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Момичето, което пишеше върху коприна
Всеки сантиметър от този ръкав беше избродиран с нишки в наситени цветове, от веща ръка, създала картини – така ярки и толкова детайлни, че приличаха на маслени платна. Инара не разбираше нито от платове, нито от бродерия, но дори за нея беше пределно ясно, че този ръкав не е просто част от дреха, а истинско произведение на изкуството. Нещо повече – съвършените дребни, равни бодове изобразяваха къща и дърво до колоните на входа, забелязваха се и фигури, подобни на азиатски йероглифи - мъж, прегърнал дете, кораб, демони, жена с усмихнати очи... И тя осъзна, че пред нея е историята на един живот.
Инара Ериксън се разхожда из островното имение на починалата си леля, когато случайно открива изящно бродирано парче коприна. Докато повдига пласт по пласт тайните, притаени в това малко парче плат, животът й постепенно се преплита с този на Мей Лин – младо китайско момиче, мистериозно изчезнало от дома си преди цяло столетие. Чрез историите, които Мей Лин разказва върху коприната, Инара разкрива една трагична истина, която ще разтърси из основи цялото й семейство... и ще я изправи пред невъзможен избор.
Вдъхновен от истински събития, брилянтният исторически роман на Кели Естес предлага разтърсващ разказ за две жени, свързани през времето от съдбата. Жени със силен дух и достойнство, твърдо решени да постъпят правилно, независимо от цената, която трябва да платят.
Тази трогателна и нежна история е доказателство, че докато не се каже истината за миналото, не може да се намери помирение в настоящето.
Инара Ериксън се разхожда из островното имение на починалата си леля, когато случайно открива изящно бродирано парче коприна. Докато повдига пласт по пласт тайните, притаени в това малко парче плат, животът й постепенно се преплита с този на Мей Лин – младо китайско момиче, мистериозно изчезнало от дома си преди цяло столетие. Чрез историите, които Мей Лин разказва върху коприната, Инара разкрива една трагична истина, която ще разтърси из основи цялото й семейство... и ще я изправи пред невъзможен избор.
Вдъхновен от истински събития, брилянтният исторически роман на Кели Естес предлага разтърсващ разказ за две жени, свързани през времето от съдбата. Жени със силен дух и достойнство, твърдо решени да постъпят правилно, независимо от цената, която трябва да платят.
Тази трогателна и нежна история е доказателство, че докато не се каже истината за миналото, не може да се намери помирение в настоящето.
424 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
About the author
Kelli Estes
2 books508 followersKelli Estes is the USA Today bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK which has been translated into eleven languages and was the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association Nancy Pearl Book Award and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association Star Award (Debut). Her second novel TODAY WE GO HOME was the nationwide Target Book Club pick for September 2019. Known for dual-timeline stories that show how history is still relevant to our lives today, Kelli is passionate about learning all she can about people and events that shaped our world. Kelli lives in Washington State with her husband and two sons. Find Kelli on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.kelliestes.com.
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December 18, 2015I wrote this book and hope you enjoy it!
September 4, 2015
I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I wanted to, but the plot was too predictable and the characters kind of annoying and unbelievable, in some ways. It depicts a fascinating period in American history that isn't in history books - racism toward Chinese Americans at the turn of the century, which went hand in hand with the Exclusion Act of 1882. I love the setting - the San Juan Islands. The plot itself makes the story fun, but I was really hoping for some curve balls, like when they found one person's diary (trying not to spoil it) and it almost sounded like it was going to go down another path, looking into that character, but it didn't. But overall, it was an easy read and was really interesting, so if you're into interesting stories that weave in historical elements, and if you don't mind predictable endings, then I'd recommend it.
May 24, 2023
Why I chose to listen to this audiobook (available on Hoopla):
1. I spied this story on Goodreads shortly after becoming active on this site, and the reference to needlework intrigued me to add it to my WTR list; and,
2. May 2023 is my "People of the Far East Month" (culture featured: Chinese).
Praises:
1. both occurring in the Pacific Northwest of Washington State, I was interested to see how the dual timeline of present day was interwoven with the 1886 purge of ethnic Chinese from Seattle, all through a "story" exquisitely embroidered on a piece of silk hidden away for over 100 years;
2. although I figured out the relation between the two storylines within the first 25% of the audiobook, I was still invested to learn more as to how this story was inspired by true events; and,
3. author Kelli Estes skillfully depicts the atmospheric setting of the Pacific Northwest, the intricacies of Chinese embroidery, and the intense racial tension against the Chinese in that area during the late 19th-century.
Niggles:
1. quite predictable from the romance angles. Although not cheesy, they were obvious right from the get-go; and,
2. several coincidences popped up at strategic times in order for the storylines to flow along.
Overall Thoughts:
Dual timelines seem to be quite the entertaining writing style for historical fiction nowadays! As a historical fiction fan, I prefer when authors flesh out the "history" of one main character, obviously, the "historical" one, instead of adding a "modern-day" character to "solve a mystery".
1. I spied this story on Goodreads shortly after becoming active on this site, and the reference to needlework intrigued me to add it to my WTR list; and,
2. May 2023 is my "People of the Far East Month" (culture featured: Chinese).
Praises:
1. both occurring in the Pacific Northwest of Washington State, I was interested to see how the dual timeline of present day was interwoven with the 1886 purge of ethnic Chinese from Seattle, all through a "story" exquisitely embroidered on a piece of silk hidden away for over 100 years;
2. although I figured out the relation between the two storylines within the first 25% of the audiobook, I was still invested to learn more as to how this story was inspired by true events; and,
3. author Kelli Estes skillfully depicts the atmospheric setting of the Pacific Northwest, the intricacies of Chinese embroidery, and the intense racial tension against the Chinese in that area during the late 19th-century.
Niggles:
1. quite predictable from the romance angles. Although not cheesy, they were obvious right from the get-go; and,
2. several coincidences popped up at strategic times in order for the storylines to flow along.
Overall Thoughts:
Dual timelines seem to be quite the entertaining writing style for historical fiction nowadays! As a historical fiction fan, I prefer when authors flesh out the "history" of one main character, obviously, the "historical" one, instead of adding a "modern-day" character to "solve a mystery".
December 7, 2015
What a fabulous debut novel. This incorporated everything that I love about historical fiction. A historical period/event I knew nothing about, characters I could root for and a convincing story tying it all together. Mei Lein is one of those superbly created characters that I will continue to think about... and cry over for a long time. A touching story that I highly recommend. I am so excited to read more by Estes.
March 10, 2017
This book is an easy read and the story is compelling and I found myself very drawn into it. However, the writing itself is very cliche, bordering on cheesy at points. I did very much enjoy learning about the Orcas Islands and horrified to learn of how the Chinese-Americans were treated during this time period. I became attached to Mei and her husband but couldn't warm up to Inara who's big problem in life was deciding if she should pursue a career in international relations that was offered to her by Starbucks. The love story was way too predictable and almost laughable with some of the trite expressions but as I said, easy to read and it compelled me to do some research on the Chinese during this time period. I thought the author's use of the sleeve with a story was downright brilliant and I was also impressed by her descriptions of Chinese spirituality. I almost felt like it was two authors, one who was writing the deep and complicated parts of the past and one who was a Danielle Steele , Lifetime for women author who was breezily babbling about the present and making my eyeballs roll.
June 18, 2016
I closed the book with a tightness in my throat and sorrow in my chest. The main thought swirling in my head was "People really never change". Maybe I'm feeling hypersensitive after all the horrible events that have happened lately in the cause of hatred; a mass shooting, murder of a respected British MP, threats against mosques in a local city, and some of the day to day vitriol spewed in social media comments. Increasingly I question where has compassion gone in our society? It wasn't found in Pacific Northwest society in the 1880-1890s (and probably later than that) for the Chinese peoples living and supporting the cities there. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk highlights a perhaps lesser known period of United States history in which legislation was passed requiring the deportation of Chinese people back to China. It mentions legislation in which it was forbidden to hire Chinese workers for business owners. Mass deportation, crimes against a people, violence, death, and social prejudices that should make everyone of us squirm in shame. I know I did as I read this book. It was truly a shameful period in history.
But Estes also highlights the human capacity to forgive and remember the mistakes made by forebears so not repeat them again. If only this was true across the test of time as history seems to repeat itself, just using different races/cultures as scapegoats. However, in the case of Inara Erickson as she explores her family's history which turns dark; she discovers redemption in an attempt to right a wrong done to a Chinese family many years ago. Inara's story intertwines with the telling of Mei Lien's story which begins in the late 1880s in Seattle. Inara discovers an embroidered sleeve hidden in the floor boards of her family's estate that she is restoring to a boutique hotel. When she contacts a local professor regarding the find; she embarks on a journey of discovery in Mei Lien's life, loves, and heartbreak. When the Mei's story takes a deeply personal turn for Inara, choices have to be made. Choices based on justice, decency, secrets, and love.
