View from Pagoda Hill

by Michaela MacColl

Set in the late 1800s, here is the story of Ning, a Chinese American girl who struggles to find her place in the world is forced to leave her home in Shanghai to go to America with a father she barely knows. This middle-grade historical novel is based on the family history of award-winning author Michaela MacColl.

Twelve-year-old Ning doesn't know where she belongs. The daughter of a Chinese woman and American man, Ning doesn't fit in in 1870s Shanghai, where her American features and unbound feet make her stand out. When she receives news that her father will be visiting from America, Ning excitedly hopes that her parents will become a family. Instead, she learns that her father is taking her back with him to America. Ning wonders if being American will finally give her a sense of belonging, but when she arrives, she discovers that living in America isn't perfect either. In this coming-of-age novel based on the life of author Michaela MacColl's great-great-grandmother, a young girl learns to accept both sides of her heritage and find a new identity for herself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, China, Young Adult

360 pages, Hardcover

First published April 6, 2021

About the author

Prisoners in the Palace is my debut novel. I like to create historical fiction that has a modern appeal to teens and adults.


Regency romance blends enjoyably with historical fiction, with a plucky heroine for each mode. (Kirkus)

This novel is full of historical detail, vivid settings, and richly drawn characters, and themes of friendship and romance give the story teen appeal. (Booklist)

MacColl offers a whip-smart, spunky protagonist and a worthy heroine to root
 for. (Publishers Weekly)

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michaela Maccoll has crafted a lovely tale based on her own great-great-grandmother, the product of a Chinese mother and an American father. Ning, born in China, arrives in upstate New York to live with grandparents she’s never met. I won’t spoil the story by revealing any more, except to say that the life of a biracial child in the late 19th century could not have been easy. Adults may love this more than children, but it’s a great read at any age.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Astra Publishing House and Calkins Creek in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great one! In the first half, I learned much about China and its culture in the late 1800s. It was fascinating, but at times cringeworthy (such as the details of how young Chinese girls had to endure foot binding). In the second half where Neenah is having to adjust to a new life in America, I kept thinking that I just wanted to hug this lonely little girl! The scenes between she and Letty, and the attitudes of some of school kids reminded me of battles between Nellie Oleson and Laura Ingalls in On the Banks of Plum Creek. Like Laura, Neenah had to learn to reign in her temper, but I admired this plucky child for standing up for herself, also.
This book would be an excellent tool for middle-grade and Y.A. classrooms. Although many of the Chinese words and customs would be unfamiliar, I think they would raise interest. And as for the scenes in America, I think anyone of any age could relate to Neenah! The author’s notes at the end, explaining how this book was based upon the life of her great-grandmother, were an excellent addition.
Thank you, Michaela MacColl, for a wonderful historical fiction novel, written about a largely unaddressed subject!

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this novel, the author draws on her family history, imagining her great-great-grandmother Ning's life in China and her life in America. In an afterword, Maccoll explains all of the information she had about her ancestor and her desire to write about her; unfortunately, she omits from the novel the most details and information that she found that she details in the afterward. The novel itself is slow, especially for younger readers, and shallow and boring. It was a slog to get through all of Ning's travails, which were all described superficially. Ning doesn't react to things much, so we don't know how she really feels--her voice is subsumed by the author's, who tells readers what Ning feels or thinks in condescending or Polly-anna-ish language. It's a big disappointment, because Ning's real story must have been fascinating and one of both great suffering and confusion, and ultimately, survival.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1878 Shanghai and Baldwinsville, New York, this story offers insight into some of the xenophobia and bigotry toward the Chinese that existed at that time. Interestingly, since the first part of the novel takes place in Shanghai, readers also learn of some of the prejudices that existed toward foreigners, especially anyone from the United States. Twelve-year-old Ning lives with her mother and Number One Boy, the family servant, but as time for a marriage to be arranged draws near, it becomes increasingly clear that her bicultural parentage will make her an unlikely prospect. She is too tall, her feet are too long, and she has green eyes, and even a large dowry won't help. Unbeknownst to Ning, her mother contacts her father, a man Ning has never seen, and arranges for him to meet her and bring her to his home in the New York countryside. Ning is devastated because as hard a taskmaster as her mother is, she doesn't know this man, and he seems uninterested in getting to know her. In fact, he doesn't even accompany her on the long sea voyage to her grandparents' house. The author effectively captures Ning's anxieties, pride, confusion, and uncertainty as she tries to settle in with Erasmus, her father George's father and her grandfather, and his wife Sarah. Erasmus is kind and welcoming while Sarah is determined to get rid of anything Chinese about Ning. Now known as Neenah, she struggles with bullying at school from classmates as well as assumptions from her teacher that she can't read. Eventually, though, Sarah realizes just how precious this twelve-year-old girl is and that she can learn something from her as well as teaching her about the community norms. The story is based on the experiences of the author's great-great-grandmother, and there are several photographs in the back matter. Reading all this made me terribly curious about the relationship between Ning's mother and father. Perhaps the author will return to this material and try to flesh out their story. Readers' hearts will ache for Ning as she learns to tolerate different types of food and clothing and deals with her feelings toward her mother, anger for much of the book but then understanding near the end as well as what she's lost.

