The Downstairs Girl

 1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lee, Stacey. 2019. The downstairs girl. (N. Zeller, Emily Woo.) [Audiobook]. Portland, ME: Tantor Media. ISBN: 9781977304018

2.      PLOT SUMMARY

Jo Kuan is a Chinese American girl living in Atlanta in the basement of a prominent American family, the Bells, with the man that raised her, Old Gin. Jo was a very good milliner’s assistant but unjustly lost her position. She is forced to take on a position for an important Atlanta family, the Payne’s, as a ladies maid to the difficult and ungrateful daughter, Caroline. She begins an anonymous advice column under the name “Miss Sweetie” where she shares the frustrations of life in Atlanta as a woman. Jo discovers that her father is Old Gin’s son, her mother is the prominent Ms. Payne, and that means Caroline was actually her sister. When her grandfather, Old Gin, is attacked Jo is forced to reveal the truth about where she’s been living and the identity of “Miss Sweetie”. The attack also leads to her position in a horse race that demonstrates to herself and her town that she is capable of more than they could imagine.

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The characters in this story share intense and complex emotions. There were a lot of injustices for many of the people in Jo’s life and the frustration felt is completely understandable. It’s hard to know whether or not some of these situations would’ve actually been possible. Living underneath another family’s home for that long (with a young child) seems like it may not be super realistic, but I suppose could potentially be possible. The odds of a person sending in an anonymous article and getting it published also seems far off, but it adds to Jo’s character and the living situation highlights the difficulty for Chinese Americans (and other marginalized groups) to find housing during that time period. The great part of this story is that it mentions the injustices of the time accurately while also highlighting that they are terrible through the reaction, thoughts, and feelings that the main characters express. Jo frequently expresses herself in a way that is inappropriate for the times, but is rewarded at certain times. There are also consequences that would make sense for the time. The options available to Jo, Old Gin, and her friends is expressed honestly and in way that encourages reflection. The details expressed are balanced with the movement of the story and the events are actual things that were happening in Atlanta at the time. The setting is expressed throughout in descriptions of the town, the homes, and the even the smells are mentioned (Atlanta didn’t have a sewer system at the time). Jo was true to herself and stood up for the things that she believed in. The importance of family was also expressed in her relationship with Old Gin and even in her friendships. Jo was able to form a family despite the fact that she was rejected by her own mother. The choices that Jo makes improves her position in life, and she demonstrates her value despite what the world at the time was telling her. The story flows very well from one event to another and the setting and events reveal the research that went into it.

4.      REVIEW EXCERPTS

Starred review in Booklist: “This spectacular, voice-driven novel raises powerful questions about how we understand the past, as well as the ways our current moment is still shaped by that understanding.”

Starred review in Kirkus Reviews: “She deftly weaves historical details with Jo’s personal story of finding a voice and a place for herself in order to create a single, luminous work. An optimistic, sophisticated portrayal of one facet of Chinese American—and simply American—history.”

Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Featuring historical signposts (streetcar segregation, suffragists on safety bicycles) and memorable, well-developed characters, this captivating novel explores intersectionality, conveys the effects of restrictions placed on women and people of color, and celebrates the strengths and talents of marginalized people struggling to break society’s barriers in any age.”

Starred review in School Library Journal: “Unflinching in its portrayals of racism yet ultimately hopeful and heartfelt, this narrative places voices frequently left out of historical fiction center stage. Recommended for any collection.”

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

A Reese’s Book Club YA Pick

A Crystal Kite Award Winner

 

5.      CONNECTIONS

*Invite students to write a letter to Jo Kuan asking her a question they still have or telling her about a part of the story they enjoyed.

*This book can be used to initiate discussions about the history and the modern day women’s rights movements.

*Other books written by Stacey Lee:

Lee, Stacey. Luck of the Titanic. ISBN: 9781524741006

Lee, Stacey. Outrun the moon. ISBN: 9780147516916

Lee, Stacey. Under a painted sky. ISBN: 9780147511843