But Estes also highlights the human capacity to forgive and remember the mistakes made by forebears so not repeat them again. If only this was true across the test of time as history seems to repeat itself, just using different races/cultures as scapegoats. However, in the case of Inara Erickson as she explores her family's history which turns dark; she discovers redemption in an attempt to right a wrong done to a Chinese family many years ago. Inara's story intertwines with the telling of Mei Lien's story which begins in the late 1880s in Seattle. Inara discovers an embroidered sleeve hidden in the floor boards of her family's estate that she is restoring to a boutique hotel. When she contacts a local professor regarding the find; she embarks on a journey of discovery in Mei Lien's life, loves, and heartbreak. When the Mei's story takes a deeply personal turn for Inara, choices have to be made. Choices based on justice, decency, secrets, and love.
August 3, 2016
I read this for my book club, otherwise, I imagine I probably would have dropped it the first time Inara does a google search, and the author dutifully records all of her search term variations. No, okay, no. The book is plagued with mediocre writing and research, and the plot suffers from cliché, coincidence, and sappy romance.
I love the Pacific Northwest. It's one of my favorite places to visit, but Estes punts on the setting, and honestly the book could have been set on any island (I'm thinking specifically of Gemini and Astoria, which really captured the feel, the atmosphere of the area). The book is riddled with missteps from the minor --hiking wasn't in common usage until the 1940s, prior to that it was walking or mountaineering-- to the hysterical --shipping-magnate daughter Inara worries about her student loans, and math makes a character approximately 118, yet it isn't mentioned that she's unspeakably old. Let's not even start on the internalized racism of Mei Lein referring to herself as slant-eyed. Toss on to the pile that Estes warped Seattle's history to fit her plot, and I would be hard pressed to find any value to this book. Seriously, the only thing that caught it that extra star is the scene where Mei Lein says goodbye to her child, and Estes writes of it movingly. Otherwise, this would be on the would-use-as-toliet-paper 1-star list.
As I often find is the case, however, book discussion was an absolute hoot. Most of the group liked it better than I did, but neither the romance nor the heavy coincidences were well-favored, and people with expertise in other area pointed out a couple of flaws I hadn't noticed/hand-waved.
Pass on this one.
I love the Pacific Northwest. It's one of my favorite places to visit, but Estes punts on the setting, and honestly the book could have been set on any island (I'm thinking specifically of Gemini and Astoria, which really captured the feel, the atmosphere of the area). The book is riddled with missteps from the minor --hiking wasn't in common usage until the 1940s, prior to that it was walking or mountaineering-- to the hysterical --shipping-magnate daughter Inara worries about her student loans, and math makes a character approximately 118, yet it isn't mentioned that she's unspeakably old. Let's not even start on the internalized racism of Mei Lein referring to herself as slant-eyed. Toss on to the pile that Estes warped Seattle's history to fit her plot, and I would be hard pressed to find any value to this book. Seriously, the only thing that caught it that extra star is the scene where Mei Lein says goodbye to her child, and Estes writes of it movingly. Otherwise, this would be on the would-use-as-toliet-paper 1-star list.
As I often find is the case, however, book discussion was an absolute hoot. Most of the group liked it better than I did, but neither the romance nor the heavy coincidences were well-favored, and people with expertise in other area pointed out a couple of flaws I hadn't noticed/hand-waved.
Pass on this one.
February 4, 2022
4.5 strong stars rounded up for this beautifully written historical fiction novel. I purchased this book years ago but for some reason I never got around to reading it. It even sat on my table next to my bed for the longest time but I still continued to ignore it. Then recently, I saw that the audio CD version was available from my local library and I placed a hold on it. I was so glad that I did. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk was Kelli Estes debut novel. It was read exceptionally well by Emily Woo Zeller. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk was both powerful and moving. It was written in a dual time line that portrayed two very strong women that were separated by centuries but both possessed the qualities of being determined, independent and hard working. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk was very well researched. Author Kelli Estes was able to capture and describe the very dark period in Seattle and on Orcas Island that was known as The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This act was was an immigration law that excluded Chinese people from entering or living in the United States. However, it still allowed Chinese merchants to enter and live in the United States. Then the Geary Act of 1892 was written. It prohibited all Chinese immigrants from entering or living in the United States. During those times in our history, it was not uncommon for many of the of the states in the west to oust Chinese immigrants in droves often using force or violence to accomplish this. Kelli Estes’s discovery of this anti-Chinese sentiment was the catalyst that led her to write The Girl Who Wrote in Silk. It was a sad time in our history to know that there was so much racial prejudice and hate against the Chinese.
Mei Lien was a seventeen year old Chinese American young woman that had been born in Seattle, Washington when all the Chinese residents of Seattle were rounded up and forced to board a steamship that would take them all back to China. It was February 7, 1886, and although these Chinese residents wanted nothing to do with going back to China, they were made to pay for their own passage. Mei Lien, her father and elderly grandmother were among those that were forced from their home and business and made to board the steamship. To protect Mei Lien, she had been dressing and disguising herself as a boy. It allowed her more privileges and kept men’s roving eyes away from her. On board the steamship, her boy appearance allowed her to roam the decks with more freedom. Her father had been hurt by one of the guards before boarding the ship. Mei Lien went to look for medical help for him when she overheard the captain of the ship as he revealed his true intentions for the Chinese passengers on his ship. The captain planned on drowning all his passengers and disposing of them so that they would not float back to land. When Mei Lien was able to get back to her father she told him what she had overheard. Mei Lien’s father knew he had to try and save his daughter. The first thing he did was to take his embroidered money bag and place currency in it. He instructed Mei Lien to hide it in the bindings that hid her breasts. Then he pointed to an island and told Mei Lien she had to jump into the sea and swim to the island. Mei Lien was forced to climb onto the ship’s metal railing and her father pushed her into the sea. Luckily for Mei Lien, she somehow made it to Orcas Island and was found by a gentle and caring man.
In present day, Inara Erickson, a recent college graduate, found herself on Orcas Island with her older sister and her children. Inara had inherited her recently deceased aunt’s estate on the island. As she started to explore the familiar rooms, memories of happy times came flooding back to her of the time she spent there with her family. All of a sudden, an idea started to take shape in Inara’s mind. What if she was able to convert Rothesay Estate into a boutique hotel? She was supposed to start a job at Starbucks in their corporate headquarters but all of a sudden that felt so wrong to Inara. As Inara explored all the nooks and crannies of Rothesay Estate, Inara accidentally discovered a hidden compartment in one of the steps. Inside was a carefully wrapped parcel. When Inara unwrapped the parcel she was amazed to find a beautiful silk sleeve that was embroidered with fine, delicate and elaborate pictures that seemed to tell a story. Inara was determined to discover who had embroidered it and why it had been hidden in the stairs. Mei Lien’s and Inara’s lives began to intersect as Inara uncovered the tragic life Mei Lien led. Inara’s discoveries affected not only her own family but that of another family that had come to mean a lot to Inara.
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk was based on true events. It was a gripping and captivating book that touched all my emotions. Parts actually brought tears to my eyes and I cried out loud, too. I fell in love with the characters in this book and I still find myself thinking about the stories of these two strong women determined to set things right. I really enjoyed this book. If you have not had the opportunity to read The Girl Who Wrote in Silk I highly recommend it.
Mei Lien was a seventeen year old Chinese American young woman that had been born in Seattle, Washington when all the Chinese residents of Seattle were rounded up and forced to board a steamship that would take them all back to China. It was February 7, 1886, and although these Chinese residents wanted nothing to do with going back to China, they were made to pay for their own passage. Mei Lien, her father and elderly grandmother were among those that were forced from their home and business and made to board the steamship. To protect Mei Lien, she had been dressing and disguising herself as a boy. It allowed her more privileges and kept men’s roving eyes away from her. On board the steamship, her boy appearance allowed her to roam the decks with more freedom. Her father had been hurt by one of the guards before boarding the ship. Mei Lien went to look for medical help for him when she overheard the captain of the ship as he revealed his true intentions for the Chinese passengers on his ship. The captain planned on drowning all his passengers and disposing of them so that they would not float back to land. When Mei Lien was able to get back to her father she told him what she had overheard. Mei Lien’s father knew he had to try and save his daughter. The first thing he did was to take his embroidered money bag and place currency in it. He instructed Mei Lien to hide it in the bindings that hid her breasts. Then he pointed to an island and told Mei Lien she had to jump into the sea and swim to the island. Mei Lien was forced to climb onto the ship’s metal railing and her father pushed her into the sea. Luckily for Mei Lien, she somehow made it to Orcas Island and was found by a gentle and caring man.
