Name: Daughters of the Sun and Moon
Rating: 5 (5 reviews)
Author: Lisa See

About this book

Summary
Book Club Questions

Book Summary

From beloved New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, the story of three Chinese women whose unexpected friendship helps them survive and, despite the odds, thrive, in the turmoil of post-Civil War Los Angeles.

In 1870, three Chinese women arrive in the small, dusty, and violent pueblo of Los Angeles. Dove, the bound-footed daughter of an imperial scholar, is entrancing and innocent. These characteristics should bring her great rewards, beginning with her arranged marriage to a much older merchant. Petal, the big-footed daughter of peasants, has grown up hungry and with dirt between her toes. In a moment of desperation, Petal's father sells her to buy money for rice seed, and she is loaded onto a ship to the Gold Mountain—America—where she is once again sold. Moon is married to a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. She is educated, speaks fluent English, and has been endowed with a face of great beauty, yet her failed footbinding as a child has left her with a limp that lessens her value in the eyes of many.

Each woman has her own desires. Dove wants to love and be loved, Petal desires freedom, and Moon seeks justice. Together they face a larger society that wishes them not one ounce of good will. Anti-Chinese sentiment is strong in Los Angeles, and this eventually leads to the Night of Horrors during which all three women are challenged in ways they could not have imagined. Brought together by hardship and heartbreak, they must use their bravery, endurance, and ability to "eat bitterness" to discover their voices, find freedom, and connect through solace and friendship. Together they are daughters of the sun and moon.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

The book begins with a newspaper excerpt from the Los Angeles Gazette that immediately reveals the deep-rooted racism toward Chinese individuals in California at the time of the novel. How does this help set up the story, and what purpose do the excerpts serve as they continue to appear at the beginning of each of the book's five parts?
Within the first chapter, we discover the importance of a persons's Chinese zodiac sign and how the year they were born in contains characteristics that are intrinsic and innate to who they are. In your group, discuss each person's Chinese zodiac sign and whether, like Dove, they "carry within [themselves] the qualities of that creature."
Dove is described in the author's note as "a young ...

Media Reviews

"See offers a stunning piece of historical fiction based in truth. It will touch readers with the characters' resilience, heroism, and devoted friendship." —Library Journal (starred review)

"[See] brilliantly mashes up history and fiction into character-driven page turners that bring to life ordinary women doing extraordinary things to survive a harsh and oppressive world that underestimates them." —Publishers Weekly

"See excels at the 'wordless communion of women,' portraying three disparate personalities drawing strength from and helping each other survive. Moments of beautifully rendered heartbreak will have tremendous appeal." —Booklist

"See's narrative brims with historical detail…Poignant and fascinating, Daughters of the Sun and Moon is a heart-pounding frontier narrative and a tender tribute to female friendship." —Shelf-Awareness

This information about Daughters of the Sun and Moon was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own review

jillg

A Forgotten Chapter That Should Never Be Forgotten
DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN AND MOON
By Lisa See
Narrated by Jennifer Lim, Quanna Luo Masterson, Emily Loo Zeller, and Lisa See

Another forgotten—and ugly—chapter in American history.

Set against the backdrop of the 1871 Chinese Massacre in Los Angeles, this historical fiction novel is layered with stories of survival and belonging. It follows three Chinese women—Dove, Petal, and Moon—whose lives intersect in late nineteenth-century Los Angeles.
Coming from vastly different backgrounds, each faces hardship, sacrifice, and the limitations placed on women as they navigate life amid growing anti-Chinese sentiment.

I appreciate Lisa See’s commitment to uncovering history that has been lost, forgotten, or deliberately overlooked—particularly the stories of women. The characters in Daughters of the Sun and Moon are inspired by real women and men who lived in Los Angeles during the early 1870s. Petal was the most emotionally compelling character for me, and I admired her remarkable courage and resilience.

Extensively researched and richly detailed, this character-driven novel transports readers to nineteenth-century Los Angeles. The tone is reflective, emotional, and at times heartbreaking, yet balanced with moments of strength, perseverance, and hope.

Themes of immigration, prejudice, friendship, family, resilience, and belonging run throughout the story.

After finishing this moving novel, I found myself reflecting on the treatment of Chinese immigrants in nineteenth-century America, particularly during the Night of Horrors in Los Angeles, and considering how those events echo the experiences of many immigrants today. I knew very little about this horrifying event and found myself researching it after I finished the book. The novel raises an important question: Have we learned from the past, or are we destined to repeat it?

The narration by Jennifer Lim, Quanna Luo Masterson, and Emily Woo Zeller gave Dove, Petal, and Moon distinct voices, making it easy to connect with each woman’s story. I’ve enjoyed several of Lisa See’s previous novels, and Daughters of the Sun and Moon is another memorable read. Be sure to listen to the author’s note, where she shares the historical research and real-life events that inspired the novel.

I combined my Goodreads Giveaway copy with the audiobook, which made for an even more immersive reading experience.

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Author Information

Biography
Books by this Author

Lisa See Author Biography

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of The Island of Sea Women, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, Shanghai Girls, China Dolls, and Dreams of Joy, which debuted at #1. She is also the author of On Gold Mountain, which tells the story of her Chinese American family's settlement in Los Angeles. See was the recipient of the Golden Spike Award from the Chinese Historical Association of Southern California and the Historymaker's Award from the Chinese American Museum. She was also named National Woman of the Year by the Organization of Chinese American Women.

Author Interview
Link to Lisa See's Website