Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Lost Daughter of Happiness

by Geling Yan

(I can't say that I remember much about this book other than I have read it, but I must have enjoyed this.)

I really liked the writing in this one. Especially how parts were written from the perspective of a woman - who refers to herself as a fifth-wave immigrant - addressing the book's main character, Fusang.

Fusang is kidnapped from her native China and brought to California, where she is sold into prostitution, at the beginning of the 20th century. She does not appear to be too bothered by any of is - the kidnapping, the long journey ot the US survived by only five of the women and girls, working as a prostitute, even getting raped.

The other main characters are Da Yong (he takes on several different names over the course of the story, Da Yong is the one he has for the second half of the book), who might be Fusang's husband, and Chris, who is twelve when he falls in love with Fusang in one of the Chinatown brothels that the 'little white devils' ranging in age from 8 to 12 years frequent.

Fusang herself is passive throught all of the story and barely registeres or even understands that she is the cause for a bloody street fight, murder and the boy's distress and eventual punishment of being sent to England by his father.

The book also touches on the troubles of the newly arrived cheap laborers form China and the hatred they face from the locas, political campaigns and missonaries trying to 'free' the girl prostsitutes.

Even though the topic may suggest it, it is not a sexually explicit book, but rather tries to be erotic and/or sensual.

5/10

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