The Paper Daughters of Chinatown cover art

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

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The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

By: Heather B. Moore
Narrated by: Nancy Wu
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About this listen

A powerful story based on true events surrounding Donaldina Cameron and other brave women who fought to help Chinese-American women escape discrimination and slavery in the late 19th century in California.

When Donaldina Cameron arrives at the Occidental Mission Home for Girls in 1895, she intends to teach sewing skills to young Chinese women immigrants, but, within days, she discovers that the job is much more complicated than perfect stitches and even hems. San Francisco has a dark side, one where a powerful underground organization - the criminal tong - brings Chinese young women to America to sell them as slaves. With the help of Chinese interpreters and the Chinatown police squad, Donaldina becomes a tireless social reformer to stop the abominable slave and prostitution trade.

Mei Lien believes she is sailing to the "Gold Mountain" in America to become the wife of a rich Chinese man. Instead she finds herself sold into prostitution - beaten, starved, and forced into an opium addiction. It is only after a narrow escape that she hears of the mission home and dares to think there might be hope for a new life.

©2020 Heather B. Moore (P)2020 Shadow Mountain Biographical Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction United States Women's Fiction World Literature California China Town

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All stars
Most relevant  
Overall I found the book enjoyable, having been unfamiliar with the subject matter.
Once I attuned myself to the narrator's questionable Oirish/Scottish version of Dolly's accent,which grated on my Irish nerves, I found the performance generally strong.
I felt the novel itself was quite interesting and had some strong characters, although I thought it should have come to a natural ending a few chapters earlier. I'm a bit disappointed that the author didn't elaborate more about the historical accuracy of some of the Chinese characters in her afterwords, as I felt they were slightly underdeveloped in the novel and I wondered if that was an attempt at trying not to misrepresent a true historical person. While I appreciate the story of Dolly and her work, I would have appreciated some more development of the later storys of some of the Chinese characters.

worth a listen

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It was such an incredible read and the narrator did such a good work. It's my first audiobook and the story was captivating. Despite the brutal themes, the author did a good job delivering the truth. I highly recommend it!

Amazing

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The language is basic and oversimplified, the kind you expect when you buy a novel from a gas station. The story seems interesting, but I can't get past the language to finish.

Poorly written

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It was an enjoyable book and it offered a glimpse of American history behind the scenes.
But like another reviewer, the voice was irritating, especially the accent given to Donaldina. More of the northern Irish than themScots. After all that research, such a blunder.

History brought to life.

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Really enjoyed this book. I was not aware of the amount of Chinese women in sex slavery in the US in the early part of the last century so this was an insight to me. However, if I did have one complaint the narrator clearly doesn’t know the difference between a Scottish accent and a soft Irish accent.

Excellent insight into Chinese slavery in the USA

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Great story, amazing women.

I saw some reviews about the narration and it nearly put me off, I'm so glad it didn't! No the voice of Dolly doesn't sound Scottish but it takes nothing way from the great writing and the fascinating story.

Couldn't Put It Down!

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The ‘Scottish’ accent is really off putting, and she could have looked in to how to pronounce Riordan and Inverness…

Let down by narrator

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Well narrated but I think she could have left out the accent for Dolly. It sounded Irish rather that Scottish to me and I don't think it added anything to the story but was a bit off-putting.

Fascinating

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Fabulous book and the narrators voice was lovely. Only criticism is her accent for Dolly - it was a bit confused.

Beautiful book

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What an amazing history this book is based on. This is historical fiction but based in the little talked about Chinese slave trade.
Really enlightening.

Fiction meets fact

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