[Willow Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this novel! The author did a beautiful job of blending the truth, as based on her great-great grandmother's life, with fiction to create a lovely story that still felt very alive and realistic despite it's having taken place over a century ago. The writing was excellent, and I loved the real-time pacing of the story, as it made you feel as though you were right there with Ning, experiencing her life right alongside her.

I really felt for Ning, who, through absolutely no fault of her own, was shunned by those on both her American and Chinese sides. This caused her to feel very alone, and she even felt that her own mother didn't love her. It was so heartbreaking to see how Ning felt so unloved, and although we as the readers could see that what Sun was doing was because of her love for her daughter, Ning herself wasn't able to understand that until much later. Because of that, I loved the bond that Sarah and Neenah developed, as it allowed her to truly feel that aspect of motherly love that she'd been missing.

From a historical fiction perspective, I really appreciated how this book was able to draw attention to how people who have parents that come from two completely different cultures might feel very isolated and torn. Ning wasn't sure if she was Chinese or American, and it took her a while to realize that she could be both. This is a very real experience that many like her have gone through, so I appreciated how relatable this book was as a result of that. I also enjoyed getting a look into Chinese culture and society, as that's something I haven't experienced much or read many books on, so it was very interesting for me to learn about.

Overall, this was an excellent book that I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read, and I'm so grateful that I received it in a Goodreads giveaway!

[Ashley Hart · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an OK book as an introduction into the experiences of an immigrant of Chinese descent in the United States at the turn of the 19th century. I understand that the author had a close connection to the character since it was her own great grandmother, but I wonder if she spent too much time trying to critique Americans perceptions of Chinese immigrants at the time that she forgot the age of her own character. Ning/Neenah was mostly observant and taking in the general perceptions of the world around her, but she was only 12 and some discussions she had were a bit too mature for her age. The American grandmother Sarah was too quick to change and it seem to be almost from a womens rights perspective of the 19th century view. While she was grateful for the rights and privileges that she had and she realized that they didn’t match up with China. I don’t see how THAT was the turning point in the relationship between Sarah and Neenah.
I think probably one of the most difficult parts for me to get past was when the protagonist was in her fathers room and looking at all of the things he had brought back from China. One thing that they were looking at was a dredging machine that was American designed that had been attached to a Chinese boat. The only reason that I bring this up is because that was how the protagonist realized she could be both American and Chinese. I don’t know how the rough metaphor of a boat works to describe what it is like to grow up in a life where you don’t fit into either culture. As somebody who grew up multicultural, I felt that the author did not have a real understanding or grasp of that experience. I know she plays around with the idea that her protagonist has to sometimes choose whether to be Chinese or American based on the situation she’s in, but it seems to be very surface level on that aspect. Meanwhile the anti-Chinese sentiment of many of the characters is put into the forefront.
I don’t think the protagonist was given as much of a chance to develop as a character as possible. I feel like this book has a lot of potential to be something greater but none of the conversations seem to develop in a natural way or come about in a natural way. If you have the character aged up to 12 as opposed to what the historical girl of 6, I would hope that her behaviors and works wouldn’t fluctuate between 5 and 65 in the span of two chapters.
This book has good intentions and it does touch on some of the issues in the United States at the time period. There’s a lot of potential in this book but I don’t think it was achieved.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[J. Else · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shanghai, 1870. When the matchmaker declares 12-year-old Ning unmarriageable (she’s too tall, has “unnatural” green eyes and unbound feet), Ning’s mother writes to the one person Ning never thought she’d meet: her father. Without a place in China, Ning is sent to America. As she’s shipped off to her grandparents’ home in New York state, she’s given new clothes and a new name, Neenah. Desperate to please her new relatives, Ning/Neenah tries her hardest to fit their expectations. There are strong prejudices particularly surrounding Chinese people during this time, and Ning is torn between pleasing her American grandparents and defending her Chinese heritage. If she displeases her grandparents, will they send her away too?

