Ruthanne Lum McCunn

What initially drew me to this book was it's unique and intriguing title. I liked how the significance behind the title is revealed early on in the book. Overall, I liked the story of Lalu/Polly and the that fact that it is based on the life of a real person is fascinating. Lalu's story is inspirational and empowering. She was a simple farm girl from China who unfortunately was kidnapped/ forcefully sold from her family by bandits, then sold to a brothel and then to a saloon keeper. show more Eventually she gains her independence, develops into a strong resourceful person, and finds love.

To me Lalu's story felt rushed, and there was not much development or depth to the character as her story progresses. As a result, I did not find it too believeable. It was however, a quick read and you do gain a mini history lesson about the gold rush and the treatment of Chinese immigrants. show less

A strange book that is well worth a read. McCunn based this novel on research of a real woman who emigrated from China. Because the documentation (citizenship papers, land deeds, etc) is spotty, her book is episodic, each section focusing around the few events we know happened. The first section, which takes place in China, is enthralling, as is the second, which takes place in a Gold Rush town. After that, though, the episodes hang together less firmly and I had a hard time seeing how the show more character became who she did.

Nevertheless, even the parts of the book that were least successful for me were vividly interesting. I ordered another of her books as soon as I finished this one. show less

This is a fascinating story - a novelization of a real-life Chinese immigrant in the late 1800s in the American West. Broken by famine in Northern China, Lalu's family sells her to a brothel, who then passes her to a slave merchant bound for America. There she is transported to the mostly male West Coast where gold is being panned and trains are being built. Auctioned off to a saloonkeeper, she learns English and interacts with the kind of rough people who make their lives in a saloon. Later show more offered as a prize in a poker game and finally becoming a wife, she manages to earn back some of the dignity taken from her after being property for most of her life. In fact, all women were property of one sort or another in those days. Much of the quality of their life was highly dependent on whose care they were in and how much they were valued.

Not the strongest historical fiction, but still interesting. show less

During WWII, Poon Lim (Chinese) was cast adrift for 133 days alone on a raft in the Atlantic ocean. He survived on raw fish and rainwater and was even able to catch a few sea birds with his bare hands (snuck up on them as night when they were resting). His tools were a fish-hook, knife and a tarp. He also had some sugar, critical carbohydrate energy which balanced the pure protein diet and kept him from starving. This account is a simple retelling, suitable for younger readers who also like show more Robinson Crusoe, but nonetheless vivid and probably the most authoritative modern account of this famous incident. For many years Lim held the record for the longest time spent at sea on a raft, the US Navy used his experience to inform their survival programs.

It's an unusual ocean survival story since it deals with a Chinese peasant farmer who knew nothing about the sea. Lim initially comes across as a childish Oriental coolie who couldn't open a can without being told what to do. He transforms and grows through the challenges of the journey, from the cabin boy to self-sufficient survivor. Lim is a bit of a bumbling Mr. Magoo, dropping critical things in the ocean and being ignored by passing ships as not worth picking up, but otherwise he has uncanny luck and resourcefulness. show less