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    China Dolls
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    China Dolls
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    China Dolls
    Ebook470 pages7 hours

    China Dolls

    By Lisa See

    3.5/5

    ()

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    About this ebook

    It's 1938 and the exclusive Oriental nightclub in San Francisco's Forbidden City is holding auditions for showgirls. In the dark, scandalous glamour of the club, three girls from very different backgrounds stumble into each other lives.

    All the girls have secrets. Grace, an American-born Chinese girl, has fled the Midwest and an abusive father. Helen is from a Chinese family which has deep roots in San Francisco's Chinatown. And, as both her friends know, Ruby is Japanese passing as Chinese.

    Then, in a heartbeat, everything changes. The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and paranoia, suspicion, and a shocking act of betrayal, threaten to destroy their lives.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateJun 3, 2014
    ISBN9781408853269
    Unavailable
    China Dolls
    Author

    Lisa See

    Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family’s settlement in Los Angeles. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the Historymaker’s Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women.

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    Reviews for China Dolls

    3.5/5

    310 ratings50 reviews

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    • 4/5
      China Dolls is the story of San Francisco's Chinatown in the mid twentieth century. As the story begins, America is in the midst of the depression. The plot continues through World War II. What makes this novel fascinating is Lisa See's decision to cover this subject from the points of view of three showgirls.Grace, Helen, and Ruby, meet at auditions for a new nightclub, Forbidden City, which is located just outside of Chinatown. The idea is to feature “oriental” performers for an “occidental” audience. (Both of those terms were used during that period.) Grace Lee has come to San Francisco from the mid west with the hope of winning a role at the world's fair on Treasure Island, but she didn't succeed. She's on her way to her next option. Helen Fong, who is from a wealthy, local, very traditional, family, hears Grace asking for directions and offers to lead her there. Once there, they meet Ruby Tom, another dancer. All three audition and all win roles.The three young women become close friends. This friendship is the novel's greatest strength. They help each other through tough times, but also compete with each other, hold secrets from each other, and betray each other along the way.Steve Lindahl author of Hopatcong Vision Quest, White Horse Regressions, and Motherless Soul
    • 4/5
      This is the sort of book that gives women a bad name. Wow, these women are pretty backhanded. The friendships are all transactional - they help each other with jobs, clothes and make up but don't share any deep emotions. No warm fuzzies here, but there's so much information I'd never known of before particularly about the Chinese Nightclub era, the Chop-Suey circuit, the harassment of single women during WWII with VD testing combined with the ability to incarcerate them for the duration of the war if positive (anyone else ever hear of this?), and of course eavesdropping on Japanese Americans. Ed Sullivan comes off pretty poorly.Once again I'm left wishing See could write another book as emotionally satisfying as Snowflower and the Secret Fan rather than just an interesting book about Chinese or Chinese-American culture.
    • 5/5
      I loved this story. I found the characters entertaining. The stories of all the different girls was fascinating. Grace, Ruby, Helen are all Asian young ladies and meet each other under different circumstances. They befriend each other and support each other as they try to live in America during the second world war.They experience so much together. Fall in love with men and fight over them. Have children. Start families, and so much more. The trouble of being a Chinese or Japanese woman during a time when they could only marry their own kind. To learn things about how they were treated by people during that time. They were somewhat exploited being women and of Oriental/Asian decent even though they were born in America. To just think that people can even now think the way they did back then.
    • 4/5
      This is a tale of three young women who have careers performing in Chinese nightclubs in the 1930's and 1940's. I felt that it was steeped in the atmosphere of the time. I appreciated the complexity of their relationships with each other as they struggled to advance their careers and live their lives amidst World War II.
    • 3/5
      Let me start by being unfair to one of my favorite authors! If this was any other author I would probably give China Dolls a much higher rating. For Lisa See, however, this rates a 3 (7 on a 1 to 10 scale). Interesting story, well researched and I learned a lot about 1930's San Francisco, all the hallmarks of her fame. China Dolls, however, is simply not her best. 3 different narrators, one per chapter, didn't allow me to really know (or care about) any of the characters. I really think switching points of view dragged the plot to a crawl and the thread of enduring friendships that's suppose to be here (according to the marketing blurbs) got totally lost in the shuffle. There, I've said it! I loved Snow Flower, Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy (Peony is sitting on my night stand) and am a big Lisa See fan. So three hits and a miss still leaves her at the top of my "Author's to Read No Matter What" list.
