The Paper Daughters of Chinatown by Heather B. Moore

PSA: This book covers some very sensitive, heart-wrenching topics that I would encourage anyone to tread lightly if they choose to read.

So often in history, are there cases of good humankind that just get forgotten. We move on to the next headline or aren’t even taught about these brave individuals. It isn’t until you start researching a certain topic or picking a book up by random that you are thrown into a world you never knew existed. About the heros who saved entire groups of people but are never discussed. Donalinda Cameron is one of these individuals. Miss Cameron eventually became the director of the Occidental Mission Home for Girls in San Francisco where she led the rescuing and raising of over 3000 Chinese girls who had been sold into slavery and prostitution in the early 1900’s. Miss Cameron is someone we should all know about and yet she still remains to this day as a unknown character of history.

“We lay for women’s rapid education. The cornerstone of everlasting foundation: For our religious widening and civilization progressing. And peace of West and East we pray”.

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

San Fransisco is a booming city in the late nineteenth century. But like any major city, there is a darkness that lurks beyond the bright lights. The Tong, an underground criminal organization, is buying and selling young Chinese women into slavery and prostitution. They’re called “Paper Daughters” because it is the fake paper documents that lead them to the United States in the first place but leave them with no legal documents to prove their existence. The Occidental Mission Home for Girls is a safe place for many of these girls who know nothing but hate and fear. The story jumps chapters between Donalinda Cameron, initially hired at the home to teach the girls how to knit, and Mei Lein, a paper daughter who arrived in America thinking she was going to be married to a wealthy husband and instead sold to one of the leaders of the Tong. Their stories become collided in a trying situation of strength and heartbreak. A story that helped shape the future of women’s history in America.

As tough as this book was to read at certain times, I really enjoyed it. I found it to be a pretty quick read which helped during some chapters. I read this on the plane, and I only wish there was a camera right near me to see the amount of facial expressions I had while reading. Many a times found myself just closing my eyes and hitting my head on the seat in just pure aghastment (yes I made up that word and I am standing by it). I’m putting this book in the category I like to call, Everyone should read this book to be Educated. It’s a little lengthy so working on different category name later. But read this book, just be aware of the trigger situations. It was interesting reading this right after The Bohemians as there were some overlap I noticed between the characters and scenarios. I enjoyed both of them and looking forward to reading more regarding this time in history as well as other books by Heather B. Moore.

Until Next Time, The Library Abroad