In present day, Inara Erickson, a recent college graduate, found herself on Orcas Island with her older sister and her children. Inara had inherited her recently deceased aunt’s estate on the island. As she started to explore the familiar rooms, memories of happy times came flooding back to her of the time she spent there with her family. All of a sudden, an idea started to take shape in Inara’s mind. What if she was able to convert Rothesay Estate into a boutique hotel? She was supposed to start a job at Starbucks in their corporate headquarters but all of a sudden that felt so wrong to Inara. As Inara explored all the nooks and crannies of Rothesay Estate, Inara accidentally discovered a hidden compartment in one of the steps. Inside was a carefully wrapped parcel. When Inara unwrapped the parcel she was amazed to find a beautiful silk sleeve that was embroidered with fine, delicate and elaborate pictures that seemed to tell a story. Inara was determined to discover who had embroidered it and why it had been hidden in the stairs. Mei Lien’s and Inara’s lives began to intersect as Inara uncovered the tragic life Mei Lien led. Inara’s discoveries affected not only her own family but that of another family that had come to mean a lot to Inara.
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk was based on true events. It was a gripping and captivating book that touched all my emotions. Parts actually brought tears to my eyes and I cried out loud, too. I fell in love with the characters in this book and I still find myself thinking about the stories of these two strong women determined to set things right. I really enjoyed this book. If you have not had the opportunity to read The Girl Who Wrote in Silk I highly recommend it.
February 15, 2017
Set in the Seattle area this a page turner that goes back and forth from the late 1800's in Washington Territory to present. Inara is lured back to Orcas Island where her mother passed away and to inspect a piece of family property. What she finds is more than a hidden passion to resurrect the old property, but family secrets surface when she discovers an ornately embroidered piece of silk from a robe hidden under the floorboards. This is very good and prompted me to look more into The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. It's sad that the Chinese were treated in a hateful way and forced to leave a country they called home. It's rather topical in our current immigration state.
September 17, 2016
I started listening to this book when the audiobook I was listening to (The Deerslayer) became too slow for me to be able to pay attention to while driving. A co-worker recommended this story to me a few months ago, and I am glad that I put it on my list. It was an easy listen and it was able to get and keep my interest.
Over the past couple of years I have developed a fondness for historical fiction which came at a bit of a surprise to me. I never liked history in school, but I'm starting to think that is because it was too often associated with long lists of names and dates... neither of which I'm particularly good at memorizing. Historical fiction has provided me with a way to learn about history in an interesting way. Before this book, I never knew about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 that prevented the immigration of most Chinese to the United States until 1943. Listening to Mei Lein's story was so heartbreaking. I will never understand disliking someone merely because they look different than you. And I definitely will never understand torturing (whether physically or mentally) and murdering those people because you don't share the same skin tone.
This story was told from two perspectives a little over a century apart. Mei Lein's story was told from the 1880s and 1890s while Inara's was told from the present day perspective after she finds an embroidered sleeve hidden in the house her recently deceased aunt left her. While I did enjoy both stories, Mei Lein's was the most interesting to me. Her's seemed to contain more depth while Inara's story was very predictable and perhaps a bit cliche.
Over the past couple of years I have developed a fondness for historical fiction which came at a bit of a surprise to me. I never liked history in school, but I'm starting to think that is because it was too often associated with long lists of names and dates... neither of which I'm particularly good at memorizing. Historical fiction has provided me with a way to learn about history in an interesting way. Before this book, I never knew about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 that prevented the immigration of most Chinese to the United States until 1943. Listening to Mei Lein's story was so heartbreaking. I will never understand disliking someone merely because they look different than you. And I definitely will never understand torturing (whether physically or mentally) and murdering those people because you don't share the same skin tone.
This story was told from two perspectives a little over a century apart. Mei Lein's story was told from the 1880s and 1890s while Inara's was told from the present day perspective after she finds an embroidered sleeve hidden in the house her recently deceased aunt left her. While I did enjoy both stories, Mei Lein's was the most interesting to me. Her's seemed to contain more depth while Inara's story was very predictable and perhaps a bit cliche.
March 10, 2021
Sometimes I find it tricky rating dual timeline books when I greatly prefer one time period to the other which was the case with this novel. Mei Lein's story was both fascinating and heartbreaking and I loved her character. As an Asian American, this was the story I was drawn to immediately. I learned about another part of American history which I knew nothing about. The Exclusion Act of 1882 prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers to the US. It was the only major federal legislation to specifically halt immigration for a specific nationality. The prejudice and intolerance she experienced could be felt in the writing. This part of the story I would have rated 5 stars.
The present day story was good and I enjoyed it, but it felt like it was based on convenient coincidences. Also, I'm all for a little romance, but in Inara's case it diverted my attention from the real story. On a positive note, I loved the setting of the Pacific NW and Orcas Island as well as the incorporation of the hidden sleeve and its history. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk is an impressive debut novel and overall I would give it 4 stars.
The present day story was good and I enjoyed it, but it felt like it was based on convenient coincidences. Also, I'm all for a little romance, but in Inara's case it diverted my attention from the real story. On a positive note, I loved the setting of the Pacific NW and Orcas Island as well as the incorporation of the hidden sleeve and its history. The Girl Who Wrote in Silk is an impressive debut novel and overall I would give it 4 stars.
October 14, 2015
This is the story of a Chinese woman living in Seattle in the late 1800's. Along with many other Chinese people, she and her family are forced to leave on a ship. The Chinese passengers are then killed and dumped overboard. The girl escapes by jumping overboard. There is a modern story in which a young woman finds a piece of silk embroidery which she used to learn about the Chinese woman's story. This book was poorly written and full of bad cliches. Also, ridiculous coincidences and over the top love scenes. While it tells an important story about the Chinese people and their history in the Western part of the U.S it would have been better told in the hands of a more talented author. I was also disappointed to find out that the story told was not true since there were many true stories of what the Chinese suffered upon which this author could have based her story.
June 29, 2016
I have been thinking about this book all day. It really is a compelling, feel good story. I really do not like sappy romance novels although sometimes they can be a fun read. This is NOT a sappy romance novel but there is romance involved. There is love in two time lines and I really liked that part of it.
This book is written in a dual time line format, one in 1886 and one hundred years later, in "present day". What I liked about this one, is that I did not ever feel rushed to get back to or stay in one time line or the other. The flow and transition was perfectly balanced. I appreciated them both for their own story that they each had to tell. Beautifully done.
The 1886 time line story is about a young Chinese girl, in Seattle, Washington Territory. It is a terrible time for the Chinese all up and down the west coast from California to British Columbia. The rail roads, all built with cheap Chinese, Irish, Italian, and other foreign ethnic labor have been completed. The economy of the US has been in a recession since early 1880. No one wants the left over Chinese and their families and their work hard ethics taking jobs from white workers and sending money back home to support their family left behind. They want them gone on the west coast, just like they wanted the black laborers and their families gone on the east coast after they were emancipated. Be prepared.
The present day story is about a young woman who inherits her familie's vacation home and estate on Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands, Washington. She wants to start her own business and gets her father to back her. She finds something and wants to know more about what it is and what it means. She searches for someone to help her research it, and meets a nice College professor who helps her. Be prepared.
This book is the reason I love historical fiction. This book is the reason I love reading debut novels. Bravo, Kelli Estes!
This book is written in a dual time line format, one in 1886 and one hundred years later, in "present day". What I liked about this one, is that I did not ever feel rushed to get back to or stay in one time line or the other. The flow and transition was perfectly balanced. I appreciated them both for their own story that they each had to tell. Beautifully done.
The 1886 time line story is about a young Chinese girl, in Seattle, Washington Territory. It is a terrible time for the Chinese all up and down the west coast from California to British Columbia. The rail roads, all built with cheap Chinese, Irish, Italian, and other foreign ethnic labor have been completed. The economy of the US has been in a recession since early 1880. No one wants the left over Chinese and their families and their work hard ethics taking jobs from white workers and sending money back home to support their family left behind. They want them gone on the west coast, just like they wanted the black laborers and their families gone on the east coast after they were emancipated. Be prepared.