    • 4/5
      China Dolls tells the story of three, young, Asian girls who meet in 1938 when auditioning to be chorus girls at the Forbidden City in San Francisco. There is naive Grace, who came from Ohio, Helen, who lives in a traditional Chinese family complex, and Ruby, who came from Hawaii. Lisa See gives the three a strong friendship, but still fills it with jealousies and secrets. The prejudices of the time were hard to read and hard on the three women, but through it all, their bond holds. I loved this book!
    • 3/5
      This is a story of three American "Oriental" girls (as they were called at the time) who meet by chance in San Francisco in the late 1930's while trying out as nightclub dancers on the outskirts of Chinatown. Each come from different backgrounds and the story centers around their friendship as it evolves and changes through the next ten years or so. I honestly had trouble really liking this book. I found the writing somewhat mediocre and I really didn't care for any of the characters, even by the end of the novel. Calling their relationship a "friendship" seemed to be somewhat of a loose interpretation of the word, as the young women never seemed to have a close relationship and were tirelessly having petty arguments amongst themselves or constantly seemed to be in competition with one another for fame and popularity. However, despite my mixed feelings about the characterization, I did enjoy the setting of the book, and I feel like I was enlightened about the United States during World War II and the attitudes Americans had about the Japanese and thus the Japanese American people at the time.I've enjoyed other books by Lisa See, but this one just didn't hit the mark for me.
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa See's latest book, China Dolls. Nothing can ever top Snow Flower and the Secret Fan for me. The period of the 1930s to the 1940s seemed very accurate for the times, without being overly preachy about some of the injustices like the internment camps, and the racism they experienced that I have read in other books.
    • 5/5
      China Dolls by Lisa See is an exceptionally well written book which takes place in 1938 San Francisco where three girls Ruby, Helen and Grace each from extremely differing backgrounds meet while auditioning to be a showgirl at the Forbidden City, which happens to be San Francisco's exclusive "Oriental" nightclub. Grace is American born to a Chinese family in the Midwest, Helen is from a traditional Chinese family in San Francisco, and Ruby is actually Japanese, but trying to pass herself off as Chinese. As the young women become friends Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and suddenly Ruby is sent to an interment camp and wonders who could have possibly turned her in. Lisa See has outdone herself in this beautifully written work of fiction mixed with history and a story that will not soon be forgotten. China Dolls was a book I could not put down and one I recommend to everyone, especially those in book discussion groups, as there is quite a lot to discuss.
    • 5/5
      Lisa See's new book, China Dolls, is an engaging story of three Asian-American women working in show business from 1938 through War II. Told in first person by each woman in alternating chapters, their personalities and backstories are revealed slowly. The story moves from San Francisco to LA to Florida to NYC and back again.Although I had some knowledge of the Japanese detention camps, I knew nothing about the "Oriental" nightclubs or the "Chop Suey" circuit of the time. The story and the Afterward led me to read more about reality behind See's fiction. It is really as fascinating as her book makes it.I've read all of See's work. I enjoy her writing style, her well developed characters, and the view she gives us into unfamiliar worlds. This newest book lives up to her previous work.
    • 4/5
      I am always a fan of Lisa See's books. This was an enjoyable read, but probably my least favorite of all her books. The story begins in 1938. Three oriental women in their early twenties meet by accident one day. They form a bond and become fast friends. They all enter the "show business" world of San Francisco. What did not appeal to me so much was that the girls seemed to be friends almost because there was no one else around at the time. They seemed to bicker a lot, fight about boys, and constantly try to be the most successful dancer in the group. Then WWII breaks out and the world as they know it changes. These parts of Lisa's books are always interesting to read. However, this time, it seemed to gloss over much of the historical issues and just give the readers a quick glance at Japanese internment camps, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and what it was like to be an oriental during the war. Overall a good read, but not my favorite Lisa See book. I received a complimentary copy as part of the LIbrarything Early Reviewers.
    • 5/5
      I am always so sad when a book by Lisa See is done. She can pull heart strings and play with a person's emotions like no other. This book was beautifully written with solid character and plot (as always). I was happy to read about this part of history by See as she put an interesting twist on it using show girls. This is a must read.
    • 5/5
