Such a lovely cover
The Downstairs Girl
by Stacy Lee
By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light.
"Being nice is like leaving your door wide-open. Eventually, someone's going to mosey in and steal your best hat. Me, I've only one hat and it is uglier than a smashed crow, so if someone stole it, the joke would be on their hear, literally. still, boundaries must be set. Especially boundaries over one's worth."
So begins this wonderful YA historic fiction novel set in late 1800's Atlanta, GA. The main character, Jo, is a talented milliner who, unfortunately, is let go from her job because her Asian features make some customers "uncomfortable". She's a strong young lady who knows she's talented, but is also living in a desperate situation, so she completes one last amazing custom hat on her last day in order to make more money. Then she says goodbye to the hat making and goes out looking for a job. The man who raised her, Old Gin, finds her a job as a lady's maid on the estate he works. An estate she grew up on where she'll be lady's maid to someone she has a contentious history with.
The wonderful thing about Jo is that she doesn't just accept being spoken down to, but she's subtle about her discontent towards her employers. She's clever and funny. She and Old Gin live in a hidden basement left from abolitionists because it is illegal to house Chinese immigrants because of the Chinese Exclusion Act. The family they live under, who don't know about them, runs a newspaper that is struggling. Jo has grown up listening to the family in their printing room through a listening tube and discovers they might lose their paper if subscriptions don't go up. That could spell trouble for her and Old Gin, so she creates Miss Sweetie and writes advice and social commentary anonymously.
She is also searching for her birth parents and suspects a notorious criminal knows about their identity. He also takes interest in her and is completely smarmy and gross but she is strong and takes no crap, so creates a bargain with him. No spoilers, but her lineage is revealed.
I came into the book knowing I'd encounter racism. I didn't come into it knowing about Jo's strong sense of self and sassiness. Or the found family aspect. That was absolutely wonderful. Also, there's an adorable sheepdog. Can't go wrong with a loveable pet. I'll leave with this last little bit from the book where another servant is talking to Jo:
"No. What is this victory?" "It's knowing your worth no matter what the crows tell you. Victory is waiting for us. We have to be bold enough to snatch it."
About the author:
Stacey Lee is a fourth generation Chinese-American whose people came to California during the heydays of the cowboys. She believes she still has a bit of cowboy dust in her soul. A native of southern California, she graduated from UCLA then got her law degree at UC Davis King Hall. After practicing law in the Silicon Valley for several years, she finally took up the pen because she wanted the perks of being able to nap during the day, and it was easier than moving to Spain. She plays classical piano, raises children, and writes YA fiction.
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