Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Shanghai Girls (May and Pearl, Bk 1)

Shanghai Girls (May and Pearl, Bk 1)
nic03red avatar reviewed on + 38 more book reviews


Pearl and May are beautiful girls in Shanghai who are forced into arranged marriages when their father gambles all the family's money away. They travel to California, where they must start new lives with their husbands and new family. The women find out pretty quickly that life in America isn't easy and as they struggle, their relationship is put to the test.

I love Lisa See's work. I could not put this book down. I got lost in the story and the characters. The best books are the ones that take you into a different world. I had really strong feelings about May during the story and towards the end, when May talks about events from her point of view, it really made me think about perspective. I also loved the historical fiction aspect of the book. I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

Read this if you like: historical fiction or authors similar to Amy Tan

If you liked this book: I recommend Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.