3 April 2015

Review #180: China Dolls by Lisa See



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”

----Anaïs Nin, a French-born novelist, passionate eroticist and short story writer


Lisa See, a Chinese-American NY Times Bestselling author, crafts an unique and heart-touching story, called China Dolls, about friendship beyond religion, country, war, love and hate between two Chinese girls and one Japanese girl trying to earn a living in their hometown America when the whole world is raging with war.





Synopsis:

It’s 1938 in San Francisco: a world’s fair is preparing to open on Treasure Island, a war is brewing overseas, and the city is alive with possibilities. Grace, Helen, and Ruby, three young women from very different backgrounds, meet by chance at the exclusive and glamorous Forbidden City nightclub. Grace Lee, an American-born Chinese girl, has fled the Midwest with nothing but heartache, talent, and a pair of dancing shoes. Helen Fong lives with her extended family in Chinatown, where her traditional parents insist that she guard her reputation like a piece of jade. The stunning Ruby Tom challenges the boundaries of convention at every turn with her defiant attitude and no-holds-barred ambition.

The girls become fast friends, relying on one another through unexpected challenges and shifting fortunes. When their dark secrets are exposed and the invisible thread of fate binds them even tighter, they find the strength and resilience to reach for their dreams. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, paranoia and suspicion threaten to destroy their lives, and a shocking act of betrayal changes everything.



This is not any ordinary story about friendship and love, instead it's a story that traces friendship across caste and race even though the friendship is layered with hate, revenge and greed. Grace, Helen and Ruby- three Chinese girls, among whom one lied about her identity since it was the period when America was at war with Japan. So revealing your real identity as a Japanses would have turned fatal for your existence even though you were born in the United States. And all three belong from a torn up past and homes. Grace- survived from the abuses of her father in Ohio by running away to San Fransisco and earning a living by becoming a dancer. Unfortunately her attempts of being a dancer proved futile when people rejected her because of her Oriental face, which finally leads her to The Forbidden City, where she meets Helen. Together they audition for a show in a club where they meet another Oriental girl, Ruby. Soon they become friends, and eventually becomes soul sisters, until Ruby's promiscuity forces Grace to leave town thus weakening the bond of friendship. More challenges like attack on Pearl Harbor to stealing one's role in a feature film to harboring secrets to betrayal forces them to move apart from one another and threatens to destroy their lives.

After reading this book, all I can say that Lisa See is an incredible author, and since I always love to read books about Chinese culture and history, I loved reading this book which captivated my mind with it's Chinese grace from the very first page. Being of Chinese origin, See crafted this novel about Chinese culture and family structure with ease and vividness. Moreover, the three characters belong from three different backgrounds, one is American born Chinese and never followed her original culture, one is completely Chinese, and the other act as a Chinese yet born in America.

The writing is fantastic layered with that authentic oriental tone thus creating a likely atmosphere for the readers. The prose is articulate and flawless, thus keeping us engaged to the core of the story. What really kept me on the edge was Grace, Helen and Ruby's friendship of how their quick friendship turning into something promising and something even stronger than blood to how it was dissipating and fading into nothingness. Maybe that's what prove that friendship between two or more opposite souls is something very strange since it contains hatred, secret desires, competition, revenge and love, sisterly/brotherly connection, care at the same time.

The timeline that the author drew in their plot is evocative and striking enough to take us back in time in the year 1938- the period when Japan attacked America. Moreover, back in those days, Chinese women didn't have much choices to walk on their own shoes rather than being an obedient daughter/wife. The author also sheds light on the backdrops of this oriental culture, of how women were demeaned in their every decisions. Not only that the author captured the 40s night club era when too much flair, frill, loud music and lights were so into the time. The glamor in and outside the Chinese bars, restaurants and clubs in America was distinctly portrayed.

The narrative is really nice since each chapter is a first person account of each primary characters- Grace, Ruby and Helen. Moreover, the conversation between the girls is free-flowing. Although it's a personal person narrative plot, the author leaves us enough space to look at the story through our own eyes, thus provoking our thoughts. The characters reflect the grace, charm and the pain of their time period very distinctly and the author molded each character very precisely from one another with enough depth, pain, emotions and flaws. And each chapter revealed a bit more about their past and demeanor. The emotions are strongly depicted thus making us break our heart every time Ruby or Grace or Helen fought with each other. I simply fell in love with their friendship instead of falling in love with the characters. Overall, the book is engrossing and enthralling which tells us a story of friendship layered in between the timeline of world war and culture in-differences.


Verdict: Since the main theme of the book is friendship, this book will not only appeal to the historical fiction fans but will also appeal to the general readers. This book is a must-read!

Courtesy: Many, many thanks to the author Lisa See, for providing me with a copy of her book, in return for an honest review.
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Author Info:
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.
Visit her here


Book Purchase Links:


3 comments:

  1. I have read other books by Lisa See and I loved them, so I'm not surprised that this is equally good.
    I have to admit that I haven't read a lot of Chinese books, although I'm into Japanese culture.
    Great review!

    Aeriko @ http://thereadingarmchair.blogspot.com

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  2. You had me sold at the cover! China is my favourite country and I have been there one time. I love the culture and basically will read any Chinese themed book, ahaha. :D

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