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The Downstairs Girl

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The Downstairs Girl Kindle Edition

by Stacey Lee (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 5,614 ratings

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A Reese's Book Club YA Pick and New York Times Bestseller

From the critically acclaimed author of Luck of the Titanic, Under a Painted Sky, and Outrun the Moon comes a powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family.

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. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.

"This vividly rendered historic novel will keep readers riveted as witty, observant Jo deals with the dangers of questioning power." --The Washington Post

"Holds a mirror to our present issues while giving us a detailed and vibrant picture of life in the past." --The New York Times

"A joyful read . . . The Downstairs Girl, for all its serious and timely content, is a jolly good time." --NPR

From the Publisher


	Kill Her Twice	Luck of the Titanic	The Downstairs Girl	Outrun the Moon	Under a Painted Sky

Customer Reviews	45	474	5,614	342	819
Price	$14.98	$11.39	$9.12	$9.49	$11.99
Read more by Stacey Lee:	A YA murder mystery noir set in 1930s Los Angeles’s Chinatown.	The richly imagined story of Valora and Jamie Luck, twin British-Chinese acrobats traveling aboard the Titanic on its ill-fated maiden voyage.	A powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family.	An unforgettable story of determination set against a backdrop of devastating tragedy. Perfect for fans of Code Name Verity.	Stacey Lee's debut novel is a powerful story about love, friendship, and sacrifice.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up—Jo Kuan knows that because she's Chinese, she does not fit anyone's expectations in 1890 Atlanta, but she doesn't mind. She's happy to be unobtrusive, making hats for the fashionable women in town and staying out of trouble with her adoptive father, Old Gin. But when she loses her job at the hat shop, Jo must find work elsewhere, returning to the household of one of the most important families in town to serve as a lady's maid for their daughter. Saddled with an ungrateful mistress, Jo must face the inequalities in her city. Frustrated, she begins penning an anonymous advice column as "Miss Sweetie," dispensing opinions on everything from fashion to suffragettes. Jo is happy with anonymity, but soon Atlanta is abuzz with curiosity about Miss Sweetie, leading Jo to wonder if remaining quiet and safe is the most important thing or if there are reasons to speak up. Along the way, she uncovers truths about her own past that call into question even more of the inequalities she sees in the present. Though society may try to push aside those it sees as different, Jo demonstrates that everyone has a place and a story to be told. VERDICT 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.—Zoë McLaughlin, Michigan State University

Review

A Reese's Book Club YA Pick
A New York Times Bestseller
A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of the Year
One of NPR's Favorite Books of the Year
A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Editors’ Choice
A BookPage Best Book of the Year
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year
A Crystal Kite Award Winner

“The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee is clever, poignant and funny. It’s a bold portrait about a young Chinese-American woman named Jo who is faced with adversity and finds a creative way to use her voice for greater good.” —Reese Witherspoon

“Vividly rendered, intriguingly plotted . . . Jo’s example of resistance and hope is sure to resonate with today’s readers.” —The Washington Post

“Holds a mirror to our present issues while giving us a detailed and vibrant picture of life in the past.” —The New York Times

“A joyful read . . . The Downstairs Girl, for all its serious and timely content, is a jolly good time.” —NPR

“A triumph of storytelling. The Downstairs Girl is a bold portrait of this country’s past, brilliantly painted with wit, heartbreak, and unflinching honesty. Everyone needs to read this book.” —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

“A gorgeous tale that will steal your heart. This is not only a keeper, but a classic!” —Robin LaFevers, New York Times bestselling author of the His Fair Assassin trilogy

“A jewel of a story. By shining a light on the lives of those whom history usually ignores, Lee gives us a marvelous gift: An entirely new and riveting look at our past." —Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Family Romanov

“Clever, funny, and poignant, The Downstairs Girl is Stacey Lee at her best.” —Evelyn Skye, New York Times bestselling author of The Crown’s Game

“Immersive, important, and thoroughly entertaining, The Downstairs Girl sparkles with all of Stacey Lee’s signature humor, charm, warmth, and wisdom.” —Kelly Loy Gilbert, Morris Award Finalist for Conviction

