The Laundryman’s Boy: A Novel

by Edward Y.C. Lee

Fall 1913, St. Catharines, thirteen-year-old Hoi Wing Woo, the son of a scholar, is forced to give up his dream of an education when he is sent to work in a Chinese laundry in Canada.  Hoi Wing is immediately thrust into relentless, mind-numbing toil, washing clothes by hand for sixteen hours a day, six days a week. Without knowledge of English or western societal customs, he faces a daily onslaught of insults, taunts and physical violence from gangs of local bullies.   Hoi Wing must also contend with Jonathan Braddock, a wealthy and influential entrepreneur who heads the Asiatic Exclusion League, which seeks to send the Chinese back to China. Isolated and friendless, Hoi Wing falls into despair as his dreams of education slip away. His greatest fear is that he will grow up to be uneducated and illiterate, knowing little more than how to darn socks or hem pants.  But his life changes when he befriends Heather Ryan, an Irish scullery maid who shares his love of books and education. He also meets Martha MacIntosh, a former missionary to China, and her niece, Adele. With their help, Hoi Wing begins to learn English and wins a chance to achieve his greatest attending secondary school in the town’s public education system.   A coming-of-age story that examines race, immigration, duty and friendship, The Laundryman’s Boy is an enduring and moving tale about early newcomers to Canada and their struggle to succeed against all odds.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Canada, Book Club, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, Coming Of Age

320 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great debut historical fiction novel about the life of 13 year old Hoi Wing Woo, a young Chinese immigrant living with his uncles and working at their laundry shop in 1913 St. Catherines. I loved the setting, the interracial relationship between Hoi and an Irish maidservant and the way the two bond over a love of reading books like Anne of Green Gables. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Janie Chang. I look forward to reading more by Edward Y.C. Lee!

[Liz L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartrending, thought-provoking page-turner. A testament to the power of the human spirit of the early Chinese immigrants to Canada even in the most challenging circumstances…harsh winters and harsher racism. I learned much from the author’s research. Highly recommended!

[❀ Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put down The Laundryman's Boy, the first novel by Edward YC Lee. I had picked it up as this author is joining the Grimsby Author's Series tomorrow and was drawn into the story of a young boy who was sent from China to St. Catharine's to earn money to send home to his family by working in a laundry.

Hoi Wing was only 13 years old but was taunted and abused by local racists who wanted to "clean the city". Although Canada is an amazing place to live, there is a history of shameful behaviours when it comes to supporting those who have immigrated here and those who were here before the settlers. Stories, like this one, need to be told.

The Laundryman's Boy was an excellent read and I look forward to getting my copy signed tomorrow!

[Elizabeth Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super cute book that follows a young laundryman’s boy and discusses the trials and tribulations the Chinese people had to face in the 1915’s. Terrifying the world used to be like this in Canada.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid CanLit. People likely won’t have encountered this time, place, and perspective before. This author clearly did plenty of research that they were interested in inserting in the novel, noticeably so at times.

[Mindy Gough · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, compelling read. I wasn't sure at times whether it was YA or meant for adult readers.

[Lanaya Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this historical fiction about the perseverance and determination of a 13 year old who moves to Canada from China to work in a chinese laundry around 1914. It is definitely appropriate reading for tweens and teens as it was honest but not graphic and still hopeful! It touched on anit-asian violence, the exclusion act, work conditions for Chinese immigrants, etc. I am going to do some digging to see if any of Hoi Wing's story is based on specific events.

[Amy Roebuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for One Niagara, One Book, añd recommend it very highly.

[Patricia Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was aware that Chinese people were not treated well in Canada in the late 19th century and into the 20th century. I did not know about Sir John A. Macdonald’s opinions, or about how Chinese newcomers to Canada were treated in those years Ed Lee brought these characters to life. I would like to meet them all and find out more about their lives in 1913, and how they progressed. And I am sure they did progress, because although this book tells of an unjust and racist time in Canada, it also tells about the strength of the human spirit and how people are able to rise above injustice. I am really looking forward to the next book by Ed Lee.

[Hannah Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bar was low for a book picked out at value village but it was super charming!! Shoutout to St. Catharines 🫵

[Gail Amendt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid addition to the historical fiction canon of Canada's immigrants. This book covers the first year of Hoi Wing Woo's time in St. Catharine's, Ontario. At just thirteen years old, Hoi Wing is sent to the Gold Mountain (Canada) to work in a Chinese laundry run by two brothers, expected to send as much of his earnings home as he can to help support his rural Chinese family. I had heard of the Chinese laundries that provided employment for many Chinese immigrants doing hard, hot, unpleasant work that most Canadians did not want to do, but I didn't know much about them. Through Hoi Wing's eyes, we learn about life in a laundry, the harsh racism Chinese immigrants faced in Canada, and about the little Chinese communities that sprung up in Canada's cities and towns, as the Chinese citizens (mostly men due to unfair immigration laws that prevented them from bringing their families) stuck together and helped each other. Hoi Wing befriends an Irish maid who came to Canada as a home child, and a sympathetic librarian and her progressive minded aunt, and together these friends help Hoi Wing learn English and fulfill his dream of getting an education. This is a coming of age novel that I think would be best marketed to a YA audience, but I enjoyed it very much and became very invested in the characters and their stories.

