The Girls of Good Fortune
Celia is in a precarious situation. She is a half-Chinese woman—the product of a Chinese father and a white mother—who passes for white in 1880s Portland. She goes by the name of Celia Hart, instead of Celia Jung, to survive in a city that is rife with anti-Chinese sentiment and racism. She works as a maid for the Bettencourts, the mayor’s family, where she becomes entangled in a romantic relationship with their son, Stephen. When he wants to marry her, they immediately want her gone. Sometime in the future, Celia awakens in a dark tunnel. To make matters worse, she is wearing clothing that belongs to someone else. It doesn’t take long for her to figure out that she is a “shanghaied” victim—disguised as a man—who is about to be sent off for forced labor. How will she get out of this predicament?
This was my first time reading a book by Kristina McMorris, and I am so glad I did. The author writes in an engaging manner, bringing the 1880s West to life. The level of detail in McMorris’s writing was impressive and it is apparent that she did a great deal of research. She highlights the horrors of that time period, from the racism to human trafficking to the massacres. Most importantly, she educates readers about the horrific Rock Springs Massacre, where Chinese miners were massacred by white miners. Celia is a fascinating character, a strong protagonist determined to eke out a living at a time where it seems impossible. While I liked Celia, I did find her decisions frustrating and questionable at times.
