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The Downstairs Girl

The Downstairs Girl

Historical FictionYoung Adult
Pages
578
Published
2019
Language
English

Synopsis

By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid in 1890s Atlanta. By night, she secretly writes a popular newspaper advice column, "Dear Miss Sweetie," using her platform to challenge societal norms around race and gender. As her column gains traction and faces backlash, Jo finds herself searching for her own past while navigating the dangers of a city determined to uncover her identity.

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

Thought-ProvokingEmotionalInspiringAdventurous
Secret IdentityComing of AgeReluctant HeroQuest

Genres

Historical Fiction Young Adult History

About the author

S
Stacey Lee

Stacey Lee is a fourth-generation Chinese American author from Southern California who practiced law, including in Silicon Valley, before writing full-time; she holds a law degree from UC Davis King Hall and is a founding member and legal director of We Need Diverse Books. She writes historical and contemporary young-adult fiction centering Chinese American experiences, including Under a Painted Sky, The Downstairs Girl, Luck of the Titanic, and Kill Her Twice.

Characters

Jo KuanProtagonist
Miss SweetieProtagonist
All characters in The Downstairs Girl