[Linda Branton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup, I like this one. St. Catharines, Ontario at the beginning of the 20th century was not so friendly to immigrants. Probably a more common piece of Canadian history than we usually tell ourselves.
A young teenage boy is sent from China to work in his uncles' Chinese laundry to send money home and work hard. He does work hard, while fighting off racist kids on the street, all the while longing to get educated and learn English. He finds some supportive folks in the neighbourhood and finds his way through some really tough situations.

I might have given it 5 stars, except for the underwhelming ending. It just kind of stopped. Also, I thought that the author could have written the voices of the Chinese folks a bit more authentically, as they switched from poor English into grammatically correct sentences quite early.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful historical fiction, seen from 13-year-old Hoi Wing's perspective, where we learn about life in a Chinese laundry and the harsh racism that Chinese immigrants faced in Canada in the early 1900’s. It was a tough life in the small Chinese communities in Canada's cities and towns, and the Chinese men who, due to racist policies and unfair immigration laws, were prevented from bringing their families to Canada.
A super story of perseverance and determination, against all odds!

[VanessaMarie83 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoi Wing was so endearing— the wisdom, courage and empathy he displayed towards those who disparaged him was inspiring. I will miss this protagonist but look forward to meeting whomever Edward Y.C. Lee is dreaming up next!

[Cassandra Trach · Rating 4 out of 5]

The racism made me angry, but it was a good story, and I appreciated the local setting.

[Stan Dueck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Hoi-Wing is a plucky and indefatigable protagonist and I couldn’t help but root for him and the other underdogs in the book. Well worth reading.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate describing this as a feel-good history novel, when it involves such terrible racism...but it does also remind us that, in spite of the consensus among who we used to be, there were always those paving the way to the future. Something to read when you think you need a reminder that good people do exist, and damn the consensus of the stupid and racist...both then and now.

[Azadeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! the story was unpredictable enough to keep you immersed in it until the end. I liked learning about the struggles Chinese people faced when they first immigrated to Canada in this fictional story. The author has teased out the emotions in different characters, especially Hoi Wing, very well. The loneliness he felt, the challenges and how he made his way out of them felt similar to the experiences of any immigrants even in the current time.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this on a whim since it sounded interesting: Hoi Wing Woo is a teen who has his hopes of becoming a scholar dashed when he has to go work in a laundromat in Canada. For 16 hours a day with only one day off the week and no knowledge of the country or English, Hoi Wing has to navigate a foreign land, a foreign language, plus the racism, xenophobia, etc. and more. But he gradually makes friends with others in similar situations and eventually finds his place as well as finding a way to fit in.

If you are at all familiar with this history then you'll know that this historical fiction very much has truth to it. While I am not as familiar with the stories of Chinese people who went to Canada, I am unsurprised to read the same/similar stories of struggle, dealing with bigotry, homesickness, etc. This is fiction but this is also definitely not out of the ballpark based on other histories and other similar accounts.

That said, I was pretty bored by this. Maybe because I just read another coming of age book or maybe I was not really in the mood for this, but overall I did not find this particularly compelling. I had to somewhat shrug my shoulders because it all felt like a story I have read before (and I have) so maybe it was not the right time for this one for me.

But it has its audience and I see quite a few people liked it, so maybe if you're in the mood for a book like this then this might be a good read for you. I borrowed this from the library and that was best for me.

[Tom Axworthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very good debut coming of age novel which describes the trials, tribulations and eventual success( somewhat) of 13 year old Hoi Wing Woo who emigrates from China to St Catherines Ontario just before the First World War to work in his uncle's laundry.Hoi Wing Woo is the son of a scholar but in St Catherines he must work 16 hours a day while enduring the racism of the times.Eventually he meets some kind ladies who frequent the laundry who help him to learn English and encourage him to seek the education he so much desires. And he forms a friendship with
Heather an Irish maid who, like him,has a burning desire to better herself through education .The two friends eventually are able to enter Grade Eight as Canada goes to war in 1914. Hoi Wing dreams of China and
recieves letters from home which are very interesting as they describe the China of the late 19th century. The author also describes well the violence and racism that assaults Hoi Wing and his uncles( though these episodes do become somewhat repetitive) and I enjoyed the locale being a small city in Ontario rather than Toronto or Montreal.My only criticism is the rather sudden ending which left many questions unresolved about the futures of Hoi Wing and Heather after they had achieved their goal of entering school.But in describing the life of the Chinese in early 20th century Canada this novel is very strong.

[Elaine Ricker Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical fiction set in 1913 in St. Catharines Ontario tells an exciting story while revealing the racist history of Canada and the British Empire.

