Synopsis (from Goodreads):

“That book. It was about two women, and they fell in love with each other.” And then Lily asked the question that had taken root in her, that was even now unfurling its leaves and demanding to be shown the sun: “Have you ever heard of such a thing?”

Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

Review:

I hadn't heard much about this book before I checked it out from the public library.  But I knew this was about San Francisco Chinatown in the 1950's, and a girl coming to terms with being a lesbian.  I also knew that this won the 2021 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.  This was a beautiful, heartbreaking book.  

Most people don't remember what it was like when being a homosexual was considered a mental illness.  Even though the Supreme Court ruled that gays had the right to assemble in 1951, there were still raids on gay bars, and people were thrown in jail on trumped up charges of "lewd conduct", and "contributing to the delinquency of a minor".  This book was set seventy years ago.  It made me so sad for gay people of my parents' generation.

I loved the two main characters, Lily and her girlfriend Kath.  They are high school seniors who are realizing that they like girls, not boys.  Lily's filled with shame and fear as she finds that she is not like her friends.  Add to this that Lily is Chinese-American, with a culture that values traditional family, and denies there are any gay Chinese, it's no wonder Lily is fearful.  

Since the Chinese students tend to stick together, she doesn't really know Kath (a Caucasian) all that well.  But they are the only two girls in their high school's advanced math class during their senior year.  They both have similar dreams of having a career in math and science.  Then Kath tells Lily about the Telegraph Club, a nightclub with male impersonators.  Lily is drawn to this and asks Kath to take her to the bar.  Once they get some fake ID's, they agree to meet there.

This book is so intense, that I had to put it down several times.  As she becomes bolder and takes more chances, I worried for Lily.  I didn't want Lily to get caught!  But, if things were easy, there wouldn't be much of a story.  Just be warned that it is tough to read about what can happen to people when they come out to their family!  

What I Liked:

Characters:

Lily is such an engaging character.  As her senior year begins, her life-long friendship with Shirley (another Chinese-American girl) is strained.  Lily begins to see how manipulative her friend is and she has had enough!  She is tired of being a doormat, and pushes back against her friend.  But, since they live in such a tight-knit community, her parents just assume that they will always be best friends.  They have no idea that Shirley is a queen bee and has been stinging her "friends" for years.  

Shirley actually was also a sympathetic character, despite her shortcomings.  She feels the sting of racism daily and sometimes wishes she didn't live in Chinatown.  She dreams of going to Hollywood and being in movies.  But she knows that she will soon be expected to get married and have children, staying in Chinatown forever.

Setting & Historical Details:

The author did extensive research into the time period, San Francisco Chinatown, LGBTQ issues in the 1950's, and the Red Scare.  All these details add a layer of realism that helps bring Lily's problems to life.  Not only is she afraid of being labeled a lesbian, she is also worried about her father's immigration status.  Even though he was an American citizen, he still was threatened with deportation if he didn't confirm that one of his patients was a communist.  If Lily is labeled a homosexual, she might put her father in even more danger. 

This was also a really fascinating look into the gay community in San Francisco in the 1950's.  How does a young person even find other gay people when it is so dangerous?  Small nightclubs with entertainment that promised "a gay old time" were learned about through word of mouth.  Bouncers looked the other way at teenagers getting in.  Suddenly, Lily sees that there are many other lesbians in the city.  It was a revelation for her, and made her more comfortable with who she was.  

Story:

This story had a lot of tension as Lily realizes she is gay, and then starts to explore what that means.  With every act of rebellion, Lily comes closer and closer to being caught. I was constantly worried for her.  What would happen to her if her friends or family found out?  

Spoiler Alert...The ending is not a feel-good happy moment where the characters all get what they want.  But it was a very realistic ending that did leave me hopeful for Lily and Kath.  This really made me appreciate how much things have changed.  While it still depends on a person's family, many young people have much less traumatic coming out stories. I hope that parents of gay kids will read this and realize that their kids need to be loved and supported, not shamed and ridiculed by their family.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  January 19th, 2021

Author: Malinda Lo

Publisher:  Dutton Books for Young Readers

Genre:  YA Historical Fiction/LBGTQ YA Fiction

Page Length: 416 Pages

Source:  Public Library

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  This is a truly special book that I hope teens, and parents, will read.  I highly recommend it. 

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed.

Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right.

Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved.

The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear.

From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.

Review:

In my childhood, I have a strong memory of my great-grandmother telling me stories of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906,  She was sixteen years old.  She told me of her and her family standing on a hill and watching the city, and their home, burn.  They then fled on a boat to Oakland, California to rebuild their lives.  So every time I hear of a book with the earthquake as it's backdrop, I can't help but be drawn to it.  Add one of my favorite authors, Susan Meissner, as the writer, and I was eager to read this book.  I wasn't disappointed.  This book had load of historical details of San Francisco at that time, characters I loved, and a story with many twists and turns.  I loved this book.

What I Liked:

Historical Details:

I loved all the details of San Francisco at the turn of the twentieth century.  From the wonders of San Francisco's new cable car systems, to the prosperity of the shops and neighborhoods, this time period came alive to me, the reader.

