Journal Entry 1 by Bjorg from Reykjavík, Reykjavík (Höfuðborgar svæðið) Iceland on Tuesday, July 20, 2010

In 1937 Shanghai - the Paris of Asia - twenty-one-year old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern and carefree - until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth and that to repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on a journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices and confront a devastating life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines hold fast to who they are - Shanghai girls. 

Journal Entry 2 by Bjorg at Reykjavík, Reykjavík (Höfuðborgar svæðið) Iceland on Thursday, November 18, 2010

A very moving story, I got hooked right away, from the first page and until the end. Lisa See is a great writer and I love her writing style. The sisters, Pearl and May, felt very real to me. 

Journal Entry 3 by Bjorg at on Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (11/23/2010 UTC) at

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This book will now travel to my partner in Nattabee´s Secret Angels Christmas Exchange Game:)
Saw this on your wishlist and hope you will enjoy it:) 

Journal Entry 4 by grovalskii at Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Thursday, December 30, 2010

Received this from my secret angel. :-) I really look forward to reading this book. Thanks for getting me this wishlist book, Björg! 

Journal Entry 5 by grovalskii at Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Great book. I find it so interesting to learn about Shanghai and the life of the Chinese immigrants in the US. The end of the book was a bit disappointing to me, but otherwise, as always, I love reading Lisa See's books. 

Journal Entry 6 by grovalskii at Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Thursday, February 17, 2011

I will send this book out as a bookring. Here is the order so far. If anybody else would like to join, just PM me.

PLEASE: try to read the book within a month of receiving it.

1. abigailann (UK, ship UK)
2. kirstykat (UK, ship UK / EU)
3. footymadgill (UK, ship intl)
4. 24-7-365Reader (UK, ship UK)
5. elstaplador (UK, ship intl)
6. dutch-book (NL, ship EU)
7. 727 (Latvia, ship EU)--> skipped
8. okyrhoe (Greece, ship intl)
9. Icila (France, ship intl)
10. lauraloo29 (CA, ship intl)
11. carelaisa (CA, ship CA or US)
12. emmmersss (USA, ship intl)
13. iwillrejoice (USA, ship North America)
14. FeistyPom2Love (USA, ship North America)
15. lisabb2 (USA, ship USA)
16. valpete (USA, ship intl, towards the end of the list)
17. lisa1301 (UK, ship intl)
18. teggers (UK, ship intl)
19. lunatum (Finland, ship intl)
.
.
back to me 

Journal Entry 7 by grovalskii at Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Released 1 yr ago (2/22/2011 UTC) at Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

the book is on its way to the first reader in the UK! 

Journal Entry 8 by abigailann at Abingdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 25, 2011

Thanks for sending this my way. I have one book to read after my current one and then I will get to this one. 

Journal Entry 9 by abigailann at Abingdon, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Saturday, March 12, 2011

I just loved the way this book transported me into the worlds of both China and Chinese people in America during the middle of the C20th. The images were vivid and the characters were interesting. I learnt an awful lot from reading this book, including several new Chinese words and concepts. My only fault about this book is how suddenly it ended- I wanted to know more!

I have the next participants address and will send on asap 

Journal Entry 10 by kirstykat at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, March 17, 2011

Gratefully received this morning from Abigailann. Two books to read ahead of this, but will get it on it's way as soon as possible. Really looking forward to reading this! :) 

Journal Entry 11 by kirstykat at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Started this last night and it is was so immediately gripping that I was consequently late for work this morning!! :o.

Will contact the next in the ring because I hope to get this moving again by the end of the month. Sorry for any delay - I have been a bit behind with my reading!! 

Journal Entry 12 by kirstykat at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, July 04, 2011

An absolutely FABULOUS book - tears, laughter, joy, happiness - all the emotions you could think of. Loved it!

Thank you Grovalski for setting this ring up :) 

Journal Entry 13 by kirstykat at Bromley, Kent United Kingdom on Monday, July 04, 2011

Released 11 mos ago (7/2/2011 UTC) at Bromley, Kent United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted on to FootymadGill. Hope you enjoy it!! :) 

Journal Entry 14 by footymadgill at Croydon, Surrey United Kingdom on Monday, July 04, 2011

Received today. Have one book to read and this is next in line. Thanks Kirstykat for sending.  

Journal Entry 15 by footymadgill at Croydon, Surrey United Kingdom on Monday, July 11, 2011

I loved this book. Well written. A rollercoaster of emotions. Thanks for sharing! 

Journal Entry 16 by footymadgill at A Bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Monday, July 11, 2011

Released 10 mos ago (7/11/2011 UTC) at A Bookcrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sent on to the next reader in the ring  

Journal Entry 17 by 24-7-365Reader at Droitwich, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, July 17, 2011

This book arrived this week, thanks for sharing, I will get it started very soon :) 

Journal Entry 18 by 24-7-365Reader at Droitwich, Worcestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Firstly let me apologise for holding on to this book, it feels like I have had it for ages. We have been on holiday for a couple of weeks and I lost track of time - very sorry :(

On to the book - I have rated this book a 4, I didn't finish it as I felt I had already had it for too long and I found it quite difficult to read, however I am sure if it was on my book shelf I would go back to it and try again as there were aspects of it that interested me and given time I might have enjoyed it more.

