San Francisco, 1903; In the harbour of San Francisco, many ships from China arrive daily. Some of the ships secretly transport young women and girls from China, who are lured by criminal tongs (Chinese gangs) with false promises (rich husbands weddings and work) false papers, and false new names to America. Some girls are even sold to tongs to pay off (gambling) debts of their parents, and once in America, they have to pay off the price the tong paid their parents, and the girls land in brothels, as slaves, and are treated badly and inhumane by their owners.
The Occidental Mission Home for Girls is a beacon of hope and light for these girls and women. The young Donaldina Cameron lands a job at this home to rescue girls from desperate situations and from many cruel owners. In the mission home, the girls are safe, and get an education. But Donaldina's work is not without danger; the local Tongs hate her for her work, and her rescue actions always are assisted by the police. Told in alternating chapters, we read from the point of view of Donaldina and Mei Lien. a a “paper daughter” who thinks she is coming to America for an arranged marriage but instead is sold into a life of shame and despair.
This book is based on true history; The Occidental Mission Home for Girls and Donaldina Cameron really existed, and this organisation is still going on in San Francisco under her name. The storyline of the book is absolutely magnificient! It is a true historical page turner, on every page something is happening that makes you curious for the next page. The author truly created believable and real character that you start to care for more and more during the story as a reader. What the Chinese girls had to endure before they where rescued whas heartbreaking. What is most heartwarming is that many Chinese girls found safety and a future in the Mission Home, altough lies where spread about the home within the Chinese community, but during the book, the mission gets the trust of the community, which was really good to read. I think this book would also be great as a movie, because the way it was written, you could picture everything in your head.
Overall, for fans of historical fiction this is a book not to miss. I truly recommend it!!
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