The Porcelain Moon: A Novel of France, the Great War, and Forbidden Love

"Set against the backdrop of World War I in France, Janie Chang’s latest novel, The Porcelain Moon, tells the story of two women, one French, one Chinese, who break generational expectations and restrictions to find the love – and the lives – that they want. Camille, raised outside Paris in genteel poverty in the shadow of family money long gone, is trying to escape a violent marriage; and Pauline, who works for her uncle at his Paris shop, is trying to avoid an arranged marriage in Shanghai. Their lives intersect in a heart-pounding way amid the war. I love Chang’s richly researched historical fiction books, and this one doesn’t disappoint. She draws from Chinese legends and her family’s history to weave tales of love, familial obligations and freedom that will have you hooked."