The present day story is about a young woman who inherits her familie's vacation home and estate on Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands, Washington. She wants to start her own business and gets her father to back her. She finds something and wants to know more about what it is and what it means. She searches for someone to help her research it, and meets a nice College professor who helps her. Be prepared.
This book is the reason I love historical fiction. This book is the reason I love reading debut novels. Bravo, Kelli Estes!
February 13, 2017
Did Mei Lien stand on the edge of the boat's railing because she knew she had to or because she was forced to be there? Did this act begin or end Mei Lien’s life? Did this act begin or end Inara’s life?
Mei Lien lived 100 years ago. Inara lives in the present. Their lives are unknowingly connected until Inara finds a family story on a hidden embroidered sleeve in a house that belonged to Inara's ancestors and where Mei Lien and her family had lived...the connection and the secrets begin.
The embroidered sleeve immediately catches Inara's attention and her curiosity. When she takes the sleeve to a Chinese professor at the local university, the sleeve and Inara immediately catch the professor's attention.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK is beautifully written and beautifully told by Ms. Estes. The characters come alive, and the storyline is quite intriguing.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK has secrets about a family home, a family connection, and an embroidered shirt sleeve that tells a story Inara just HAS to unravel. Just what were all of these secrets?
The story and the unraveling lead to surprises for the characters and to a marvelous book. Ms Estes weaved a beautiful, gripping, but sad tale that spanned from the 1800's to present day.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK was difficult to put down simply because you will want to find out about the embroidered sleeve as well as to find out how Inara and Daniel Chin unravel the mystery even though we already know the answer as Ms. Estes skillfully goes back and forth revealing the past and the present.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK is an appealing, alluring read with charming, unforgettable characters. You will love Mei Lien and admire her for her courage. You will also love her husband, Joseph, but despise Duncan Campbell.
The book is as captivating as the book's title and cover, and THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK becomes even more intriguing each time you turn the page and clues are revealed.
I thoroughly enjoyed THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK, but have some tissues ready.
I hope you have the pleasure of reading this marvelous book. A spectacular debut novel. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Mei Lien lived 100 years ago. Inara lives in the present. Their lives are unknowingly connected until Inara finds a family story on a hidden embroidered sleeve in a house that belonged to Inara's ancestors and where Mei Lien and her family had lived...the connection and the secrets begin.
The embroidered sleeve immediately catches Inara's attention and her curiosity. When she takes the sleeve to a Chinese professor at the local university, the sleeve and Inara immediately catch the professor's attention.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK is beautifully written and beautifully told by Ms. Estes. The characters come alive, and the storyline is quite intriguing.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK has secrets about a family home, a family connection, and an embroidered shirt sleeve that tells a story Inara just HAS to unravel. Just what were all of these secrets?
The story and the unraveling lead to surprises for the characters and to a marvelous book. Ms Estes weaved a beautiful, gripping, but sad tale that spanned from the 1800's to present day.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK was difficult to put down simply because you will want to find out about the embroidered sleeve as well as to find out how Inara and Daniel Chin unravel the mystery even though we already know the answer as Ms. Estes skillfully goes back and forth revealing the past and the present.
THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK is an appealing, alluring read with charming, unforgettable characters. You will love Mei Lien and admire her for her courage. You will also love her husband, Joseph, but despise Duncan Campbell.
The book is as captivating as the book's title and cover, and THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK becomes even more intriguing each time you turn the page and clues are revealed.
I thoroughly enjoyed THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK, but have some tissues ready.
I hope you have the pleasure of reading this marvelous book. A spectacular debut novel. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
May 22, 2019
It was kind of a boring read for me but I did learn a lot about the history of the Chinese in this country and the way they were treated especially in Washington state. "The more I learned, the more I became horrified at the ethnic cleansing that had occurred and that was left unmentioned in all of my history books in school." Kelli Estes, Author's Note pg. 374 Very true and I have to respect Estes for this and trying to tell a story that represents and honors all those lives that were taken. (1. A smuggler, fearful of getting caught with "cargo" bashed their heads with a club and dumped their bodies overboard. 2. From 1882- 1943 lynching, shootings, and homicidal beatings were a common anti-Chinese sentiment)
That being said, I really liked Mei Lien's story circa 1886 more than Inara's present day story. I could sympathize more with the heartache of Mei Lien than the background story of Inara finding the Chinese sleeve with the story on it connecting the past and present together. It just didn't work for me.
It was just okay. Lots of skimming going on but not the worst this year.
That being said, I really liked Mei Lien's story circa 1886 more than Inara's present day story. I could sympathize more with the heartache of Mei Lien than the background story of Inara finding the Chinese sleeve with the story on it connecting the past and present together. It just didn't work for me.
It was just okay. Lots of skimming going on but not the worst this year.
August 2, 2023
There was something unexpectedly moving about this one. I was swept up in it - and indeed I let some tears fall. There was a moral dilemma or bind that emerged pretty quickly, but more than one. There was a lot about fathers and daughters, also mothers and sons. It didn't even matter if some of it had some predictability. There was definitely magic in it.
January 3, 2020
Before I read this novel, I had never heard of the discriminating Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 in the U.S., which was not repealed until 1943. I respect the author's honest attempt to bring an unsavory truth of Chinese-American history, through fiction, to the attention of a wider audience.
The story consists of a dual time-line: one that follows Mei Lin's tragic life in the 1800s on Orcas Island and the other one that traces Inara Erickson's present-day attempt to gradually unravel that tragedy. Although Mei Lin's story was the more compelling of the two, the tight weaving of the two universes nonetheless leaves the reader breathless. I'm giving the novel 4.4 stars.
The story consists of a dual time-line: one that follows Mei Lin's tragic life in the 1800s on Orcas Island and the other one that traces Inara Erickson's present-day attempt to gradually unravel that tragedy. Although Mei Lin's story was the more compelling of the two, the tight weaving of the two universes nonetheless leaves the reader breathless. I'm giving the novel 4.4 stars.
January 27, 2021
4.5 stars
The Girl Who Wrote in Silkby Kelli Estes was a remarkable debut novel of historical fiction. It was a moving tale which shone a spotlight on the Chinese experience in America during the late nineteenth century and tied it together with a contemporary storyline. I'd never heard of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 nor of the way people of Chinese heritage were forcefully removed from towns across America but I am unlikely to forget it now having been so engrossed in this beautiful novel. Este's novel was heavily researched and was based on events taken from history and she even incorporated some real characters. It was a tenderly written novel and one I'd highly recommend to readers of historical fiction.
Set in Seattle and the San Juan islands Este delivers a moving novel with dual timelines more than one hundred years apart. The Prologue instantly created tension which endured throughout. It lit in me a burning desire to know not only why Mei Lien had been forced to plunge from a steamship into the icy waters below, but also to know what happens next. Mei Lien's story captured my heart and readers came to understand the tragedies endured and the terrible difficulties for those of Chinese appearance in America's Northwest in the 1880's. Though born in America she was never accepted and suffered the most blatant racism imaginable. Mei Liens story brought me to tears more than once but it was not all bad. She was fortunate to have been rescued by Joseph McElroy a wonderful man who married and protected her. Together they had a son Yan-Tao Kenneth McElroy and for seven years they lead a happy family life until great misfortune and ill health brought that life to an end.
In the contemporary storyline Inara has inherited a property which had been a place of many happy childhood memories. On her first visit back after becoming the owner Inara discovers a carefully wrapped and hidden piece of silk covered in intricate artwork. It appears to be a sleeve from an Asian gown with pictures embroidered into the silk. The sleeve tells a distressing story of bodies in the water beneath a ship which is clearly emblazoned with the letters of a shipping line which has been owned by her family for generations. Readers are able to link the silk to Mei Lien whilst Inara's interest is piqued as she sets out to research the background. In so doing she uncovers an awful truth about the murderous actions of her "celebrated" great-great-great- grandfather. Tensions mount for readers as Inara tries to weigh the dilemma of wanting this terrible history to be told against the damage and harm such an announcement might make to her family's business, and to her relationship with Daniel Chin, the new boyfriend who is also deeply invested in understanding the history of the sleeve.
Este tied the two timelines together seamlessly and I was equally invested in each. I enjoyed the emphasis placed on family. I loved her characters, and felt the tensions of both Mei Lien and Inara. I learnt some American history and was reduced to tears at Mei Lien and Yan Tao's situation. There's not much more I can ask of a novel and so my congratulations go to Kelli Estes for her wonderful debut. The only reason I rounded down rather than up is one event I felt was perhaps a bit too coincidental but despite that, it still worked well. I feel certain I'll be reading her next title Today We Go Home which seems to have a similar structure but tells of two women's military experiences. One in the Civil War and one in Afghanistan.
