She shares that information at the beginning and the end of this book. I was amazed at the amount of research the author did prior to writing this book. 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.

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. 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. Based on true events…Fascinating.” – Historical Novel Society 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. 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. “Despite the disturbing subject matter, meticulously researched book is unputdownable. YAs will be drawn to the dramatic stories of the young Chinese women brought to America.” -Booklist, starred review “Recommend to fans of compelling, character-driven historical fiction inspired by true events, such as Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours (2017).

Their stories merge in this gripping account of the courage and determination that helped shape a new course of women’s history in America.Īmazon * B&N * IndieBound * Desert Books * BAM Mei Lien endures heartbreak and betrayal in her search for hope, belonging, and love. 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.ĭonaldina, 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. But the Occidental Mission Home for Girls is one bright spot of hope and help. These “paper daughters,” so called because fake documents gain them entry to America but leave them without a legal identity, generally have no recourse.

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. 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.

Thrall by jennifer quintenz