The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

 

After the second person raved about The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes within the course of a week, I figured this was a book to read. When I checked goodreads, I saw that I'd put it on my list of books to read in 2016, shortly after it was first published. As an older book, it was very easy to pick it up from the library immediately.

What a great book. It was very loosely based on the conditions for Chinese in the late 1800s, after the implementation of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a racist anti-Chinese immigration policy. I really had no idea of the horrific acts performed as a result of this act.

Mei Lein and her family are forced out of their home (and business) in Seattle. Somehow Mei Lein survives and starts a new life on Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands, currently just a ferry ride away from Seattle. Mei Lein's life as a Chinese woman in Washington in the 1880s is very difficult. After the birth of her son, she is determined that her son knows the story of his Chinese family and starts creating the story by embroidering on silk.

Fast forward over 100 years. Inara was left her aunt's estate on Orcas Island. Inara and her sister are exploring things around the estate as Inara is deciding whether or not she will give up a coveted job with Starbucks to fulfill her aunt's dream of turning the estate into a B&B. Her sister trips over a loose step and by digging further, Inara discovers a package hidden under the step containing a well-wrapped, well-preserved sleeve that appeared to come from a Chinese robe. Curious about the sleeve, Inara reaches out to a professor at the University of Washington who might help guide her research. Who created the sleeve? Why was there just a sleeve and not a whole robe? And why was it hidden there?

The stories alternate and eventually we learn the connection between Mei Lein's story and Inara's story. And it isn't pretty. But the novel is incredibly engaging and I tore through it very quickly. I would highly recommend.