I first read this about 18 months ago, and at first it had me disconcerted, wishing the author would make up her mind what sort of story it was meant to be. But, by the end I found that that all the elements had wrapped up very neatly.
This second time around I enjoyed more because I was able to settle straight in and just enjoy the characters and the historical detail. I think the novella is a perfect length for the story. I think the title is a perfect match for the story - in all it connotations. And I thought Helen was a perfectly chosen character to reveal the story.
Through Helen, and the other characters' reactions to her, we see that prejudice is multifaceted. Through the array of characters we get to see how the victims of prejudice can become involved in perpetuating the problem - that one way of surviving in such a world is to take whatever advantage of prejudice that you can. And we see them holding together and supporting one another as a community, while even within their own community they were fighting distorted categorisations (femmes and butches etc.). I thought it was a cleverly constructed irony that both Helen and Haskel should be part of perpetuating a distorted view of the Chinese.
These complex interactions helped to make the story feel very real to me, even with its touches of fantasy. It all fit together very well.
On top of that we had some excellent historical fiction describing 1940s San Francisco. And it was all supported by a sweet romance and an entertaining story with a touch of mystery, and a touch of magic that - aside from the folded map thing - was even left open for you to accept or not as you pleased:
Quote:
“How do we know it’s not a trick?” Polly looked around. “That they haven’t just scarpered off to parts unknown?”
“We don’t. But if it was misdirection, it was brilliantly done, don’t you think?”
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The main thing I would pick on with this story is that I found the booby trap less than convincing. I don't know if anyone here was as stupid as me as a child, but my experience with the suggested substance was painful rather than having the presumed result. (I still remember the burning sensation.) My experience suggests that to get the required result takes rather more subtlety.