The Fire Horse Girl - Kay Honeyman

The Fire Horse Girl by Kay Honeyman

I've always been interested in Asian culture. It is incredibly rich and I always seem to gravitate towards books with an Asian protagonist. Memoirs of a Geisha, Shanghai Girls, Bitter Melon, and now Fire Horse Girl are just some of my favorite Asian inspired novels.

If you know me personally then you know that I am super interested in astrology. Whether it be western traditional (Cancer ruled by the moon…double whammy) or Chinese zodiac (metal horse, hollah at your girl), I have books and manuals dedicated to finding out what the universe wants for me. Of course, as with all horoscope and mystic information, you have a take it with a grain of salt

Jade Moon was born in the most unfortunate sign in the Chinese zodiac: the fire horse. For girls it means stubbornness, head strong, reckless and impulsive. Her family dreads marrying her off (who would ever want to wed a fire horse!) so instead, Jade Moon creates her own ideas of romance. A distant adopted cousin with a far-fetched name (Sterling Promise) comes to her village and offers her family an amazing opportunity: to travel to America. They depart on a long journey to America but have to face time on Angel Island: the ‘Ellis Island of the West’. Entering a country that is incredibly hostile towards your culture creates a whole mess of challenges. Jade Moon’s stubbornness and hot hotheadedness with either save her family or burn them all to ash.

This book takes place in 1923 China and San Francisco. If you recall anything about Asian American history in the early part of the twentieth century, you know that Angel Island was not the most angelic place to be. Recently immigrated families were split apart by gender and forced to wait to enter the country in horrible conditions for months and sometimes, years. Before they were allowed to enter the country, they had to face hours of interrogation from officials to find out if they were able to become legal citizens. Pregnant women were forced to give birth on cold, dirty floors. Men carved poetry of heartache into the walls. It was really a horrible, horrible place. 

This book is all over the place. Literately. First in rural China, then on Angel Island, then San Francisco in gang warehouses, firework factories and brothels littered with prostitutes. This book goes into detail about a little known part of United States history so may be worth the read if you are a history buff. Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about girl power and women fighting for their rights to be heard. As a female immigrant in 1920's, Jade Moon uses what little resources she has to create a life for herself. Jade Moon is a surprisingly real character: a girl who is seemingly cursed with a big mouth and hot head but deep down, a romantic. Jade Moon is a fighter: for love, for her family, and above all, for herself. X-Tina Aguilera would be proud.

This book is for anyone interested in Chinese culture or anyone whose favorite Disney princess is Mulan. If you feel like a good girl power book with some little known history, Fire Horse Girl should be the book you pick up next.