* “Luminous . . . An optimistic, sophisticated portrayal of one facet of Chinese-American—and simply American—history.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “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.” —Booklist, starred review

* “Unflinching in its portrayals of racism yet ultimately hopeful and heartfelt, this narrative places voices frequently left out of historical fiction center stage.” —School Library Journal, starred review

* “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.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

* “A compelling domestic drama with a winning heroine.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review

"The Downstairs Girl is rich in historical detail and anchored by Stacey Lee’s buoyant prose and a heroine whose voice leaps off the page." —BookPage

“Lee's profound writing tackles topics of politics and race with a main character who isn't afraid to speak her mind.” —Buzzfeed

“History, mystery, social commentary, adventure—this book’s got it all!” —BookRiot

“All of Lee’s books offer a stunning level of historical accuracy and feel like mini time machines, including her latest. This story about using your voice is one of Lee’s best.” —Paste Magazine

“An apt, powerful read.” —Woman’s World Magazine

About the Author

Emily Woo Zeller's multilingual, multicultural framework led to a natural fit as an audiobook narrator. While she specializes in Asian American narratives, Emily's work spans a broad spectrum, including young adult fiction. She won an AudioFile Earphones Award for her narration of Gulp by Mary Roach.

Stacey Lee is the critically acclaimed author and winner of the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction. She is a fourth-generation Chinese American and lives with her family outside San Francisco. Visit Stacey at staceyhlee.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1

Being nice is like leaving your door wide-open. Eventually, someone’s going to mosey in and steal your best hat. Me, I have only one hat and it is uglier than a smashed crow, so if someone stole it, the joke would be on their head, literally. Still, boundaries must be set. Especially boundaries over one’s worth.

Today I will demand a raise.

“You’re making that pavement twitchy the way you’re staring at it.” Robby Withers shines his smile on me. Ever since the traveling dentist who pulled Robby’s rotting molar told him he would lose more if he didn’t scrub his teeth regularly, he has brushed twice daily, and he expects me to do it, too.

“Pavement is underappreciated for all it does to smooth the way,” I tell his laughing eyes, which are brown like eagle’s feathers, same as his skin. “We should be more grateful.”

Robby gestures grandly at the ground. “Pavement, we’re much obliged, despite all the patty cakes we dump on you.” He pulls me away from a pile of manure. It was Robby’s mother who nursed me when I was a baby, God rest her soul. And it was she who told Old Gin about the secret basement under the print shop.

Whitehall Street, the “spine” of Atlanta, rises well above the treetops with her stately brick and imposing stone buildings—along with the occasional Victorian house that refuses to give up her seat at the table. Business is good here, and like the longleaf pine forests, being burned by Sherman’s troops a quarter century ago only made the city grow back stronger.

“You look different today.” I pretend to appraise him from his cap to his tan trousers. “You forget something?” It is rare to see him without the mule and cart he uses as a deliveryman for Buxbaum’s Department Store.

“They’re down a clerk. Mr. Buxbaum’s letting me fill in until they find someone new.” He straightens his pin-striped jacket, though it’s already straight enough to measure with.

“You don’t say.” Mr. Buxbaum is popular among whites and colored alike, but hiring a colored clerk isn’t done in these parts.

“If I do a good job, maybe he’ll let me fill in on a more permanent basis.” He gives me a tight smile.

“If you don’t stick your foot out, you’ll never advance. You’d be perfect for the job. I myself am fixing to ask Mrs. English for a raise.”

He whistles, a short low sound. “If Mrs. English had any sense, she’d give it to you. Of course, common sense was never very common in these parts.”

I nod, a surge of righteous blood flooding my veins. Two years I have worked as a milliner’s assistant at the same wage of fifty cents a day. Measly. It is already 1890. Plus, Old Gin has lost too much weight, and I need to buy him medicine—not a booty ball or buckeye powder, but something legitimate. And legitimate costs money.

