- by Lisa See
Shanghai Girls presents a realistic depiction of life for Chinese immigrants in the 40s and 50s. When Japanese bombs attack Shanghai, sisters Pearl and May flee, undertaking a journey across the Chinese countryside and ultimately bringing them to Los Angeles. Between racism, Communist witch hunts, and the traditions of Chinatown, not to mention forging a relationship with the strangers they married, Pearl and May have a fresh start but it is not without difficulty. And it does not mean all is well in the sisters’ complicated relationship.