The Girl Who Wrote in Silkby Kelli Estes was a remarkable debut novel of historical fiction. It was a moving tale which shone a spotlight on the Chinese experience in America during the late nineteenth century and tied it together with a contemporary storyline. I'd never heard of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 nor of the way people of Chinese heritage were forcefully removed from towns across America but I am unlikely to forget it now having been so engrossed in this beautiful novel. Este's novel was heavily researched and was based on events taken from history and she even incorporated some real characters. It was a tenderly written novel and one I'd highly recommend to readers of historical fiction.
Set in Seattle and the San Juan islands Este delivers a moving novel with dual timelines more than one hundred years apart. The Prologue instantly created tension which endured throughout. It lit in me a burning desire to know not only why Mei Lien had been forced to plunge from a steamship into the icy waters below, but also to know what happens next. Mei Lien's story captured my heart and readers came to understand the tragedies endured and the terrible difficulties for those of Chinese appearance in America's Northwest in the 1880's. Though born in America she was never accepted and suffered the most blatant racism imaginable. Mei Liens story brought me to tears more than once but it was not all bad. She was fortunate to have been rescued by Joseph McElroy a wonderful man who married and protected her. Together they had a son Yan-Tao Kenneth McElroy and for seven years they lead a happy family life until great misfortune and ill health brought that life to an end.
In the contemporary storyline Inara has inherited a property which had been a place of many happy childhood memories. On her first visit back after becoming the owner Inara discovers a carefully wrapped and hidden piece of silk covered in intricate artwork. It appears to be a sleeve from an Asian gown with pictures embroidered into the silk. The sleeve tells a distressing story of bodies in the water beneath a ship which is clearly emblazoned with the letters of a shipping line which has been owned by her family for generations. Readers are able to link the silk to Mei Lien whilst Inara's interest is piqued as she sets out to research the background. In so doing she uncovers an awful truth about the murderous actions of her "celebrated" great-great-great- grandfather. Tensions mount for readers as Inara tries to weigh the dilemma of wanting this terrible history to be told against the damage and harm such an announcement might make to her family's business, and to her relationship with Daniel Chin, the new boyfriend who is also deeply invested in understanding the history of the sleeve.
Este tied the two timelines together seamlessly and I was equally invested in each. I enjoyed the emphasis placed on family. I loved her characters, and felt the tensions of both Mei Lien and Inara. I learnt some American history and was reduced to tears at Mei Lien and Yan Tao's situation. There's not much more I can ask of a novel and so my congratulations go to Kelli Estes for her wonderful debut. The only reason I rounded down rather than up is one event I felt was perhaps a bit too coincidental but despite that, it still worked well. I feel certain I'll be reading her next title Today We Go Home which seems to have a similar structure but tells of two women's military experiences. One in the Civil War and one in Afghanistan.
November 8, 2022
"Devojka koja je pisala svilom" je jedna predivna, topla, pomalo egzotična priča, zasnovana na istinitim događajima. Sam naslov, a i naslovnica me privuklo pa sam je prijavila za ovaj izazov.
Knjigu čine naizmjenično pričane priče, pripovijedane od dvije glavne junakinje, iz dva različita vremenska perioda, iz sadašnjosti i iz prošlosti. Radnja iz oba perioda je smještena u Sijetl.
7.februara 1886. godine, iz Sijetla je od strane bijelih starosjedilaca protjerano oko 400 Kineza.
Među prognanicima je i jedna od junakinja naše priče, Mej Ljen sa svojim ocem i bakom. Ukrcani su na parobrod kojim, navodno, treba da otplove u Kinu. Šta će se dalje desiti, odlučuje ruka sudbine.
Inara Erikson pripovijeda priču iz sadašnjosti. Od svoje nedavno preminule tetke naslijedila je imanje na ostrvu Orkas. Za kuću na imanju i za samo ostrvo je emotivno vezana, jer je tamo u djetinjstvu provela mnogo vremena. Osim toga, na istom ostrvu je poginula njena majka. Kada sa sestrom Olivijom ode da obiđe kuću, slučajno ispod jednog stepenika pronađe tajanstveni paketić a u njemu komad plave svile. To je zapravo svileni rukav, isječen od komada odjeće kojem je nekada pripadao. Rukav je izvezen raznobojnim nitima koje čine živopisnu scenu. Skoro kao umjetničko djelo, rukav prikazuje izvezen brod na vodi, ljude, razne figure i simbole. Vez pripovijeda neku priču a Inara želi da sazna o čemu se radi i kako je rukav završio ispod stepeništa u kući njene tetke. U otkrivanju tajne joj pomaže mladi profesor Danijel Čin s kojim se Inara, pretpostavljate, upušta u ljubavnu vezu.
Jedna žena je vezom ispisala tajne na komadu svile. Nakon više od sto godina, druga žena daje sve od sebe da te tajne otkrije. Ni ne sluti koliko će istina da utiče na nju i njene bližnje.
„Devojka koja je pisala svilom“ je prvi roman autorke Keli Estiz, što se nikada ne bi reklo po stilu pisanja, odabiru teme i po doslednosti u realizaciji iste. Meni se jako svidio i nadam se da autorica neće stati na ovom romanu.
„I ta voda je misterija kao njen rukav, zaključi ona. Deluje na površi tako čisto i nekomplikovano, a pod sobom krije svakovrsne tajne. Taj rukav je nešto znao.“
„Nijedna majka nikada ne bi smela da kaže zbogom svome detetu.“
Knjigu čine naizmjenično pričane priče, pripovijedane od dvije glavne junakinje, iz dva različita vremenska perioda, iz sadašnjosti i iz prošlosti. Radnja iz oba perioda je smještena u Sijetl.
7.februara 1886. godine, iz Sijetla je od strane bijelih starosjedilaca protjerano oko 400 Kineza.
Među prognanicima je i jedna od junakinja naše priče, Mej Ljen sa svojim ocem i bakom. Ukrcani su na parobrod kojim, navodno, treba da otplove u Kinu. Šta će se dalje desiti, odlučuje ruka sudbine.
Inara Erikson pripovijeda priču iz sadašnjosti. Od svoje nedavno preminule tetke naslijedila je imanje na ostrvu Orkas. Za kuću na imanju i za samo ostrvo je emotivno vezana, jer je tamo u djetinjstvu provela mnogo vremena. Osim toga, na istom ostrvu je poginula njena majka. Kada sa sestrom Olivijom ode da obiđe kuću, slučajno ispod jednog stepenika pronađe tajanstveni paketić a u njemu komad plave svile. To je zapravo svileni rukav, isječen od komada odjeće kojem je nekada pripadao. Rukav je izvezen raznobojnim nitima koje čine živopisnu scenu. Skoro kao umjetničko djelo, rukav prikazuje izvezen brod na vodi, ljude, razne figure i simbole. Vez pripovijeda neku priču a Inara želi da sazna o čemu se radi i kako je rukav završio ispod stepeništa u kući njene tetke. U otkrivanju tajne joj pomaže mladi profesor Danijel Čin s kojim se Inara, pretpostavljate, upušta u ljubavnu vezu.
Jedna žena je vezom ispisala tajne na komadu svile. Nakon više od sto godina, druga žena daje sve od sebe da te tajne otkrije. Ni ne sluti koliko će istina da utiče na nju i njene bližnje.
„Devojka koja je pisala svilom“ je prvi roman autorke Keli Estiz, što se nikada ne bi reklo po stilu pisanja, odabiru teme i po doslednosti u realizaciji iste. Meni se jako svidio i nadam se da autorica neće stati na ovom romanu.
„I ta voda je misterija kao njen rukav, zaključi ona. Deluje na površi tako čisto i nekomplikovano, a pod sobom krije svakovrsne tajne. Taj rukav je nešto znao.“
„Nijedna majka nikada ne bi smela da kaže zbogom svome detetu.“
April 24, 2017
3.5 stars. Inara inherited her aunt's waterfront estate on Orcas Island in Washington state. While examining a loose stair, she found a beautiful piece of fabric embroidered with Chinese symbols and designs. She took it to a professor familiar with Chinese history, and their research led back to the 1880s when the Chinese were violently forced from their homes along the Pacific coast.
The book alternates between the contemporary story and a touching historical story set in the late 19th Century about Mei Lien and her family. Mei Lien embroidered lovely designs showing her family's history, the tragic loss of some family members, and her love for her husband and child.
