China Dolls – Oriental Showgirls in 1930s San Francisco

I’ve always liked Lisa See’s books – On Gold Mountain, the story of her own family was fascinating and I also enjoyed the recent Shanghai Girls. She is building a strong library of tales around the Chinese-American experience. Now we have her latest book, China Dolls, which seems pretty much made for me – showgirls, Oriental nightclubs, the late 1930s and looming war! And you can choose your cover – US or UK?

US

UK

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.