How is it that we rarely, if ever, hear of the 140,000 workers of the Chinese Labor Corps of World War I? They are the men who came to France's aid to dig trenches, fell the trees which shored up the trench walls and labored on, seven days a week? This beautifully crafted story helps to shine a light on these hard-working laborers. These workers are among the threads in a romantic knot of a story. Traditional familial duty is juxtaposed against freedom of expression, brutishness against tender affection, and despair which gives way to hope. Ms. Chang's writing is exquisite and her historical research - herculean. If you are a fan of finely written and well-researched historical fiction, then I highly commend this story to you.

I am grateful to author Janie Chang for having provided a complimentary copy of her book (along with a wonderful tote bag). Her generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which, are mine alone.

Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: January 30, 2024
No. of Pages: 304
ISBN No.: 978-1250848581 ( )

This novel opened my mind to something new about a time and place I thought I knew well and that's the presence of Chinese in France during World War I. Pauline is a young Chinese woman who came to France with her uncle and cousin to help with the family business, an antique shop in Paris, and Camille is a Frenchwoman living in a small French village close the front lines of the Great War. Pauline and Camille's stories are intertwined and the two women ultimately make a strong connection. I enjoyed this novel and appreciated learning something new about this historical period. ( )

The Porcelain Moon is Janie Chang's fourth novel. It takes place in France during World War 1 and follows the travails of two young women in France as the country is torn apart by he war. Main character Pauline is Chinese and is in France with her cousin to support the family’s porcelain trade.

The publisher's summary: France, 1918. In the final days of the First World War, a young Chinese woman, Pauline Deng, runs away from her uncle’s home in Paris to evade a marriage being arranged for her in Shanghai. To prevent the union, she needs the help of her cousin Theo, who is working as a translator for the Chinese Labour Corps in the French countryside. In the town of Noyelles-sur-Mer, Camille Roussel is planning her escape from an abusive marriage, and to end a love affair that can no longer continue. When Camille offers Pauline a room for her stay, the two women become friends. But it’s not long before Pauline uncovers a perilous secret that Camille has been hiding from her. As their dangerous situation escalates, the two women are forced to make a terrible decision that will bind them together for the rest of their lives. Set against the little-known history of the 140,000 Chinese workers brought to Europe as non-combatant labor during WWI, The Porcelain Moon is a tale of forbidden love, identity and belonging, and what we are willing to risk for freedom.

Before reading this book I knew nothing about the Chinese laborers who came to France during WW1. I learned alot about this little known part of history and am glad that the author highlighted it. I was hoping to read more about the porcelain industry but it was merely the backdrop to the lives of the characters.

The chapters alternated between Pauline and Camille's story and toward the end of the book these stories merged into a pleasing ending. Both Pauline and Camille were interesting characters but I was more attracted to Pauline's story. She came to Paris as the illegitimate niece of the Pagoda owner Louis Deng and was able to build the life that she wanted there. She had many more challenges to overcome than Camille so she was my favorite character. There wS always the possibility that she could be sent back to China as the bride of someone who she did not know and that's pretty scary. Pauline always knew that if a marriage was arranged for her that she would go along with it to maintain her family's pride. This is heroic.

The Porcelain Moon is a must read for historical fiction fans. ( )