The historical story of racial prejudice was heartbreaking, and showed a part of Chinese-American history that is rarely discussed. While I found this part of the book interesting, the contemporary part of the novel did not work as well. There were too many coincidences to feel believable. Inara's father, the head of a shipping company, seemed unrealistic when he discussed business decisions about the inherited estate with his daughter.
I'm glad I read the book because I liked the character of Mei Lien, and the San Juan Islands setting. The book told about how Chinese-Americans were ostracized, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Geary Act of 1892, and the social price of an interracial marriage. I only wish that the contemporary story held as much interest.
The book alternates between the contemporary story and a touching historical story set in the late 19th Century about Mei Lien and her family. Mei Lien embroidered lovely designs showing her family's history, the tragic loss of some family members, and her love for her husband and child.
The historical story of racial prejudice was heartbreaking, and showed a part of Chinese-American history that is rarely discussed. While I found this part of the book interesting, the contemporary part of the novel did not work as well. There were too many coincidences to feel believable. Inara's father, the head of a shipping company, seemed unrealistic when he discussed business decisions about the inherited estate with his daughter.
I'm glad I read the book because I liked the character of Mei Lien, and the San Juan Islands setting. The book told about how Chinese-Americans were ostracized, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Geary Act of 1892, and the social price of an interracial marriage. I only wish that the contemporary story held as much interest.
September 25, 2016
Flat, wooden characters. Superficial, historical detail. It's basically the book version of a Hallmark movie special. And you all know how much I love Hallmark movies.
October 11, 2017
I am always shocked by America's long and ugly history of racism. This book uses the violence against Chinese immigrants residing on the west coast during the end of the 19th century as its backdrop. The usual range of arguments were employed. First, there was the economic one of Chinese laborers taking jobs from Americans. Then there were the blatant racist arguments about an existential threat to the superior white race. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed and signed into law by President Chester Allen Arthur. It was a race-based immigration restriction law which in effect legitimized anti-Chinese sentiment. Labor unions and business leaders organized violent attacks on Chinese residents in California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. THE GIRL WHO WROTE IN SILK was inspired by the expulsion of all Chinese from Seattle, and the nearly successful expulsion from Tacoma.
Following an enigmatic prologue set in 1886 the novel opens in the present day when Inara Campbell Erickson discovers an intricately embroidered silk sleeve hidden in the stair tread of their family mansion on Orcas Island. Inara had planned to put the aged estate on the market before assuming a prominent corporate position in international finance. The family is steeped in local history. Their patriarch Duncan Campbell became a wealthy shipping magnate and civic leader. Inara's father now runs the company and is grooming her brother to succeed him. Campbell was Inara's great great great grandfather and built the mansion in the 1880's when Washington was still a territory. Inara is intrigued by the silk fragment and sets out to research its origin. At the same time, she begins to consider the hopes of her great great aunt Dahlia from whom she inherited the estate. Inara felt close to Aunt Dahlia but left the island when she was 15 after her mother's fatal car accident. The run-down mansion rekindles warm memories in Inara and she commits to Aunt Dahlia's dream of converting the mansion into a hostelry. The scenic setting is perfect, the mansion has historic significance, and her neighbor is a contractor who had helped Dahlia draw up detailed plans for the project.
Author Keilli Estes splits her narrative between the contemporary story of Inara and the 19th century story of a Chinese woman named Mei Lien who was born in Seattle. The historical narrative is the more interesting of the two. The contemporary story is marred by improbable actions, one too many coincidence, and several predictable plot turns. The historical narrative, on the other hand, is infused with human emotion that commands the reader's empathy.
This book was a selection of a local book club. I am giving this book only 3 stars because of the flaws in the contemporary sections and the book's reliance on plot to propel the story. However, its content is highly relevant. It exposes an overlooked chapter in American history, and demands that we acknowledge a flawed historical legacy that distorts the truth.
NOTES:
Senate debate notes regarding the Chinese Exclusion Act
http://www.chineseamericanheroes.org/...
Contemporary examples of anti-Asian racism
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-...
A news story about vandalism of a statue that is part of the Chinese Expulsion Remembrance Project in Seattle
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/lo...
A one hour PBS documentary about Chinese migrant life
http://video.kbtc.org/video/2365871695/
For those interested in more technical detail on Chinese embroidery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a monograph available online and as a downloadable pdf: CHINESE TEXTILES: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF THEIR HISTORY, SOURCES, TECHNIQUE, SYMBOLISM, AND USE, Alan Priest and Pauline Simmons (1934), out of print. (approx. 100 pages plus biblio., b&w illus.)
https://metmuseum.org/art/metpublicat...
Following an enigmatic prologue set in 1886 the novel opens in the present day when Inara Campbell Erickson discovers an intricately embroidered silk sleeve hidden in the stair tread of their family mansion on Orcas Island. Inara had planned to put the aged estate on the market before assuming a prominent corporate position in international finance. The family is steeped in local history. Their patriarch Duncan Campbell became a wealthy shipping magnate and civic leader. Inara's father now runs the company and is grooming her brother to succeed him. Campbell was Inara's great great great grandfather and built the mansion in the 1880's when Washington was still a territory. Inara is intrigued by the silk fragment and sets out to research its origin. At the same time, she begins to consider the hopes of her great great aunt Dahlia from whom she inherited the estate. Inara felt close to Aunt Dahlia but left the island when she was 15 after her mother's fatal car accident. The run-down mansion rekindles warm memories in Inara and she commits to Aunt Dahlia's dream of converting the mansion into a hostelry. The scenic setting is perfect, the mansion has historic significance, and her neighbor is a contractor who had helped Dahlia draw up detailed plans for the project.
Author Keilli Estes splits her narrative between the contemporary story of Inara and the 19th century story of a Chinese woman named Mei Lien who was born in Seattle. The historical narrative is the more interesting of the two. The contemporary story is marred by improbable actions, one too many coincidence, and several predictable plot turns. The historical narrative, on the other hand, is infused with human emotion that commands the reader's empathy.
This book was a selection of a local book club. I am giving this book only 3 stars because of the flaws in the contemporary sections and the book's reliance on plot to propel the story. However, its content is highly relevant. It exposes an overlooked chapter in American history, and demands that we acknowledge a flawed historical legacy that distorts the truth.
NOTES:
Senate debate notes regarding the Chinese Exclusion Act
http://www.chineseamericanheroes.org/...
Contemporary examples of anti-Asian racism
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-...
A news story about vandalism of a statue that is part of the Chinese Expulsion Remembrance Project in Seattle
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/lo...
A one hour PBS documentary about Chinese migrant life
http://video.kbtc.org/video/2365871695/
For those interested in more technical detail on Chinese embroidery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a monograph available online and as a downloadable pdf: CHINESE TEXTILES: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF THEIR HISTORY, SOURCES, TECHNIQUE, SYMBOLISM, AND USE, Alan Priest and Pauline Simmons (1934), out of print. (approx. 100 pages plus biblio., b&w illus.)
https://metmuseum.org/art/metpublicat...
April 7, 2020
I eyed Kelli Estes’ The Girl Who Wrote in Silk a long time before picking it up. I’d not read the author before and I’m not convinced I’ll read her again, but I’m not disappointed with myself for sticking it out so I guess that’s something.
For those who want a drive-by style review, this book and I proved a poor fit. Detailing the reasons why requires certain disclosures so if spoilers bother you, cut and run here.
For those who want a drive-by style review, this book and I proved a poor fit. Detailing the reasons why requires certain disclosures so if spoilers bother you, cut and run here.
March 4, 2019
Kelli Estes, you have written a wonderful historical fiction novel, beautifully crafted and researched. I knew nothing of the terrible treatment of Chinese in America toward the end of the 19th Century until I read this book of yours. First I want to share some excerpts from your author's note that give potential readers the proper background:
The inspiration for this novel sparked as I was researching the history of the San Juan Islands and came across a story in an old settler’s diary telling of nineteenth-century smugglers in the islands. One smuggler, it was rumored, had caught sight of a revenue cutter chasing him. Not wanting to be caught with illegal Chinese immigrants on board, he bashed their heads with a club and dumped their bodies overboard.
And then I learned of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was an immigration law excluding people from the United States based on their Chinese race, although still allowing entry to some merchants.
With anti-Chinese sentiment high in the latter half of the nineteenth century, white citizens in towns from Southern California to British Columbia and east to Wyoming and Colorado forcibly, and often violently, drove all Chinese out. Lynchings, shootings, and homicidal beatings were common.
Since Seattle was an exception, I chose in this story to represent and honor all those whose lives were taken in other cities and towns by giving my Seattle Chinese a similar fate.