      By chance, I became a Lisa See fan, reading Shanghai Girls for my Kettle Falls book club. I enjoy her storytelling and in-depth research. In this novel, set in the late 1930s in San Francisco, three women meet up (also by chance) and become fast friends. Very enjoyable, great characters, and wonderful storytelling. This was a bonus read for me, as I received it as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. Kudos too to Random House for participating.
    • 3/5
      If i had to describe Lisa See's new book, China Dolls, in one word, it would have to be "bland." That would apply to the plot and settings, as well as the characters. The story focuses on three young Asian Americans, Grace, Ruby, and Helen. It is the 1930's and the girls are in San Francisco, trying to break into the entertainment industry. The racist ideals of the times won't allow them to be part of any traditional dance troupes, so they enter the glamorous world of Chinese nightclubs. The three girls begin an intense friendship, filled with petty jealousy and betrayals large and small. Peppered throughout the book are many trite Chinese sayings, which are an irritation, at best.I enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls, so I was looking forward to See's new book, but it was a disappointment. I found that I couldn't identify with or have much sympathy for any of the characters. The story did shed light on a part of American society that I didn't know much about, so I did find that aspect of the book interesting.
    • 4/5
      Rich in atmosphere and period details, Lisa See has reanimated pre-WWII San Francisco in the pages of this book, especially its nightlife, entertainment community, and Chinatown. Three determined, hard working, fun loving young women working as chorus line dancers narrate the story, and though they are best friends and all Asian in heritage their backgrounds are very different and they each have several layers of heart-rending secrets that are only gradually revealed. When China Dolls opens in 1938, Grace is bruised, beaten, and on the run, escaping by bus from a small Ohio town where the only Chinese people are her own family, and headed for San Francisco’s Golden Gate International Exposition where she hopes to find work as a dancer. Naive and still very young, Grace soon meets reserved Helen, who grew up steeped in the culture of Chinatown, and wild Ruby who’s from Hawaii. They become fast friends, sharing meals, apartments, and nights on the town while encouraging and supporting each other’s ambitions.Fluctuating fortunes, clashing romantic interests, and the withheld secrets create tensions that at times turn the devoted pals into temporary frenemies. Their lives shift abruptly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, especially Ruby’s since her family still lives on those islands. The three narrators worked for me--I enjoyed delving into their different life stories and having their varied perspectives. Lisa See made me care about and sometimes ache for each of them, even when they behave badly toward each other.
    • 3/5
      Friendships of convenience, secrets, lots of secrets. These were the main elements of Lisa See's newest novel "China Dolls" about three Asian American women prior to and during World War 2. And as one of them put it, "And each of us, in our own ways, was doing the best we could to erase who we were." Grace, Helen and Ruby met in San Francisco and worked at the Forbidden City night club. They bonded over loneliness, but their very different backgrounds caused many problems and rifts over the years. They were always jealous of one another and there were small and larger betrayals. I very much looked forward to this book, having so much enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Shanghai Girls. However, I really disliked Peony in Love (the main character was a ghost for 75 percent of the book!) and Dreams of Joy, the sequel to Shanghai Girls, was not as good as its predecessor. So, I hoped that this book would belong in the category of my favorites. Unfortunately, it did not. Although very well researched, it was as if all of that research had to be put in the book. This did not advance the narrative. The plot moved very slowly. It did get a bit better as the story moved along. But the characters were not particularly likable and at least at the beginning I had to keep reminding myself which girl had which back story. The "voice" of the narrator changed to a different girl with each chapter. I did learn some things about those times, particularly about the entertainment line of work they were in, and I always enjoy the Chinese sayings which were peppered throughout the book. Overall, I say fair to middling on this one.
    • 4/5
      I have read and enjoyed all of Lisa See's novels, and while not her best, this is an engrossing novel. The novel chronicles the experiences of three Asian American women living in San Francisco in the late 1930s and 1940s. It is clear that the author did a lot of research and included many details of day-to-day life during these years--almost too many, in fact. The first half of the novel contained far too many trivial details and too little story. But in the second half of the novel, as World War II approached, the characters took over and I became lost in the story. A good, but not great, read.
    • 4/5
      Follows the careers of 3 young Chinese dancers who become great friends around the time of Pearl Harbor. The story alternates between the friends and through the book we learn their dark secrets that they keep from the others.
    • 2/5
