China Dolls
By Lisa See
Published 2014
Read June 2025
This book is classified as historical fiction which is appropriate, in this reader’s view, and the type of historical fiction that this reader likes. There are real elements, including the Chinese American nightclub in San Francisco, The Forbidden City, and the internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II. We learn about these through a fully fictional story that focuses on the fictional characters, their hopes and dreams of stardom, and their relationships, rather than telling the story of a real historical figure.
Grace is a Chinese American person from Plain City, Ohio. Her family was the only Chinese American family in the small town and surrounding area, so she was not particularly knowledgeable about Chinese culture. She was a star of the dance studio in her small town, and she dreams of becoming a star. Her mother helps her leave town unbeknownst to her abusive father. She arrives in San Francisco hoping to land a role in the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition ( a real thing), but she fails. She finds her way to Chinatown and asks for help from a stranger to find a nightclub she might work for.
Helen is the stranger Grace encountered. She is from a strict and wealthy Chinese American family and lives in the family compound. Despite her family’s disapproval she manages to get hired at The Forbidden City with help from Grace and Ruby.
Ruby is an aspiring dancer who is more streetwise than either Grace or Helen. It turns out that Ruby is an American citizen not of Chinese ancestry but rather Japanese. She hides this as The Forbidden City only hires Chinese and Chinese Americans.
Narration flows across the three characters in separate chapters and tells of their hopes and dreams, successes and failures, and secrets as they progress their careers during the days of Chinese American nightclubs in San Francisco and while they are dancers at the successful Forbidden City nightclub. World War II has substantial impact on the city and on these characters as citizens and visitors alike with Japanese background are herded into internment camps.
While the book gives an informative view of this time of Chinese nightclubs in San Francisco and the barriers and possibilities for success in show business for Chinese Americans, it is also a well written story about friendship and the impact of being in career competition with your friends. It also gives a view of the impact of WWII and the internment camps from the view of these citizens, not all of whom are accepted to be equal citizens of the US. In addition, it gives us the perspective of these citizens as they experience discrimination as Chinese Americans. Helen’s character provides us a view of the challenges of honoring one’s cultural values which trying to be a member of the broader American culture.
This reader appreciated the extensive research done by the author to be able to draw a good picture of this period for this particular slice of the population. This reader was fascinated that the while the Forbidden City touted itself to be an exotic showcase of 100% Chinese performers and was 100% staffed by people of Chinese descent, its audience was about 100% white, including a high fraction of military personnel on shore leave.
This reader will seek other Lisa See novels to continue to explore historical times and places she chooses to show her readers.
MarshaReads.com 