Please recommend a good book!

[tblue37]

3. "The Paper Wife, by Laila Ibrahim.

Last edited Tue Dec 29, 2020, 04:47 PM - Edit history (1)

"The Paper Wife," by Laila Ibrahim. It's about a young Chinese woman who immigrates to San Francisco in 1923 as the " paper wife" (i.e., on paper, not for real) of a naturalized American whose actual wife has died in China. Her family is paid to provide the paper wife to collect the man's little boy and come to America with him. Her sister was supposed to be the paper wife, but became ill at the last moment, so she goes instead.

The book describes how she takes on the challenges of accepting changes not of her choosing but that are necessary for survival. Eventually she grows to love her husband and his little boy, and she also loves and adopts a little girl she saves from being sold as a prostitute.

It is a quiet but touching book. I believe you will care about the characters. It is also a fascinating glimpse into a historical period and situation we don't see much of.