“She came from a lineage known for good fortune…by those who don't know the whole story.”
This line really showcases the novel and sets the pace for the little underground world of the Shanghai Tunnels. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot as it is super involved, intriguing and interesting.
1988, We find Celia who is the victim of being “shanghaied” and her journey begins in an underground cell. What will she do to save herself? Can she save herself?
I was soon immersed in her story to survive. Thank you McMorris for always giving us unique stories in Historical Fiction. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

A most entertaining and informative novel. I hadn’t read much about the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants in America before. There were a lot of themes going on, including racial identity and discrimination, prostitution, corruption, friendship and class divisions. I liked the way the story all came together in the end, as well as some of the distinctive characters like Marie and Owen. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris weaves a story of the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants in America. A lot of themes were going on, including racial identity and discrimination, prostitution, corruption, and class divisions.
The story all comes together as the author develops the characters.
The underground world of the Shanghai Tunnels was intriguing to me and a very scary reality.
The plot is super involved.
As the story begins, we meet Celia, who becomes a victim of being “shanghaied” and her journey in an underground cell.
Learning about Chinese prejudice and murder in the 1880s West was heartbreaking.
This is historical fiction at its best and I was intrigued and heartbroken.
Thank you to the author for this story and to NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Girls of Good Fortune is a remarkable story that will leave you breathless. Set in Oregon in the late 19th century, the main character, Celia, is half Chinese at a time when racism toward Chinese Americans is rampant. Celia’s story is complicated and difficult as her life becomes one of survival and resilience. This riveting story takes readers on a journey through both the best and worst in people, in society, and even families. There is heart-pounding-action, too, in this novel of justice, strength, and love in all its forms.

It starts in the Prologue with the word: Pingshu. The author says it’s what the Chinese call the art of storytelling. And this is a good one with historical prejudice that has pretty much been buried.

Celia lived in Portland, Oregon in 1886 and was working for the Mayor and his wife as a nanny for their 13-year-old daughter. Celia tried to keep it secret that she was a “half breed.” However, it wasn’t possible for too long; life at times has a way of shaking things up.

The story made my heart ache for Celia who wanted goodness in the world even though she encountered a lot of emotional pain with the hatred toward her culture. It wasn’t easy to escape the racism against Chinese immigrants.

The author did a remarkable job pulling out pieces of the past to write accurate descriptions and dialogue of the characters. I like how Celia was strong, independent and not afraid of standing up for her people. The chapters were short and it was a quick read for me with the curiosity of what would happen next.

While the story presented images of sad conditions people endured, it ended with something sweet. The author included recipes used in the story of lemon snaps and a silver cake with lots of egg whites along with a delicious frosting. Perhaps she was thinking that a plate of these goodies with her Reading Group Guide would be spot on for book clubs.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of May 20, 2025.

Atmospheric while simultaneously both beautiful and painfully haunting. I was not informed about the Shanghai tunnels, so this was educational for me, with a compelling storyline.

Excellent storyline and research.

We see Celia in the opening chapter drugged and in a cell with no idea how she got there.

We then meet Celia as a housekeeper in a wealthy family and a predicament that has her being removed from the home.

THE GIRLS OF GOOD FORTUNE takes us back and forth from Celia's time before the imprisonment and during the imprisonment at a time when there was anti-Chinese sentiment.

It is a bit confusing at first with the two timelines, but both are so well done that they pull you right in.

This is another Kristina McMorris gem that you won't be able to put down, and you will feel for every heartache Celia endures.

I do wish Celia would have made different decisions with some of her predicaments.

Don't miss this one even though it is a bit of heavy reading and at times intense, but an excellent historical fiction read that will keep you glued to the pages. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

This book has everything we can imagine. It starts out with c. E! L. A.
In a house as a maid for the mayor. And his family. She falls in love with Stephen who is the son of the mayor. She is Half american And half chinese. This was a hard time in Portland because your father sent her there.Because she had to work As a A servant. And?
Her father worked in the mines in idaho. This was in the eighteen eighties. It was very unsettling times for chinese peopl Her father is killed in a I don't know when they had a massacre over something. She felt like she was all alone. She became.
Pregnant with stephen And this led her to i Crazy.
Adventures. When stephen left to go to medical school in scotland. The mayor threw her out of the house She became pregnant. She told the mayor his son was gonna marry her.. He sent her to live In prostitution house as a Servant. She became friends with one of them ladies on the night. The man was not a very nice man.He had a lot of bad baggage around him. I love story and a mystery already into one. She struggled when she had the baby, but she kept it. She was a very courageous woman for that time. She as I read the book you'll find out more about the massacre and how she dealt with it. There's.
So many great points in this book. Like when she was dressed as a man To find out more a situation with a father and Stephanie as well. This.
Led to her being put on a ship as a sailor and is really rough for her, and this was like a real adventure. She had her wits about it was very hard for her. I know the book is really great too and it's a happy ending