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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Wartime violence including the Japanese invasion of Shanghai and its atrocities; violence against Chinese Americans in the US
Language
Barely any
Minimal profanity; the prose is clear and emotionally precise
Sexual Content
Some
Some adult content; forced marriage and its implications are part of the sisters' story
Substance Use
None
No substance use
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The psychological cost of displacement, loss of home, and being forced to rebuild identity in a hostile new country creates sustained emotional weight
What this book is about
Lisa See's novel follows Pearl and May, beautiful sisters in pre-war Shanghai who are suddenly sold as wives to Chinese-American men and forced to emigrate to Los Angeles. The novel spans decades, tracing their survival through war, displacement, immigration discrimination, and the McCarthy-era Red Scare that turned the Chinese-American community against itself. See draws on her own family history. Violence, including Japanese wartime atrocities and anti-Chinese American discrimination, is depicted throughout.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Japanese wartime atrocities depicted
Forced marriage and emigration
Anti-Chinese American discrimination
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