Hello everyone and happy Friday!
Today we're a part of the This is Me! blog tour campaign for The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee. This is the first book I've read by Stacey Lee and I was absolutely enthralled by the narrative she created through Jo Kuan's journey.
The Downstairs Girl was a powerful historical fiction read that transported readers to the 1800's where Jo holds a dual identity as a lady's maid by day and a journalist at night. When Jo takes on societal issues under her psudonym of Miss Sweetie, Jo remains resolute her fight against social injustice. Told with a great spirit of wisdom, humor, and insight, The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee is a formidable work that shines a light on those who were forced to stay in the shadows and gives them a compelling voice that echos through time.
About the Book
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books
Coming August 2019
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.
Pre-order the book here!
About the Author
Stacey Lee is the critically acclaimed author of the novels Under a Painted Sky and Outrun the Moon, the winner of the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction. She is a fourth-generation Chinese American and a founding member of We Need Diverse Books. Born in Southern California, she graduated from UCLA and then got her law degree at UC Davis King Hall. She lives with her family outside San Francisco. You can visit Stacey at staceyhlee.com. Or follow her on Twitter @staceyleeauthor.
Book Aesthetic
I was moved by The Downstairs Girl that I also put together this post for Instagram. I'm planning on posting it this evening so the first look goes to you dear readers!
