In 1938 San Francisco, three young women from different backgrounds—Grace, Helen, and Ruby—meet while auditioning for the Forbidden City nightclub. The story follows their lives as performers in the "Chop Suey Circuit," a network of venues featuring Asian American entertainers. They navigate professional rivalry and personal secrets until the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor shifts their reality. The ensuing war brings Executive Order 9066, racial profiling, and government suspicion, testing their loyalties and forcing them to confront their distinct Chinese and Japanese identities under intense public scrutiny.
Historical fiction enthusiasts read this book to understand the specific social hierarchies and labor conditions of mid-century Asian American performing arts. It appeals to those interested in the domestic impact of World War II on the West Coast and the legal realities of the exclusion era. Readers walk away with a detailed account of how systemic prejudice and wartime paranoia dismantled private lives while creating a unique, high-stakes subculture in the American entertainment industry.
Clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2014
- Language
- EN