Thank you for that sharing Kelli. Wonderful
*****
The book itself is a dual time-line story. We meet Mei Lien in 1886 and Inara Erickson in 'Present Day'. I was really impressed at how seamlessly the author wove those story lines together. And I loved all the loveable characters (of which there were many).
STRONGLY recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers.
5 stars
The inspiration for this novel sparked as I was researching the history of the San Juan Islands and came across a story in an old settler’s diary telling of nineteenth-century smugglers in the islands. One smuggler, it was rumored, had caught sight of a revenue cutter chasing him. Not wanting to be caught with illegal Chinese immigrants on board, he bashed their heads with a club and dumped their bodies overboard.
And then I learned of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which was an immigration law excluding people from the United States based on their Chinese race, although still allowing entry to some merchants.
With anti-Chinese sentiment high in the latter half of the nineteenth century, white citizens in towns from Southern California to British Columbia and east to Wyoming and Colorado forcibly, and often violently, drove all Chinese out. Lynchings, shootings, and homicidal beatings were common.
Since Seattle was an exception, I chose in this story to represent and honor all those whose lives were taken in other cities and towns by giving my Seattle Chinese a similar fate.
Thank you for that sharing Kelli. Wonderful
*****
The book itself is a dual time-line story. We meet Mei Lien in 1886 and Inara Erickson in 'Present Day'. I was really impressed at how seamlessly the author wove those story lines together. And I loved all the loveable characters (of which there were many).
STRONGLY recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers.
5 stars
March 13, 2018
It's hard to write a review for a book when you know for a fact the author shops at the same Costco you do, and there is a very high likelihood you might just randomly bump into her one day while out running errands. That said, this book falls into my bucket of, "Eh, it's OK, I guess, but I wouldn't really recommend anyone else take time to read this. Also, I'm pretty sure I'm going to forget about this book in a few days and not remember half of it when my book club meets in two weeks."
It's an easy read in the sense that writing is very simple, not particularly spectacular, and not particularly insightful. It's also got a lot of those little idiosyncrasies that drive me bonkers as a reader, such as: ages/timelines not always seeming to line up; incredibly wealthy/privileged families having inexplicable "money problems" that are really just nonsensical excuses that turn into non-issues as soon it becomes convenient for them to go away; and glaring historical exchange rate flaws. This last one really got me - $20 in the 1880s is the equivalent to about $500 today, and I don't care dumb and rich some random tourist is, there is basically zero chance Joseph was paid that much money for a day's worth of trail guiding.
I also found a lot of the story itself problematic. The Mei Lien / Joseph plot line screamed of white saviorism and I wish we would have gotten the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei Lien's love for her family, and the embroidery story without Joseph. Although I do think Mei Lien did need a love interest, as her goodbye with her son was one of the better parts of the book.
The present day setting was also just... not great. Inara and Daniel's relationship was sweet, but it was basically coincidence city. Inara's relationship with her father and the ensuing financial drama was painful to read - Inara kept making stupid deals with her dad, he kept acting like a domineering asshole, and they portrayed this family as extremely wealthy titans of industry, and yet she has massive student loans and he just "has to" call in her personal loan for the hotel. No. Not buying it. And the hotel restoration plot line was just boring and tedious. Kelli Estes is not Ken Follet, and I didn't really enjoy the building/architecture portion of Pillars of the Earth either, but that at least felt relevant when it went on for pages.
It's an easy read in the sense that writing is very simple, not particularly spectacular, and not particularly insightful. It's also got a lot of those little idiosyncrasies that drive me bonkers as a reader, such as: ages/timelines not always seeming to line up; incredibly wealthy/privileged families having inexplicable "money problems" that are really just nonsensical excuses that turn into non-issues as soon it becomes convenient for them to go away; and glaring historical exchange rate flaws. This last one really got me - $20 in the 1880s is the equivalent to about $500 today, and I don't care dumb and rich some random tourist is, there is basically zero chance Joseph was paid that much money for a day's worth of trail guiding.
I also found a lot of the story itself problematic. The Mei Lien / Joseph plot line screamed of white saviorism and I wish we would have gotten the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei Lien's love for her family, and the embroidery story without Joseph. Although I do think Mei Lien did need a love interest, as her goodbye with her son was one of the better parts of the book.
The present day setting was also just... not great. Inara and Daniel's relationship was sweet, but it was basically coincidence city. Inara's relationship with her father and the ensuing financial drama was painful to read - Inara kept making stupid deals with her dad, he kept acting like a domineering asshole, and they portrayed this family as extremely wealthy titans of industry, and yet she has massive student loans and he just "has to" call in her personal loan for the hotel. No. Not buying it. And the hotel restoration plot line was just boring and tedious. Kelli Estes is not Ken Follet, and I didn't really enjoy the building/architecture portion of Pillars of the Earth either, but that at least felt relevant when it went on for pages.
February 8, 2017
If Goodreads had a broader points system to award, I would have given this easy read about 3.4 stars, maybe 3.5. I kind of hate giving it just 3 stars because it managed to keep me well entertained in the short time it took to read.
The history which is a focal point in "The Girl Who Wrote in Silk" centres on the late 1800s, when Chinese immigrants who had been brought to North America in the thousands to build railroads across the continent in both the USA and Canada were no longer needed. The rail lines were finished, the masters of industry were establishing their power bases nearer to urban centres and the thousands of Chinese who were in the West had to establish some other way to create income. The Gold Rush was over too. These details, unfortunately, were not explained as well as they could have been to give the novel greater context. The glut of the unemployed led to a severe backlash against the Chinese who were settling in urban centres, using their old country skills to make a living and actually improve the finances of many Caucasian businessmen. Tempers and racism flared, however, and the Chinese were treated terribly, forced from their homes and businesses by the Exclusion Act and totally purged in many cases from cities.
Mei Lien is the fictitious daughter of Chinese immigrants in Seattle during this period, in the novel. In the present, Inara Erickson is freshly out of grad school and intent on refurbishing the old family estate situated on Orcas Island, Washington. Inara finds an embroidered sleeve inside of the footwell of one of the steps in the house staircase, which leads her to investigate not only the artisan who created the silk thread story but the history of the house and her family as well.
The interlocking stories are well told, switching back and forth from Mei Lien and Inara. The attitudes of both eras are well represented; the Chinese story is apparently not especially well known in the USA, unlike Canada. The piece of especially damning history, which I will not relate because it is a spoiler, did not occur as told in the novel.
I quote the back cover of the trade paperback: "Inspired by real events...". In truth, the real events were disparate and not remotely connected to a large part of this novel, and which I had to look for in the "Conversation with the Author" midway through reading. To misrepresent actual events in history for the purpose of drama, around a very serious real historical issue, is rather "Hollywood" in its design and the novel should not be referenced as "real" on its fly leaf or back cover. Good historical fiction rarely comes without notes, or references to sources, especially when it has such a serious point of view.
Kelli Estes had "good bones" for her novel. I liked so much about it. But in the end, unfortunately, it was ultimately a romance novel. I guess that is why I'm so indignant over the historical convolution. Atonement and resolution are achieved through romance. Hollywood, not Seattle 1895.
The history which is a focal point in "The Girl Who Wrote in Silk" centres on the late 1800s, when Chinese immigrants who had been brought to North America in the thousands to build railroads across the continent in both the USA and Canada were no longer needed. The rail lines were finished, the masters of industry were establishing their power bases nearer to urban centres and the thousands of Chinese who were in the West had to establish some other way to create income. The Gold Rush was over too. These details, unfortunately, were not explained as well as they could have been to give the novel greater context. The glut of the unemployed led to a severe backlash against the Chinese who were settling in urban centres, using their old country skills to make a living and actually improve the finances of many Caucasian businessmen. Tempers and racism flared, however, and the Chinese were treated terribly, forced from their homes and businesses by the Exclusion Act and totally purged in many cases from cities.
Mei Lien is the fictitious daughter of Chinese immigrants in Seattle during this period, in the novel. In the present, Inara Erickson is freshly out of grad school and intent on refurbishing the old family estate situated on Orcas Island, Washington. Inara finds an embroidered sleeve inside of the footwell of one of the steps in the house staircase, which leads her to investigate not only the artisan who created the silk thread story but the history of the house and her family as well.
The interlocking stories are well told, switching back and forth from Mei Lien and Inara. The attitudes of both eras are well represented; the Chinese story is apparently not especially well known in the USA, unlike Canada. The piece of especially damning history, which I will not relate because it is a spoiler, did not occur as told in the novel.