And as someone who has lived in the Bay Area for over twenty years, I can attest to all the details of the in San Francisco.  From the massive hills, to the chilly fog, and the sprawling nature of Golden Gate Park, all the physical details were completely accurate.

Details of the 1906 Earthquake:

As scary as it was, I appreciated all the details of the quake itself.  The author goes to great lengths to show how the quake felt (one small jolt, followed by an almost minute-long shaking).  The aftermath is what is truly interesting.  Most of the displaced people gathered in Golden Gate Park, spending that first night cold, hungry, and terrified, as aftershocks rocked their nerves raw.  When daylight broke, the U.S. Army took over and organized tents, food, and other logistics that brought order to the chaos.

Characters:

Sophie was a character I could root for.  An immigrant from Ireland, Sophie knew hardship and yearned for security and comfort.  When she agrees to be a mail order bride and stepmother to a widower and his young child, it makes perfect sense.  I loved how Sophie bonded with the little girl, Kat, and did whatever she could to protect her.  I also liked that she doesn't instantly fall in love with her husband, Martin.  Part of this was because she was naturally cautious.  But she also had suspicions about Martin.  He seemed very aloof towards his daughter, and leaves mysteriously for days at a time.  What was he up to?  I would say more, but I don't want to spoil any of the plot.

There were several other female characters who show how easily it was, in the days of limited communication, to be duped by others.  But, even though they were victims, they also were survivors.  These characters were not undone by being taken advantage others.  Instead, they grew stronger.  I really admired that.

Story:

The story of a con man and how he dupes women takes many twists and turns, all with the backdrop of the great earthquake of 1906.  This could have been a story set in almost any time period.  But having it happen at that time, adds a layer of significance.  Sophie finds a colossal secret about her husband that changes her life, just as the earthquake hits.  The symbolism is obvious, and it works.  As her world shifts, so does San Francisco.  As the Bay Area rebuilds, so does Sophie find a way to rebuild her life.  The earthquake is the perfect metaphor.

Rating: 

Release Date:  February 2nd, 2021

Author:  Susan Meissner

Publisher:  Berkley Books

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Page Length:  384 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  Filled with details of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, this story has complex characters and a story with surprising twists. 
Another solid historical fiction from author Susan Meissner.

Please Note:  I received an advance audio copy of this book from the publisher, Penguin Audio, in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

By the time Dominique Crenn decided to become a chef, at the age of twenty-one, she knew it was a near impossible dream in France where almost all restaurant kitchens were run by men. So she moved to San Francisco to train under Jeremiah Tower. Almost thirty years later, Crenn was awarded three Michelin Stars in 2018 for her restaurant Atelier Crenn, and became the first female chef in the United States to receive this honor.

In this book, the author writes of her childhood in Versailles. Adopted as a toddler, growing up she often felt like an outsider, and was haunted by a past she knew nothing about. But after years of working to fill this blank space, Crenn has embraced the power her history gives her to be whoever she wants to be. She also addresses restaurant culture, sexism, immigration, and climate change, this is a book of a chef's personal journey of discovery.

Review:

Perhaps because I always wished to be one, I'm quite drawn to memoirs by chefs.  And Dominique Crenn's story is compelling.  Growing up in France, she came from a loving home, but always felt to be a bit of an outsider.  This may have been due to being adopted.  But being an outsider allowed Crenn to look at life from a different angle.  A risk-taker who has inspired countless people with her work ethic, determination, and the poetic artistry of her cooking, she was never constrained by traditional thinking.  I loved this book, but if you need to visualize what her cooking is, you should also watch the episode of Netflix show, Chef's Table, that features Crenn.  Taken together, you will see a portrait of a dynamic force of nature. 

What I Liked:

Narrator:

Hope Newhouse does a wonderful job of using her youthful voice to show how new and refreshing Crenn's culinary viewpoint is.  She also seems to be fluent in French, as she demonstrates whenever a French phrase is used.  She helped show how wonderous Crenn's journey really was.

Insight into a Chef's Purpose:

While most of us diners go to a restaurant and anticipate a pleasant meal, Dominique Crenn uses a meal to tell a story through food.  This may seem pretentious, but her use of food is so well thought out, that one can't help but be moved by her outlook.  She sees beauty in ingredients, and finds joy in creating new ways to produce meals that touch the heart, as well as the stomach. 

Not a Tell-All:

I appreciated that this book was not a tell-all of who Crenn dated or horror stories of mistreatment by male chefs.  Certainly, she touches on these topics, but these are not the main points of the book.  The point of the memoir was to honor her father, who died of cancer.  Although she follows her instincts to pursue adventure away from France, she has deep guilt for being away from her family.  This is a tension I can identify with.  To their credit, her parents always encourage her travels.  But you can tell Crenn feels the tug of home, especially as her mother gets older.

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Rating:

Release Date:  June 9th, 2020

Author:  Dominique Crenn with Emma Brockes

Audio Narrator:  Hope Newhouse

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Audio Length:  5 Hours, 15 Minutes

Print Publisher:  Penguin Press

Print Page Length:  256 Pages

Source:  Penguin Audio

Format:  Audiobook

Recommendation:  This book will make you want to visit Crenn's restaurant as soon as the Pandemic is over!  A wonderful, inspiring memoir.