Books like China Dolls by Lisa See
Three women from different backgrounds find kinship while auditioning for roles at San Francisco’s exclusive Oriental nightclub, the Forbidden City, in 1938. Ruby, an American‑born Chinese fleeing abuse; Helen, a long‑time Chinese resident of Chinatown; and Grace, a Japanese‑American passing as Chinese, all contest the same opportunities. As their rivalry turns into friendship, the attack on Pearl Harbor plunges them into a new reality: Ruby is arrested and interned in a Japanese American camp. With prejudice and betrayal looming, the novel follows the friends as they navigate the upheaval of wartime America, exploring themes of identity, loyalty, and the costs of freedom.
First publish date: 2014
Genre: Historical Fiction/20th Century Historical Fiction
Authors: Lisa See
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