One of the newly electric streetcars approaches, bringing by an audience of Southerners in various stages of confusion at the sight of me. An Eastern face in Western clothes always sets the game wheels to spinning between curiosity and disapproval. Most of the time, the pointer lands on disapproval. I should charge them for the privilege of ogling me. Of course, I’d have to split the fee with Robby, whose six-foot height also draws attention, even as he keeps his eyes on the sidewalk.

He stops walking and squares his cap so that it’s flat enough to play chess on. “Here’s my stop. Good luck, Jo.”

“Thanks, but keep some for yourself.”

He winks, then slips down a narrow alley to use the back door to Buxbaum’s. Old Gin tells me things have changed for the worse since I was born. After good ol’ President Hayes returned the South to “home rule,” Dems told colored people they should use the back alleys from then on, which pretty much sums up everything.

Fluffing the sleeves of my russet dress, which have lost their puff and hang like a pair of deflated lungs, I carry myself a block farther to English’s Millinery. The shop stands between a candle maker and a seed store, meaning it can smell like a Catholic church or alfalfa, depending on which way the wind blows. This morning, however, the air is still too crisp to hold a scent. The picture windows are as clear as our Lord’s eyes—how I left them last night—with several mauve hats displayed. Mauve is having a moment.

Instead of going through the front, I also trek to the back entrance. Folks care less about which door Chinese people use nowadays, compared with when the laborers were shipped in to replace the field slaves after the war. Perhaps whites feel the same way about us as they do about ladybugs: A few are fine, but a swarm turns the stomach.

Three boxes have been left by the back door, and I gather them in my arms, then enter. The sight of Lizzie trying on the nearly finished “sensible” hat I’d been designing stops me in my tracks. What is she doing here so early? She barely traipses in at nine, when the shop opens, and it’s not even a quarter past eight.

“Good morning.” I set the boxes on our worktable, which is already weighed down with reams of felt. The broadsides for the charity horse race are barely dry, and orders are already flooding in. Fashion is supposed to rest on Lent, but God will surely make an exception for the event of the year. The proprietress will probably want me to stay late again or work during the lunch hour so she can sneak off to nip her coca cordial. Well, not without a raise, I won’t.

“Mrs. English wants to speak with you,” Lizzie says in her breathy voice. She smooths a hand down the rooster tail I’d pinned to the sensible hat with an eternity knot. Ringlets of strawberry-blond hair play peekaboo under the saucer brim.

I remove my floor-length cloak and black hat, one of the misfits that Mrs. English let me purchase at a discount, this one made possible through Lizzie’s clumsy hands. Then I tie on a lace apron.

The velvet curtain separating the store from the workroom jerks to one side, and Mrs. English bustles in. “There you are,” she says in her haughty schoolmarm’s voice.

I dust off my drab shop cap. “Good morning, ma’am. I had an idea. What if, instead of wearing these toadstools, we model our latest styles? See how fetching my sensible hat looks on Lizzie—”

Mrs. English frowns. “Put the toadstools on, both of you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lizzie and I say in unison. I slip my cap over my head. I should ask now, before she asks me to stay late, so my request does not appear a hair-trigger reaction. I wipe my palms on my skirt. “Mrs. English—”

“Jo, I will no longer be requiring your services.”

“I—” I clamp my mouth shut when her words catch up to me. No longer required . . . I’m . . . dismissed?

“I only need one shopgirl, and Lizzie will do.”

Lizzie draws in a sharp breath. Her normally sleepy eyes open wide enough to catch gnats.

“Lizzie, open the packages. I hope the new boater block’s in one of them.” Mrs. English wiggles her fingers.

“Yes, ma’am.” Drawers clatter as Lizzie rummages for a knife.

“B-but—” I turn my back on Lizzie and lower my pipes to a whisper. “Mrs. English, I trained her. I can felt a block twice as fast as her, I’m never late, and you said I have an eye for color.” I can’t lose this job. It took me almost two years to find steady work after my last dismissal, and Old Gin’s meager wage as a groom isn’t enough to sustain us both. We’d be back to living hand to mouth, tiptoeing on the edges of disaster. A bubble of hysteria works up my chest, but I slowly breathe it out.