      This novel was definitely a miss for me. I guess nothing will live up to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The premise of the novel was promising (hence why I requested it for Early Reviewers) and I love the historical time period...BUT...these girls seem to despise each other. The early chapters are filled with rude remarks to each other (and snarky thoughts about each other); and then, to help the plotline along, since they have to be friends, the girls just think/say, "Well, we have to stick together anyway, so it is what it is" <--paraphrase, obviously. Because these girls are so derogatory about each other, it made me unsympathetic to their plights and I did not care what happened to them.
    • 5/5
      Meeting in 1938 at an audition for places in a chorus line at San Francisco’s soon to open Forbidden City nightclub owned by Charlie Low (the nightclub and Low were real), Grace, Helen, and Ruby quickly become fast friends. American’s of Asian parentage, opportunities are few for them in that era. Orientals weren’t hired as singers or dancers in Caucasian establishments; in a lot of states, intermarriage between Orientals and Occidentals (the old term used for whites that See uses throughout the book) was forbidden. Grace is 17 and has run away from her violent father in the mid-West; she has never met another Chinese person other than her parents until she hits San Francisco. Helen has a well to do father who runs the family compound with an iron fist; her brother escorts her to and from work to ensure her virtue. Ruby’s parent’s live in Hawaii; she lives with her aunt and uncle and is a wild child compared to the other two; when she doesn’t make the cut at the nightclub, she joins a revue at the Exposition that has the girls virtually nude. Despite their differences in personality and origin and blow ups that left them not speaking for years at times, their relationship continues for 50 years. All three have secrets, and those secrets are frequently the source of their problems. This was the most gripping book I’ve read in some time; it sucked me right in and didn’t let go until I’d finished it, which I did in one day. It’s women’s literature, it’s Asian-American literature, it’s historical fiction. See has, as always, put a huge amount of research into her book. Some of the Chinese-American entertainers from the era are still alive and See was able to interview them and get first hand information about what it was like: the prejudice; the cringe-worthy, self deprecating acts that made the Occidentals laugh; the Japanese-Americans were all treated as traitors after Pearl Harbor. I love this book.
    • 4/5
      I want to start off by saying I received an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.This book is set in San Francisco in 1938 right as the World's Fair is preparing to open. Three women meet during auditions for a new night club, The Forbidden City - Helen, Grace and Ruby - and become fast friends and rivals. Each girl has secrets from her past that they slowly begin to share with each other as their fortunes grow and fade throughout the years in show business. "But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, paranoia and suspicion threaten to destroy their lives, and a shocking act of betrayal changes everything."I've read two other books by Lisa See - both of which I enjoyed - so I'm used to her writing style. I know very little about what life was like in the 40's and 50's, especially for Chinese or Japanese Americans (or immigrants living in the country) - so I took See's word for it, but I feel like I can trust that she portrayed an accurate picture of the past. This book gave an inside look at the highs and lows of being an Asian performer in California at that time - the prejudice many faced due to their race, despite actually being born in the U.S., the shifts in popularity from one moment to the next, never knowing when your luck might run out - the three friends lost their jobs several times and went back and forth from being "rich" to "poor."I felt as though each character had some similarities in their lifestyles and personal views, they were all very unique women - even most of the more minor characters felt unique. I think the pacing was good - I finished the book quickly because it was easy to tell myself "Just one more chapter." Each chapter is told from one of the girl's perspectives and reflects their voice: Grace, the girl who moved from the midwest to escape her abusive father and get into showbiz. Helen, the wealthy one, who moved from China to San Fran with her family, living in a large compound and trying to live a "traditional" Chinese life in America. Ruby, the boisterous "showgirl" who was constantly trying to outshine her friends and scheme her way onto the big screen in LA.They're "in this together" yet there's always some competition between them to be a better performer, to have more of the limelight - especially between Grace and Ruby. Helen shifts from performing to road manager, trying to manage the friendship of both girls while also maintaining some attention for herself and eventually managing her family situation as well. Grace and Ruby especially seemed like "frenemies" - constantly trying to one-up each other, yet they were roommates and they also supported each other in many ways. It seemed like a very real friendship - though at times I wondered how the girls put up with each other so long.There was an excerpt a little after the middle where See changed things up, and rather have the girls speak during the chapters, it was a segment of letters written back and forth between the girls and it was a good way to cover a