Many thanks for sharing and once again apologies!

I have emailed the next person on the list and will post as soon as I have the address. 

Journal Entry 19 by elstaplador at Woking, Surrey United Kingdom on Sunday, October 02, 2011

This was waiting for me when I got back from a weekend away. Thank you! 

Journal Entry 20 by elstaplador at Woking, Surrey United Kingdom on Saturday, October 08, 2011

These days I learn most of my history from novels, but perhaps that's not such a bad thing. At least novelists will admit that they made bits up, or left things out because they didn't fit. More to the point, one learns that there is something to learn about a time or place one hadn't really thought about. Such is the case with Lisa See, as much with Shanghai Girls as with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, which I read last year.

See deals here with what seems to be a favourite theme: the changes of a relationship between two women. In fact, if one leaves time and place out of it, the plot is basically that of Snow Flower: love, hate, deception, loyalty, and one's inability to know oneself without the help of those one knows. However, time and place are vital, because the Shanghai girls are physically resident in the city of the title for only a few chapters; the rest of the novel is a story of escape, travel, immigration and integration in America, and it's this that makes it fascinating. I knew a little bit about the Chinese American experience in the mid twentieth century from reading the Wikipedia article on Anna May Wong; the rest was all new, and more than compensates for the duplicate plot. 

Journal Entry 21 by elstaplador at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Released 7 mos ago (10/8/2011 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

In the post to the next reader in the ring. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 22 by dutch-book at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, October 29, 2011

Arrived here Thursday. I'm sure I'll enjoy it! 

Journal Entry 23 by dutch-book at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Again an interesting read. I feel like I'm learning a lot from See's works of fiction. Am learning a lot about China, it becomes such an interesting country in her stories. I will PM okyrhoe for his/her adress, as 727 has written on the forums that she won't be able to do any rings due to financial reasons. 

Journal Entry 24 by dutch-book at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands on Monday, January 02, 2012

Released 4 mos ago (1/2/2012 UTC) at Weesp, Noord-Holland Netherlands

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to the next participant. 

Journal Entry 25 by okyrhoe at Athens, Attica Greece on Thursday, January 12, 2012

Arrived in Athens.
Thanks grovalskii for including me in the ring, and dutch- book for posting it to me :-)

Happy 2012 everyone!  

Journal Entry 26 by okyrhoe at Athens, Attica Greece on Monday, February 06, 2012

I had a mixed response to the book.
I enjoy reading about the immigrant experience in America; the details of the sisters' journey from poster girls of high-society Shanghai to slum living in Los Angeles did not disappoint. From this perspective, the novel is valuable as a historical insight.
Coincidentally, I followed Shanghai Girls with Stealing Buddha's Dinner, and what a difference 40 years make, with regards to the immigrants' process of assimilation in the U.S.
But I couldn't get used to the narrative voice. Pearl's naïveté & limited scope contrasts with her first-person account which is rich in historical details and clarifications. A third-person point of view would have seemed more suitable.
Also, the plot's hurried pace, galloping from one tragedy to another, and the way that secret treasures or secret identities were dramatically revealed in climactic moments, gave the story a soap-opera feel.
 

Journal Entry 27 by okyrhoe at Bookring, By Post -- Controlled Releases on Monday, February 06, 2012

Released 3 mos ago (2/6/2012 UTC) at Bookring, By Post -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way by post to Icila in France.
Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 28 by Icila at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Sunday, February 12, 2012

The book is now with me, thanks okyrhoe. 

Journal Entry 29 by Icila at Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Thursday, March 08, 2012

I didn't know this author but I'm sure to be interested if one or another of her books crosses my way.

I just saw that's a sequel is coming :
http://www.lisasee.com/dreamsofjoy/ 

Journal Entry 30 by Icila at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France on Friday, March 16, 2012

Released 2 mos ago (3/16/2012 UTC) at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to Lauraloo29 in Canada. 

Journal Entry 31 by lauraloo29 at Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Arrived today. I'm in the middle of another book, but this will be next. Thank you! 

Journal Entry 32 by lauraloo29 at Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Finally! I have finished. I didn't mean to keep it so long. I have limited reading time, but now that daylight savings has kicked in and there is actual light at my early morning bus stop, I was able to push through.

A good read. Loved reading about this part of history I didn't really know about. Interesting on family relationships. I'm glad I stuck with it. :)

I have the next address and I'm going to the post office on Thursday.

Thank you for sharing! 

Journal Entry 33 by carelaisa at Québec, Québec Canada on Thursday, May 24, 2012

The book got in yesterday. I will start reading this weekend, as I'm just about to finish the one I'm currently reading.

Thanks lauraloo29 for sending it my way and grovalskii for sharing it with us :)