At least we have a home. It’s dry, warm, and rent-free, one of the perks of living secretly in someone else’s basement. As long as you have a home, you have a place to plan and dream.

The woman sighs, something she does often. Her great bosom has a personality of its own, at times riding high, and at times twitchy and nervous, like when the mayor’s wife pays a visit. Today’s gusting tests the iron grip of her corset. Her rheumy eyes squint up at me towering over her. “You make some of the ladies uncomfortable.”

Each of the syllables slaps me on the cheeks, un-com-for-ta-ble, and mortification pours like molten iron from my face to my toes. But I’m good at my job. The solicitor’s wife even called the silk knots I tied for her bonnet “extraordinary.” So what about me causes such offense? I wash regularly with soap, even the parts that don’t show. I keep my black hair neatly braided and routinely scrub my teeth with a licorice root, thanks to Robby. I’m not sluggish like Lizzie or overbearing like Mrs. English. In fact, I’m the least offensive member of our crew.

“It’s because I’m . . .” My hand flies to my cheek, dusky and smooth as the Asian steppes.

“I know you can’t help it. It’s the lot you drew.”

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07CWDN6JF
Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (August 13, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 13, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3505 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 382 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #99,745 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 5,614 ratings

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Stacey Lee

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Stacey Lee is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of historical and contemporary young adult fiction, including The Downstairs Girl, a Reese’s Book Club YA pick, and her most recent novel, Luck of the Titanic, which received five starred reviews. A native of southern California and fourth-generation Chinese American, she picked degrees at UCLA then UC Davis and practiced law for several years before retiring to start her real job writing books. Her books have been published in over a dozen countries, and have won the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association award, the PEN Center award for best YA, the Northern California Book Award, and the Golden Poppy Award and appeared on Cosmopolitan's Best YA Books of All Time, and Parade Magazines' Best YA, among others. She is a co-founder of the We Need Diverse Books movement and writes stories for all kids (even the ones who look like adults). Please visit her website at www.staceyhlee.com.

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Allegra C.

Worth the hype on NPR that led me here--I've found my new favorite book!

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2019

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As an Asian-American creative, I knew I'd love this when I first read a positive review for this online, and I was not disappointed once! The perspective is so unique--a Chinese girl in 1800s Georgia!--and the writing's mesmerizing. I wished this book could never end, and LOVED it for so many reasons:

The quick version:
-Have you ever read anything about Chinese-Americans living in the Reconstructionist South? Thought not. This book provides such a necessary historical lens into highly underrepresented people and untold stories--and does it with remarkable talent and grace. This alone is worth heavy consideration.
-Jo is a protagonist you can't help admiring - she's witty, a nonconformist by circumstance and by choice, and unafraid of getting back a little (or a lot) at people who've done her wrong.
-The narrative voice is unlike any I've ever seen before ("Mischief dangles from his smile") and there are great humorous moments.
-Great pun one-liners here and there - even Yours Truly, who admits to hating puns, likes how they're done here.
-A wonderful and dynamic supporting cast, including Jo's wry adoptive father, a socialite who reveals her cleverness with pepper, an enigmatic Southern Belle who becomes Jo's employer for the second time, and a stout-of-heart black boy that'll melt your cold dead heart. Also a very enthusiastic herding dog.
-A climax that honestly almost moved me to tears from the poignancy, but also the deep symbolism of how Jo's actions come to stand for so, so much more in those several pages.
-If you like to learn cool new words, you'll definitely learn a few by reading this.
-On a personal note, I was ecstatic to find references to Chinese knotting and barley tea, which I've grown up with, but never encountered in print before.

Stacey Lee isn't afraid to show how difficult it was to be Asian-American in post-Civil War Georgia: In the opening scene, Jo is fired from her job at a hat shop because of her ethnicity. Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act in effect at the time, Jo and her adoptive father are legally not US citizens and cannot even own land or rent; they're forced to live secretly as squatters in the basement of a family who prints a struggling local newspaper.

