The Girls of Good Fortune

by Kristina McMorris

Kristina McMorris has written some real gems of historical fiction. The Girls of Good Fortune is added to her portfolio as a page turner about a massacre of Chinese murderers. The historical focus, however, is not the details of the horrible event, but one daughter’s search for the truth and justice for her father and the others who were brutally slain. 

Celia is the daughter of a Chinese man and a white woman. Celia, herself, appears white, but realizes that any in her bloodline could have the physical characteristics of the Chinese. While she is not ashamed of her heritage, she is shamed by members of white society when they are aware of her background. Working as a servant in Portland Mayor Bettencourt’s household in the 1880’s, she falls in love with his son Stephen. Their affair results in a pregnancy which he is not aware of before he ships off to study medicine in England.

The book begins with what seems to be a teaser in 1888 and then switches to 1885. These sudden switches occur several times and make the reader want to pull together the connections that are certainly there. A large part of the book is set in 1888 and has a convoluted plot. Neither Celia nor the reader is sure who is lying. With her daughter’s life at stake, Celia can not afford to make any mistakes or give up.

Although I never identified with Celia, I did sympathize with her dilemma and held my breath a number of times as she found herself in difficult situations—drugged, shanghaied, and imprisoned. At one point escape meant jumping in the dark into the icy ocean, joining a homeless encampment, hopping on moving trains, and disguising herself as a man. Most importantly, I felt for her as she tried to decide which of the other characters she could trust. If you like adventure, would love to abolish prejudice, enjoy historical fiction, and relish a well-written, complicated story, I recommend The Girls of Good Fortune.

I received a review copy of this book for free. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Historical Fiction, Multicultural, Women’s Fiction

Notes: 1. Additional information in the book is found in: Author’s Note, Themed Recipes, Reading Group Guide, and A Conversation with the Author.

    2. McMorris devotes a section of her blog to this book with wonderful ideas for book clubs.

Publication:   May 20, 2025—Sourcebooks Landmark

Memorable Lines:

In the role of mayor, he used to be driven by a desire to serve—a key word he’d often cited—and improve the lives of others, those of Chinese heritage included. But he’d since become consumed with climbing the political ladder, not caring who was stepped on during the ascent. How many injustices, how many slain immigrants, would it take?

She recognized more than ever: the stories people tell, to themselves above all, were often what kept them going. When looking back on life, really, who was anyone without them?