Books like Shanghai girls by Lisa See

Set against the glittering decadence of 1937 Shanghai, "Shanghai Girls" follows sisters Pearl and May as they navigate the upheavals of war, family betrayal and cross‑continental migration. After their father loses their fortune, the girls are sold as brides and sent to California to wed men who have come to seek Chinese wives. The story traces their perilous journey through the Chinese countryside, the skies over a city under Japanese bombardment, and across the Pacific to Los Angeles. There, the sisters struggle to adjust to American life while contending with discrimination, the lure of Hollywood, and the pressures of Chinatown’s customs. Throughout, their bond as siblings is tested by jealousy, rivalry, and hidden family secrets, yet the women remain steadfast, embodying the resilience of two Shanghai girls.

First publish date: 2009