I quote the back cover of the trade paperback: "Inspired by real events...". In truth, the real events were disparate and not remotely connected to a large part of this novel, and which I had to look for in the "Conversation with the Author" midway through reading. To misrepresent actual events in history for the purpose of drama, around a very serious real historical issue, is rather "Hollywood" in its design and the novel should not be referenced as "real" on its fly leaf or back cover. Good historical fiction rarely comes without notes, or references to sources, especially when it has such a serious point of view.
Kelli Estes had "good bones" for her novel. I liked so much about it. But in the end, unfortunately, it was ultimately a romance novel. I guess that is why I'm so indignant over the historical convolution. Atonement and resolution are achieved through romance. Hollywood, not Seattle 1895.
December 18, 2018
3.5/5
Kelli Estes’ novel The Girl Who Wrote in Silk uses a literary device that I find attractive: alternating dual narratives about two women who live over a century apart in time. And the focus on the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) and the political troubles that surround that period highlights a time our history that I (and probably others) could stand learning more about. Inara Erikson, the contemporary narrator, has recently earned her MBA and landed a management job with Starbucks (this story takes place in and around Seattle). Her father, a wealthy businessman, is quite proud of her. But that all changes when Inara’s aunt passes away and leaves a family property on Orcas Island to Inara, who loves the place and decides to refurbish it as an upscale boutiquey hotel. She seeks to borrow money from her father, and that is when her troubles begin. This whole part of the plot seems odd to me. Why would Dad think Starbucks is the greatest deal for Inara? Why would he force her to pay back college loans? (Really, why would such a rich man let his daughter rack up college loans?) And why not loan her the money? Inara goes ahead with her plans and finds a mysterious package in the house, which sends her on a search to learn about what’s in the package. She is aided in her search by a Professor Daniel Chin.
The part about the past focuses on Mei Ling, who was born into Seattle to Chinese parents. Her family had built a successful business, but Chinese people are becoming increasingly unwelcome in the United States. (The US has a history of doing immigration wrong.) The entire family is placed on a ship headed back to China, but in fact, the ship owners are planning to dump all their Chinese passengers and let them drown. Mei Ling’s father figures this out and urges her to jump off the boat while they are still reasonably close to Seattle. Mei Ling survives and is rescued by Joseph McElroy, whom she eventually marries. They move to his family property also on Orcas Island (very convenient) where they have a son and struggle because so many disapprove of their mixed-race marriage. These parts of the novel about the past were the more interesting parts of the novel, at least to me.
The narratives alternate. There is plenty of plot, some of it way too obvious, and some far-fetched, occasionally very far-fetched. But I managed to keep reading. I guess I’d say this book is okay, maybe okay plus.
Kelli Estes’ novel The Girl Who Wrote in Silk uses a literary device that I find attractive: alternating dual narratives about two women who live over a century apart in time. And the focus on the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) and the political troubles that surround that period highlights a time our history that I (and probably others) could stand learning more about. Inara Erikson, the contemporary narrator, has recently earned her MBA and landed a management job with Starbucks (this story takes place in and around Seattle). Her father, a wealthy businessman, is quite proud of her. But that all changes when Inara’s aunt passes away and leaves a family property on Orcas Island to Inara, who loves the place and decides to refurbish it as an upscale boutiquey hotel. She seeks to borrow money from her father, and that is when her troubles begin. This whole part of the plot seems odd to me. Why would Dad think Starbucks is the greatest deal for Inara? Why would he force her to pay back college loans? (Really, why would such a rich man let his daughter rack up college loans?) And why not loan her the money? Inara goes ahead with her plans and finds a mysterious package in the house, which sends her on a search to learn about what’s in the package. She is aided in her search by a Professor Daniel Chin.
The part about the past focuses on Mei Ling, who was born into Seattle to Chinese parents. Her family had built a successful business, but Chinese people are becoming increasingly unwelcome in the United States. (The US has a history of doing immigration wrong.) The entire family is placed on a ship headed back to China, but in fact, the ship owners are planning to dump all their Chinese passengers and let them drown. Mei Ling’s father figures this out and urges her to jump off the boat while they are still reasonably close to Seattle. Mei Ling survives and is rescued by Joseph McElroy, whom she eventually marries. They move to his family property also on Orcas Island (very convenient) where they have a son and struggle because so many disapprove of their mixed-race marriage. These parts of the novel about the past were the more interesting parts of the novel, at least to me.
The narratives alternate. There is plenty of plot, some of it way too obvious, and some far-fetched, occasionally very far-fetched. But I managed to keep reading. I guess I’d say this book is okay, maybe okay plus.
September 16, 2015
This is the best book I've read this year. And it's quite possibly the best historical fiction I've ever read. The story and the characters have stayed with me even though I finished the book last week. I listed to the audio version and it is excellent, done by Emily Woo Zeller. There are two protagonists, one present day, Inara Erickson, who has inherited her aunt's estate, a house on Orcas Island. She spent many happy hours during her childhood, but she is planning on selling the estate and begin working for Starbucks. She comes from a wealthy family which runs a maritime shipping company. Let me pause here to say that what I love about historical fiction is learning. Reading this book, I learned more about the Seattle area and the San Juan group of islands just off the Washington coast. I would love to go there and see it first hand, rather than what I saw on the Internet.
Now back to the book. The second protagonist is Liu Mei Lien (Liu is her surname), who lived in the 1880s in what is now the Seattle area. Because she and her father are Chinese, they are forced to leave there even though her father has a business. We learn what happens to Mei Lien and how her life intersects with Inara's. The writing is wonderful, and the characters are so real that you are a part of the story. I did something I've never done before--I began listening to the book on Thursday and listened most of that day. (My husband was gone almost all day and into the evening.) I was awake much of the night and then the next morning finished the book--in about a 24-hour period. And I wish I could go back and listen again. This is a first novel for Kelli Estes. I hope she has more to write. I almost never re-read book, but I think I may have to go back and read this one. Don't miss it!
Now back to the book. The second protagonist is Liu Mei Lien (Liu is her surname), who lived in the 1880s in what is now the Seattle area. Because she and her father are Chinese, they are forced to leave there even though her father has a business. We learn what happens to Mei Lien and how her life intersects with Inara's. The writing is wonderful, and the characters are so real that you are a part of the story. I did something I've never done before--I began listening to the book on Thursday and listened most of that day. (My husband was gone almost all day and into the evening.) I was awake much of the night and then the next morning finished the book--in about a 24-hour period. And I wish I could go back and listen again. This is a first novel for Kelli Estes. I hope she has more to write. I almost never re-read book, but I think I may have to go back and read this one. Don't miss it!
February 11, 2020
This book is the story of Mei Lien and Inara as it alternates periods of time to weave a story that started in 1880’s Seattle all the way up to present day. Sometimes small trinkets and items mean a great deal to a family’s history.
Inara’s aunt dies and leaves her home and family property on the San Juan Islands to her. Family secrets are discovered as Inara works to restore the property. You’ll learn about this history from both Mei Lien and Inara. Many parts of this story will wrench at your heart.
In the author’s note at the end I learned about another piece of American History I was never taught in school. The Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 and the Geary act of 1892 excluded people of Chinese descent from the United States- even if they were born here. Chinese residents of Seattle were driven out- even if they were legal citizens of the US. I’ll be sure to read more about this part of our history and share it with others.
Inara’s aunt dies and leaves her home and family property on the San Juan Islands to her. Family secrets are discovered as Inara works to restore the property. You’ll learn about this history from both Mei Lien and Inara. Many parts of this story will wrench at your heart.
In the author’s note at the end I learned about another piece of American History I was never taught in school. The Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 and the Geary act of 1892 excluded people of Chinese descent from the United States- even if they were born here. Chinese residents of Seattle were driven out- even if they were legal citizens of the US. I’ll be sure to read more about this part of our history and share it with others.
July 6, 2016
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk is a stunning debut novel. Kelli Estes has incorporated everything I love about historical fiction.
It is an emotional tale told both in the present and the past. The language is both descriptive and rich in flavour. I could almost place myself in the Seattle area, the ferry and the island. Estes is a master writer as she links together two women by a tragic event in history. It is a highly captivating read from beginning to end.
"Live happy and love deep."
" better to be burning with rage than melting with sorrow."
It is an emotional tale told both in the present and the past. The language is both descriptive and rich in flavour. I could almost place myself in the Seattle area, the ferry and the island. Estes is a master writer as she links together two women by a tragic event in history. It is a highly captivating read from beginning to end.
"Live happy and love deep."
" better to be burning with rage than melting with sorrow."
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