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Shanghai Girls: A Novel Paperback – February 2, 2010

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Lisa See (Author)
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Lisa See (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 933 customer reviews
Book 1 of 2 in the Shanghai Girls Series
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 322 pages
  • Publisher: Random House; Reprint edition (February 2, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0812980530
  • ISBN-13: 978-0812980530
  • Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (933 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA bit of a departure from earlier novels, but no less compelling
By Z Hayes HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWER on March 26, 2009
Format: Hardcover Vine Customer Review of Free Product ( What's this? )
I'm a fan of Lisa See's two earlier novels, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" and "Peony in Love", both of which were set in 19th and 17th century China respectively. In "Shanghai Girls", the author moves the setting of the novel to Shanghai and later to the US. Lisa See paints a vivid portrait of life in pre-World War II Shanghai and takes the reader on an unforgettable journey through the Japanese invasion of China and its aftermath.

The protagonists in this novel are two sisters - Pearl and May. Pearl is the older sister, born in the auspicious Year of the Dragon, yet frowned upon by her Baba [father] who dislikes her tall appearance. Pearl is also educated, having completed college, and is proficient in a few languages and dialects. In contrast, younger sister May, born in the Year of the Sheep, is shorter yet lovely, and has only managed to complete high school. Yet, for all Pearl's accomplishments, it is May that is the apple of her parent's eyes, and uses this partiality to her advantage. Both sisters live a life of privilege, yet they work as 'beautiful girls' posing for pictures used in ads and posters and earn a good living. This may appear surprising given their parent's conservative outlook [the girls' mother has bound feet], yet not altogether strange as later events bring to light the family's dire financial straits.

When the girls are told their father has huge debts and has decided to marry them off to a pair of brothers, Gold Mountain Men residing in LA [men who have left China to go to America to seek their fortunes, returning to find China Brides], they realize their days of freedom are over and decide to revolt. Unfortunately, the Japanese invasion of Shanghai puts an end to any of their plans.Read more ›
8 Comments 449 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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4.0 out of 5 starsEmotional Rollercoaster
By NuJoi VINE VOICE on April 4, 2009
Format: Hardcover Vine Customer Review of Free Product ( What's this? )
I was tired when I finished the book. It was one of those where I had to stay up one night to finish it because when I tried to put it down, the story kept turning over in my head. I had an honest like and dislike for some of the characters. I do have to admit that part of me kept wondering what else could go wrong as the story progressed.

The most striking thing about this book was that it is the first time that I, as an African-American, could feel the effects of discrimination against another people. The author is able to really make you feel what the characters feel. Additional kudos goes to the author for illustrating how dangerous it is to see things from only one point of view. Ever story has at least two sides.

Aside from wondering how much more hardship could possibly befall the family, I found the book to be an excellent read. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a challenging read.
3 Comments 148 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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4.0 out of 5 starsWhy, why, WHY?!
By Amazon Customer VINE VOICE on July 31, 2009
Format: Hardcover Vine Customer Review of Free Product ( What's this? )
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 befalls the girls, who flee war-stricken China and embark on a dangerous journey to America, where they struggle to build new lives for themselves and keep a dark secret buried from the people closest to them.

This is a wonderful book filled with dynamic history and rich characters. I was completely smitten with the novel and especially appreciated the way the author portrayed the iron-strong sisterly bond between Pearl and May. However, the book has no ending! I was all excited and worried about what was happening at the end of the book, and I turned the page eager to find out what would happen next, and I was stunned to be face to face with the author's acknowledgements! What a huge disappointment. I would have given this book five stars if not for that horrible lack of an ending. Lisa See better be busy writing a sequel to this book, or else I will remain seriously pissed off for a long time.
18 Comments 115 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
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3.0 out of 5 starsNot bad; not great
By LawyerMom on May 5, 2009
Format: Hardcover Vine Customer Review of Free Product ( What's this? )
I felt I had a duty to finish this advance copy in order to write an honest review about the novel. I can't say that it was pulling teeth to finish it. But I can't say that I would have finished it if I had simply checked it out of the library and had no obligation to review it on Amazon.

The writing is meh. You'll find that the author's major lacking is in the use of descriptors and imagery. While there was plenty of opportunity--from the Chinese cooking, to the sights of Shanghai, to the horrors of war and the trauma of rape, to the physical beauty of the women subjects--the author's descriptions could have been far more vivid and compelling than they actually were. The plot was not bad, but it was somewhat predictable. The flow of the story actually picked up a great deal towards the last 1/2 of the book, and towards the end, I was reading at a rapid clip b/c of the suspense. Unfortunately, the book ends with a pretty major cliffhanger, so it's obvious that the author probably has a sequel in mind for these characters.

If you want a better read on life in China during the pre-war period, I highly recommend Iris Chang's The Rape of Nanking which is compelling and heart-wrenching. If you want a great read on mother-daughter and sisterly relationships in the context of intergenerational and intercultural American-Chinese differences, I would greatly recommend just about anything by Amy Tan, whose characters and their relationships are so vividly narrated and rich, that I am often convinced that she is writing about my own Chinese mother and myself (a first generation Asian American woman).Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsShanghai Girls

Shanghai Girls gave me so much more insight into the horrible times the Chinese people endured during the years that Japan was trying to overtake their country. Read more

Published 1 day ago by Roberta Davis
5.0 out of 5 starsRead it now!

Excellent read!

Published 4 days ago by Rebecca B Sandbek
3.0 out of 5 starsUmmm?

Worth reading if you're really into this historical period (which I am), but keep your expectations low. Informative, but not completely fluid or cohesive.

Published 6 days ago by kh
2.0 out of 5 starsDisappointed

Story was slow and I wanted to stop ready it before it was even finished. I am a huge Lisa See fan so this was disappointing to me.

Published 17 days ago by Michelle
2.0 out of 5 starsMediocre

This story didn't develop the characters as well as first ine and became too broad. Left me feeling like I read a summary of events and I really dint like the cliff hanger ending

Published 18 days ago by Celeste
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Shanghai Girls is a beautifully written novel.

Published 23 days ago by Zari Rahimi
5.0 out of 5 starsBrilliant

Beautifully written and so insightful. Lisa See really knows her ancestors and their struggles and joys. Looking forward to her next book

Published 28 days ago by Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsThanks

Now I am interested in learning more about the Chinese in Los Angeles Chinatown and the plight of the paper sons against the FBI

Published 29 days ago
5.0 out of 5 starsI highly recommend it!

I absolutely adore this book! I highly recommend it!

Published 1 month ago by Jen L.
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great book.

Published 1 month ago by KS

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