Bookworm's Reviews > The Porcelain Moon

I had high hopes for this historical fiction that was set in early 20th century France but will admit I was somewhat disappointed. The historical aspect of Chinese immigrants being hired as civilian translators during WW1 as well as the Chinese customs during this time period was quite fascinating and novel. I haven't read about this history before, and I enjoyed learning more about it. However, the story itself lacked emotional depth, and I found myself feeling removed from the characters.

The plot used the two perspectives of Pauline, a Chinese immigrant living with her uncle and cousin, trying to evade the customs of Shanghai arranged marriage, and Camille, a French woman who is trying to escape an abusive marriage. The two storylines eventually converge. The ending was just so-so.