large gap in time that otherwise might have suffered from some very boring narrative. The ending was a little awkward - but I think it was intended to be so. I won't give away any of the big twists - but these girls went through a lot together, shared a lot together, and kept some very big secrets from each other too. In the end, it's more of a study of how their relationships changed over time than a study of what their lives were like in that time - though the prejudice surrounding anyone who didn't look "American" at the time of the bombing was very real and these girls suffered more because of that. It definitely made me think hard about how we all view each other and the things people will do out of fear, as well as the lengths people will go to try to achieve their dreams.If you're a fan of See's work I think you'll enjoy this. If you haven't read her work, but you find any of the subject matter interesting, I think you'll enjoy this book too.
    • 5/5
      I am, by all accounts, a fairly voracious reader. I love books of a variety of genres and writing styles. I do, of course, have preferences and pet peeves. One thing I do enjoy in fiction books is an ending that ties up loose ends. While I appreciate a reader desiring to create their own version of a character's future, I highly value when an author delivers me to the end of the journey I embarked on when I cracked open the cover. And with certain novels, I become so intimate with characters and so invested in their outcomes that an ambiguous ending results in a few curse words directed at the author and frustration that seems to permeate my day."China Dolls" hooked me with well-written characters, trials and tribulations they experienced that were wholly believable, and an ending that left me satisfied and breathing a sigh of relief. Lisa See's novel is the story of Helen, Ruby, and Grace, three young women living in San Francisco in 1938, who meet and become dancers at the Forbidden City, a nightclub near Chinatown. Though they come from very different backgrounds, the three become fast friends, navigating the world of prejudice of their Oriental backgrounds and their own dreams of the future while battling the rollercoaster of their pasts. Helen comes from a privileged and highly respected family living in Chinatown's largest compound. Grace hails from the Midwest and went to San Francisco seeking a new life away from her physically and emotionally abusive father. Ruby is a seductive vixen with no qualms about using her wiles to get ahead. Each of them, though, harbors secrets which lead to chasms within their friendships and tumultuous years ahead.The novel is written in first person accounts by the three, each one narrating various different chapters throughout. It is easy to get wrapped up in their storylines, to cheer them on when they do good, to get frustrated when they are being naive, or to feel disdain when they do something offensive.The story ends 50 years later, when the characters gather together for a 50th Anniversary show for the Forbidden City. It does a phenomenal job of resolving the fates of all the characters, tying up all the loose ends in a neat bow, just the way I like.
    • 2/5
      I have enjoyed all of Lisa See's books, but this one was a disappointment. It was disjointed and predictable. I had a hard time liking any of the characters, and the character development was mediocre at best.
    • 4/5
      It’s 1938. Grace is from small-town Ohio, where she and her parents were the only Orientals, though her parents brought her up to be completely American, and has left her abusive home to go to San Francisco to try out as a dancer at an expo. While trying to find her way around Chinatown, she meets Helen, who was raised in a very traditional Chinese family/home. She convinces Helen to come with her to try out, as well. At the tryouts, they meet Ruby, another dancer, who wants to become famous. They become friends and live through WWII trying to make ends meet as entertainers in the Oriental clubs, and later on, touring the “Chop-Suey Circuit”. I really liked this! I have to admit, I liked Grace best of the three girls, and I found her story the most interesting. The book is told in alternating chapters from each of the girls’ points of view. Each chapter is titled with the girl’s name, so I was able to follow this quite easily. It was really interesting to learn about the Chinese entertainers from the time period.
    • 3/5
      This is the third novel by Lisa See I've read this year & her themes and style are starting to feel a tad bit repetitive. This novel tackles three women who meet in San Francisco in 1938 and who aim to be stars - Grace, Helen, and Ruby. Their friendship manages to endure despite the challenges of ambition, war, internment, and betrayals. I like this book overall, and enjoyed its portrayal of the Asian American experience.
    • 3/5
      In 1938, three young Asian women meet at nightclub auditions at Charlie Low's Forbidden City in San Francisco's Chinatown. Grace, Helen and Ruby are each a hiding a secret but swear enduring friendship with each other. Grace is a Chinese born American whose parents moved to the Midwest to raise her as far from other Chinese as possible. Helen is an American born Chinese, but her parents are living the traditional Chinese lifestyle in a cloistered compound in San Francisco's Chinatown. Ruby is the girl who wants to be American in every way but who is hiding the biggest secret of them all....she's Japanese. We learn about each of these characters as they narrate their own story in alternating chapters.