This 13-year-old was sent alone from China to Canada to work 16-hour days at a laundromat and send money home to his parents. Not only that, but he is bullied and attacked by locals who want all Chinese deported. There are non-stop perils as well as a romance with an Irish scullery maid (who was promised a better life as one of Canada's Home Children).

I loved picturing scenes near me in St. Catharines and learning new historic details. This Canadian author's grandfather came from China to Canada in the early 1900s, paid a $500 head tax for the privilege, and could not bring his family. He visited his wife (the author's grandmother) when he could afford it twelve years later.

It's an exciting story that resonates today by highlighting the impact of ethnicity-based immigration policies, forced family separations, and deportations.

[Sandra Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed The Laundryman's Boy by Edward Y.C. Lee. As an avid reader of the weekly CBC emails, I had been reading about the upcoming Canadian books and I was looking forward to reading this book. It is very reminiscent of Judy Fong Bates' books about living over her parents' Chinese restaurant. Hoi Wing is indentured to his uncles and will work in their laundry in St. Catherines in Canada. His life at the laundry is hard work and he is constantly trying his best to prove worthy. His whole life he has been known as the son of 'Ying the Scholar' and had to live with the derision of those words. Knowledge is what has propelled his father to send his son to Canada in order to further his education. This book tells about the troubles and obstacles that he has to overcome. I loved the the tales the uncles told and the letters from his family. It was a fast read as the topics to a teacher were dear to my heart.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy of 13, Hoi Wing Woo, is sent to St. Catherines, Canada in 1914. His job is to work for his uncles in a laundry to help support his family back in China. The work is very long, hard and tedious and Woo dreams of furthering his education to make something of himself in the white man's world. He encounters much prejudice and bullying, but also receives kindness and support from two woman and a young girl. We also get the fascinating stories of his scholar father, the mystery behind his beautiful wife and his elder uncle. I was expecting a story of misery and hardship, but instead found many moments uplifting, which made the novel more enjoyable and interesting. I am not sure, however, how realistic it would be for those times.

[Gisele · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars
A solid debut novel for Canadian author Edward Y. C. Lee that explores the challenges and hardships of the Chinese immigrant experience. Set in St Catherine, Ontario during the months leading up to WWI, it is a coming of age story of a Chinese boy determined to succeed despite the obstacles of the gruelling working conditions of the family owned laundry and the racism present in the community. Despite it all, it is still a story of resilience and determination. I thought it was slow to start and the writing seemed suited to a YA audience...until the denouement...quite a surprise! I thought the ending left a little to be desired but all in all, a good read. I would read this author again.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only complaint is the ending was not an ending... the story just abruptly stopped as if in the middle of a conversation, the person talking walks away.

Other than that it was a really interesting story, lots of hardships with some good friendships.
It still angers be that the racism that existed in the early 1900's was so blatant and terrible... Yet here we are today where it seems to be making a comeback in its blatantness.
There's always been a underlying of it regardless of how many decades have passed...but for those that were/are racist they had to tamp it down.

Anyway, it was a great story.. Even more so because it was set in a city not far from my own.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the selection for the One Book One Niagara book club this fall and it was a compelling story of a young Chinese boy who was sent to Canada to work and send money home to his family.
It was a well written story that captured my interest from chapter one to the conclusion. It took place in St.Catharines, Ontario which is my home town so I was especially enthralled with the descriptions of the 1913 city! I tried to envisaged areas and landmarks mentioned in the book with my memories of the city.
It really was a tragedy how we treated anyone who was different .....
A great read, but the ending left me hanging! Did he finish school and what became of him in adulthood????

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heartbreaking story to read. However, it is also an important book to read to understand how awful racism is and can be. I'm so grateful that Hoi Wing and Heather were able to overcome the odds stacked against them. My best girlfriend growing up was Chinese Canadian. I remember loving being her friend and sending so much time with her multi generational family. As a child and youth I never suspected that any of them could have suffered racism. She was Canadian to me, a forever friend with no other label.

[Robin Forth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first five star read of 2025 for me! The Laundryman’s Boy tells the tale of a 14 year old Chinese boy as he navigates his new life in St. Catharine’s Ontario in the days leading up to WW1.
At its heart, The Laundryman’s Boy is a simple coming-of-age story, with the added complexity of dealing with terrible racism. Hoi Wing quickly became one of my favorite characters in recent memory, but all of the characters in this story jump off the page. This story had me hooked from page one and will stay with me for a long time.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable, well written story about a Chinese boy sent to work in his uncles' laundry in St Catharines in the early 1900's. His struggles against the anti-Asian racism of the time, his extremely hard work in the laundry and his difficulty adjusting to the climate of his new surroundings are surmounted by his determination to achieve an education and by the support and love of his uncles and friends.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story up until it ended. I went back and forth with giving this 3 or 4 stars. I would recommend this book. It's not like any story I've ever read and I appreciate the new perspective of being a Chinese immigrant in Canada in the early 1900's. I felt invested in the main character but I wish the story went on a little longer. I'm being greedy and want to squeeze more out of the characters.