The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee / A wonderful historical YA novel

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

Stacey Lee is a new to me author. And if I’m honest I picked the book mainly because it was a BOTM choice and the reviews looked really good. I ended up waiting for the audiobook, as it often happens with new to me authors and a genre that is not usually my strong suit. But I was really glad I did because the audiobook and the story were fabulous!

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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. 

The Downstairs Girl – Stacey Lee

MY THOUGHTS

The Downstairs Girl is a historical YA novel, set in Atlanta Georgia, in the late 1800’s.

Jo Kuan, a seventeen-year-old Chinese American is living in a basement, more like an underground tunnel built by abolitionist, beneath the local newspaper/printer shop. Jo was a wonderful character, relatable, genuine, smart, with a fascinating backstory. The way she tackled each day, how she overcame new hurdles, and followed her own path was rather uplifting. She had a clear view of how things were, but her I-can-do attitude was rather charming.

The plot felt relevant, and poignant. And the story was full of interesting sub plots. A heart warming romance. A horse race The live of a newspaper columnist. The many hurdles that any non-Caucasian person had to endure during that period of time.

I really enjoyed how Jo’s two lives intertwined. How she took what she overheard during the day from the genteel population of Atlanta, and turned it into a column that got people talking. Also the day to day life in Atlanta during the 1890s Atlanta was wonderfully detailed. The historical aspect of the story was well done, just enough to make it interesting but not too overwhelming/boring either.

I’m definitely going to read more of the author’s work. I enjoyed her style of writing, as well as how the characters were portrayed. All in all I was very happy with this book, and I can only recommend the audiobook.

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The Downstairs Girl – Stacey Lee