      I found the history of the Chop Suey Circuit and the Asian nightclubs to be very interesting. There are a number of historical facts interspersed into the fictional accounts of Grace, Helen and Ruby. The story itself is very readable but I never thought of it as a “Lisa See” novel. Usually her books explore complex issues like child abuse and the horrors of war on a deep level but I felt like the many real issues the characters experienced were dealt with on a superficial level. I never felt a real connection with the characters and thought most of them were very unappealing. It was hard to see these girls as friends because they never exhibited the loyalty and friendship to one another that we've seen in Lisa See's previous work. Overall, it was a good book; it just wasn't my favorite Lisa See book.
    • 4/5
      Zipping through my latest haul from the library, I found this gem. The story is centered on three Asian-American young women in pre-World War II San Fransisco. They all have different stories - Helen is the daughter in a wealthy Chinatown family, Grace has fled to SF to escape an abusive father, and Ruby is hiding her background. They bond and make it dancing in the pre-war Chinese nightclub Forbidden City. The story follows them until shortly after the end of World War II. The nightclub life and performing life were entertaining, but what makes the story is the will of these women. The story takes us through racism, poverty, friendship, deceit and love in a renewing journey. Recommended.
    • 2/5
      great premise, disappointing execution
    • 5/5
      In 1938 three young women, Grace, Helen, and Ruby, meet and begin their quest for fame and fortune in the entertainment world in San Francisco. Getting jobs is difficult as they are of Asian background. Eventually their dancing skills land them a job with a nightclub that specializes in "Chinese girls". The tale, told in alternating voices, follows the ups and downs of their careers through the war years and after.I started reading and I could not stop (which for me is unusual as I tend to read in spurts). Three young women of vary different personalities and backgrounds, who harbor secrets under all that glamor. A work of historical fiction that was liberally sprinkled with real names of the entertainment world, both of Hollywood and the Chinese-American nightclub circuit. When I finished I found some old videos of a few of the performers from the old Chop Suey Circuit.
    • 3/5
      I found this book a little YA(ish) but I still enjoyed it. The story was some what predictable, but character development was really good.