I listened to an unabridged audio book version read by Emily
Woo Zeller and enjoyed the experience.
The novel spun a fictional tale of current and past events
and characters resulting from the actual Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (when
the U.S. Federal Government prohibited Chinese workers from entering the
country and around which time people of Chinese descent in the Western U.S.
were treated with hatred and even massacred). Being a Midwestern caucasion
person from a different era, I had never heard of the legislation, and I had
not known of the post-Civil War violence experienced by Chinese immigrants in
the U.S. before I encountered this story. Guess I’m not surprised, but I am
disgusted that people were hurt by such racial hatred.
The story is worth listening to. In it, you will meet Mei
Lein, a young woman born in Seattle to Chinese immigrants before the Chinese
Exclusion Act and Inara Erickson, a recent graduate who inherits Orcas
Island property a ferry ride from Seattle in the present time. Their stories
are told separately but certainly intertwine. You’ll get a dose of mystery as
Inara searches to learn about Mei Lein’s life in addition to a little romance
and the adventure of remodeling an old house for new purposes.
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