The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

 

Summary (from the publisher): 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.

Review: Teenager Jo Kuan has been raised by her adoptive father. Her world is defined by her Chinese American heritage while living in Atlanta in the 1920s, the poverty she and her father face since their employment prospects are limited, and the fear she feels for her future. Jo is fired from her hat-making job because her Chinese appearance makes customers uncomfortable and finally lands a job as a lady's maid for a wealthy family. At night, she goes home to the secret quarters she shares with her adoptive father in the basement of a family that owns the local newspaper. While listening to their discussions through the floor, she becomes inspired to submit anonymous columns for the paper, which ultimately leads to backlash over her opinions on race and gender. Meanwhile, Jo uncovers a secret about her parentage that leaves her reeling and changes the course of her future. 

This had so many wonderful elements! I loved Jo's story as a Chinese American girl in Atlanta in the 1920s. Her job as a hat maker was interesting, as well her upbringing as an orphan raised by an adoptive father. However, there was just too much that was difficult to believe. Primarily, I just could not wrap my head around the fact that she and her father supposedly lived in a secret former underground railroad hideout in the basement of a white family's home. I just don't see how they could go in and out of the house for years without being seen on the property or heard from upstairs. Additionally, the big reveal of Jo's true parentage was just not believable for a vast array of reasons. 

Finally, there was just too much going on in this. She's a secret writer! She lives in a secret hideout! She's a talented hatmaker! But also, a talented horsewoman! She secretly uncovers who her parents are! She is fighting for women to have the right to vote! She is busy attempting to foil her employer's daughter's attempts at a love affair! I realize that it is young adult fiction, and I am reading it as an adult, but the lack of historical accuracy in the plot points and the overpacked plot really distracted from my enjoyment of this. 

Stars: 3