing their problems with each other. Their contentions are repeatedly pushed beneath the surface, unresolved and uninspected. Pearl, born under the sign of the dragon, is a strong, fierce and protective leader. May, born under the sign of the sheep is the gentle, simple, unknowledgeable one who needs to be protected and coddled.

Even though both Pearl and May feel they are far too modern to believe in old Chinese tradition, they subconciously pride themselves throughout the book on living up to the expectations of their birth signs. However, after a family tragedy strikes, the sisters realize that many of their contentions for each other stem from the fact that neither has lived up to the other's expectation. May the "sheep" had actually been the quiet, wise backbone of the family for the last 30 years while Pearl the "dragon" had been hiding behind her own fears. Spurred by their family tragedy, the sisters finally resort to an explosive argument where they finally become honest with each other. When they bring to light their grievances with each other, they see how unlike their "signs" they have been all along. Prodded into action, Pearl finally chooses to step up to the plate and show the leadership needed to mend the family crisis. Overall, the book was an enjoyable read, with believable character develpment. (less)

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Jan 17, 2013 Allison Lloyd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lisa See grabs the attention of the reader from the very first page of the book. The story follows the lives of two sisters who were born and raised in Shanghai China in a world of riches and fame, as they were models for beautiful girl calendars in China. However, before the outbreak of World War II their father loses the family fortune to gambling and abandons his family, leaving the sisters and their mother with nothing but debt and arranged marriages to unworthy Chinese men living in America...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Jessi Hafeman rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Lisa See has a talent of bringing out my finest emotions when I read her books. She pulls us into these stories of amazing Chinese women who overcome seemingly impossible odds in order to live with some choice to their life. She is such a gifted storyteller in that you feel like you know the characters personally. But this book was not up to the standard I was expecting after reading “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.” My biggest complaint would be that the end of the story left so many loose ends...more Lisa See has a talent of bringing out my finest emotions when I read her books. She pulls us into these stories of amazing Chinese women who overcome seemingly impossible odds in order to live with some choice to their life. She is such a gifted storyteller in that you feel like you know the characters personally. But this book was not up to the standard I was expecting after reading “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.” My biggest complaint would be that the end of the story left so many loose ends. In a way it was fitting, but at the same time there were many questions left unanswered. I know that there is a sequel, but I wanted a little more closure. It’s like everything the sisters fought for in the book flew apart and became a moot point.

There are a lot of horrific things that happen to these girls and the Chinese people across China and in America. Lisa See is able to pen these things delicately so you just get enough to swallow the event’s bitter taste but not too much as it chokes you. It’s gripping, which begs you to keep flipping the pages.

I had a hard time sympathizing with the characters in this book at times. I thought Pearl coming out of hiding in front of the Japanese soldiers was not extremely believable the way it was written out. It felt as if See could not think of a situation to have Pearl discovered but not May, so she just sort of walks out into it. I felt it was a bit of unnecessary violence after that and undermined the character thereafter. I understand it happened as a part of Pearl’s journey into herself and her values, but See is so talented, so I expected a more creative way of that horrific event occurring instead of Pearl just walking out to “save her mother.” Pearl would have known the probability of that was zilch in the face of all those men who ruthlessly killed their rickshaw driver.

Pearl is the point of view of this book, and the plot focuses on Pearl’s journey through chance, fortune, and destiny. It’s a book about the acceptance of one's fate. While she’s always been the more responsible one, you see her change from a young woman who lived pampered and carefree in Shanghai to someone like her mother who values tradition, strictness in how her child is raised, and supporting her family through thick and thin despite the self-sacrifices it takes (and that’s not a bad thing for her anymore). But while Pearl and her sister May grow up, they never seem to deeply mature.

While I did enjoy the book overall, I felt it was missing the dynamic that “Snow Flower” possessed. The characters were not as likable. While these stories of Chinese-Americans who suffered in the 1940s and beyond should be told and remembered and celebrated in some ways, this book fell a little flat on me. I do have to read the second book to see what develops between Joy and her mother(s). I think the second book is where these characters will truly blossom. But I would not desire to read this story again. I was reminded of Memoirs of a Geisha in how the characters try to hold on to their old culture as they are flung into a the war and their lives are forever upsidedown. But I thought Memoirs of a Geisha was a bit better.

Lisa See is a talented writer, and I would gladly read another of her stories despite the fact that this book was not my favorite. She can really bring history and characters to life. Her word choices are intentional and heartfelt. Her settings are beautiful and enchanting. I do hope she continues to write, and I will keep her on my list of authors who have the ability to take my breath away.
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Nov 24, 2012 Tayler Christiansen rated it 3 of 5 stars

The time period in which this book is written (before, during, and after WWII) reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha--how the characters try to hold on to their old culture as they are flung into disturbing sacrifices during the war and their lives are turned upside down afterwards.

Shanghai Girls is about two sisters living the high-life in pre-WWII Shanghai, the "Paris of Asia." Their father gambled away their money and they are sold as brides to a Chinese-American man's sons. The Japanese then a...more

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About Lisa See

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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On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family

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Quotes from Shanghai Girls

“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. ” — 98 people liked it

“We hug, but there are no tears. For every awful thing that's been said and done, she is my sister. Parents die, daughters grow up and marry out, but sisters are for life. She is the only person left in the world who shares my memories of our childhood, our parents, our Shanghai, our struggles, our sorrows, and, yes, even our moments of happiness and triumph. My sister is the one person who truly knows me, as I know her. The last thing May says to me is 'When our hair is white, we'll still have our sister love.” — 74 people liked it

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