Many thoughts are running through my head about this book. It is not an easy read.
Daughters of the Sun and Moon
In 1870, three Chinese women arrive in the small, dusty, and violent pueblo of Los Angeles. Dove, the bound-footed daughter of an imperial scholar, is entrancing and innocent, poised to fulfill her role as a daughter with an arranged marriage to a much older merchant. Petal, the big-footed daughter of peasants, is arriving on the shores of Gold Mountain—America—after being sold into servitude by her parents. And Moon, married to a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, is educated and beautiful, yet her failed foot binding as a child has left her with a limp that lessens her value in the eyes of many.
Each woman has her own desires. Dove wants to love and be loved, Petal desires freedom, and Moon seeks justice. Together they face a ruthless society, devoid of goodwill and increasingly hostile to all three women, despite their different backgrounds. Set during a period of rampant anti-Chinese sentiment in Los Angeles, Daughters of the Sun and Moon is a gripping tale of an exhilarating but tumultuous society in a fever pitch, and three women who must navigate its unique challenges. In the wake of the real-life Night of Horrors, a long-forgotten, bloody episode of American history, Dove, Petal, and Moon are brought together by hardship and heartbreak, and they must use their bravery, endurance, and ability to “eat bitterness” to discover their voices, find freedom, and connect through solace and friendship. Together they are daughters of the sun and moon.” – From the author’s website
About Daughters of the Sun and Moon
I’ve noticed from the author’s other books that her tone is a bit different here: more serious, precise, and objective, although it didn’t lessen the emotional impact. I feel like it resonated even more, especially with the shift between three points of view.
We follow Dove, Petal, and Moon. Moon and Petal are narrated in the first person. Moon’s point of view also shifts between the events as they unfold and her old age. Dove’s story is told in the third person, which is also symbolic of these women’s character and story.
“Dove wanted to love and be loved, Petal craved freedom, and I sought justice. But I could be wrong. Maybe I’m the one who longed for love, while Petal looked for justice, and Dove needed to find freedom.”
Lisa See
This idea is also reflected in details of their feet: Dove had bound feet, Moon had a foot deformed by an infection in her youth, and Petal’s feet were never bound. Whatever their wishes, the price was ultimately too high.
Daughters of Sun and Moon shows us these women’s positions within their cultures and families. Then, we see them in a foreign country they were sold and forcibly taken to, but which never accepted them. They were sold, abused, humiliated, made small, and objectified. The stories of Moon, Petal, and Dove, as well as that of other women in the book, perfectly illustrate the experiences of a Chinese woman and immigrant in 19th-century Los Angeles.
The book is divided into four parts. At the beginning of each one was an excerpt from the Los Angeles Gazette, which served to tie everything together and underline the general mood leading up to the Night of Horrors.
The Night of Horrors happens towards the end of the book, and before that, we see a plot leading up to it. That was a clever structural choice because before that, we have a set of characters we are given enough time to connect with. That way, the event is even more shocking and heartbreaking for the reader. It also gives time to lay out the actual historical facts that would introduce this otherwise unknown or less-known real-life event.
There are so many aspects of this book that deserve time and discussion. The author offers many interesting additional materials from her research before writing the book.
I think reading and discussing this book is a good starting point for being introduced to, and expanding our knowledge of, one of the most atrocious events in America’s history. Make sure to check out the author’s website for more information.
(Before reading, however, be aware of the trigger warnings, as this book contains difficult and graphic content, especially in its portrayal of the Night of Horrors.)
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