We also see realistic depictions of other social issues, like the initial implementation of segregation laws (which confuses Jo and her father, as they're neither black nor white), the erecting of Confederate statues, calls for women's suffrage (as well as the emergence of modern bicycles) treated with derision by many women who think the idea foolish, and white suffragists rejecting black women who support their ideals.

In all seriousness, get this book. If you have kids, get this for your kids. I rarely write book reviews, but I'm breaking the pattern because this novel is THAT good.

Come for the incredibly unique historical perspective that's surely the first of its kind ever published and shines a spotlight on sorely underwritten stories.

Stay for Jo's incredible strength, role model-ism, one-of-a-kind journey, and how her story reminds us all not just of the power of devastatingly clever puns, but the power that words give all of us in finding who we are and making the world a better place.

36 people found this helpful

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Danica

Compelling

Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2023

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Warnings: none.

An extremely well-written and enjoyable read that’s a clean read too. I adored this one.

It was compelling from the start and certainly won’t be the last of hers I read.

Glad a friend of mine recommended the author.

3 people found this helpful

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S. Meyer

A real gem of a book!

Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2024

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The historical context of this book is spot on, and the protagonist is a rare jewel.

I don't have the right words to go into detail here - I will just say, of all the books I've read in a long time, this is a new favorite.

One person found this helpful

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G. R. Jack

A story of someone who refuses to settle for less

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2019

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Stacey Lee takes you into a world you’re probably familiar with if you paid any attention in your U.S. History class and helps you see it in new ways. Most of us are familiar with the agonies of post reconstruction era South, but few stories shine a spotlight on the Chinese laborers who were shipped in by Southern plantation owners to replace emancipated slaves. This is the world seventeen-year-old Jo Kwan lives in. Much of Jo’s life is lived in secret. She can’t rent, let alone own, property, so she’s forced to live with her uncle in the basement of a white family who owns a failing newspaper. She can’t interact directly with the white patrons of the hat store because her boss says she makes the customers “uncomfortable.” She can’t even participate in the growing Suffrage movement because the women are only concerned with advancing the rights of white women.

What’s a strong, opinionated girl to do? Start an advice column.

She starts submitting columns to the paper under the pseudonym Miss Sweetie and immediately attracts attention, both good and bad, from Atlanta’s high society. Through the column, Jo finds her voice and an outlet to express views on her segregated and chauvinistic society. The more freedom she experiences, the more she wants and soon she is uncovering secrets of her past that threaten to ruin her.

The Downstairs Girl never lets the reader forget how crushing life was for Chinese and Black Americans during this time, but the book isn’t a downer. Mostly this is due to Jo Kwan being such a spirited and sympathetic character. Her story is one of someone who refuses to settle for less and it’s fun watching her get the best of some of her antagonists. Lee’s writing is also witty and engaging, filled with the kind of southern colloquialisms that help transport the reader to this time and place.

7 people found this helpful

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Jamie McQuiston

"Luck rides a horse named Joy"

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2021

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What a delightful book! I was constantly rooting for the protagonist, Jo. She grew up without a true mother or father but found guidance and love with a Chinese man named Old Gin. They both found work with an aristocratic family as servants, while living secretly in the basement of a printing company. It was there that Jo learned to read and write through listening to the family who owned the printing press upstairs. She discovers the paper they publish, The Focus is in trouble and decides to help them out by secretly writing a column under the name Miss Sweetie. An adventure begins and secrets are revealed, but Jo emerges as a local hero as a result.
I loved the author's prose and they way she incorporated Chinese anecdotes. I laughed out loud and cried in equal measure.
It is a story about overcoming the struggle of race and poverty, but also about love and fighting for what you believe in. I highly recommend if your in the mood for something uplifting to read.

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

mdoucet

Excellent story

Reviewed in Canada on February 14, 2024

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Totally loved this book. Recommend it.

Amazon Customer

very enjoyable book

Reviewed in India on February 14, 2024

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Liked the book, showed the struggle of minority without being heavy or preachy …well written enjoyable read ..would like to read more books from this author

CHARVOLEN A.

Beautiful.

Reviewed in France on March 30, 2024

Verified Purchase

This is a lovely story and I would recommend it to anyone.

Gill

Good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

Good read