View from Pagoda Hill is a poignant reflection on a young immigrant girl who always seems to be either too American or too Chinese and never just Ning. Her mother sends her away, her father’s always traveling, so Ning struggles with belonging. Her journey is both heartfelt and impactful. Grandparents Sarah and Erastus Hamill, though married, reminded me strongly of Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert from Anne of Green Gables as they adjust to raising an unexpected young girl. The Chinese and American cultures of the late 1900s are vibrantly explored. Ning’s discoveries of cultural differences were some of my favorite moments as well as the visit to her American ancestors. Only one thing sticks out like a sour note: the overuse of the term “foreign devils,” a term almost every single character used. Otherwise, I was captivated by Ning’s journey, a formidable girl who simply wants to belong to a family. Based on the author’s great-great-grandmother’s incredible tale, MacColl has penned a rich story about overcoming prejudice and finding strength in your differences. Recommended.

Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...

[Virginia McGee Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Start with a talented writer of historical fiction, give her a great-great-grandmother born in 1870s Shanghai, and turn her loose to do extensive research – and there is a good chance that a fine novel will result. Michaela takes sketchy information about Ning, daughter of an American father and Chinese mother and marries it to detailed research before weaving an engrossing novel that results in the book View from Pagoda Hill.

Ning, who begins life in China, becomes a misfit with her big feet that are not bound into tiny blossoms to form a foot three inches long, as is the custom in that era among the gentry. The matchmaker who comes while Ning is just twelve years old uses a derogatory term, calling her a “yellowfish” and lets her and her mother know she is unmarriageable with those ugly feet. Her traveling father, whom she has never met, seems to be the answer to her mother’s concern for her to have a good life. He arranges to have her travel to America and live with his parents. She soon learns that she is a misfit in America as well. In both places, Ning fits the role of outsider while having a champion in both places who has her back when she needs it.

In the back matter, the author’s note is almost as interesting as the story Michaela weaves. She gives information both historical and familial that she knows to be true that forms the framework of the tale she weaves around it. View from Pagoda Hill is well-researched and told with heart, so don’t let those middle-graders who are listed as its audience have all the fun.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Astra Publishing, for my free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
A middle grade read based on the author's great great grandmother from Shanghai in the 1880's.
Ning lives in Shanghai with her mother, Sun, and man servant,Number One Son, where her American physical features continually disappoint those around her. With her large feet and green eyes, she is ostracized and bullied for not being Chinese. When the matchmaker determines she will be unable to procure an eligible mate, Nina's mother contacts her former spouse to take Nina to America.
After crossing the waterways and continents, Ning , now told to say her name is Neenah, lands at the farm of her paternal grandparents in rural New York. She finds she is now criticized for her Asian features and struggles to "fit in" with her family and classmates.
A story of cultural identity and assimilation with overtones of history,
touching on the racism immigrants encountered during that time period and focusing on finding one's place in the world.
I loved Ning's persistence and longing for truth but I would have liked to have seen more delevelopment and back story for each of the characters. It felt as though we only scratched the surface of their stories.
The author's note at the end of the book was wonderful.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ning never knew her father, but anyone who sees her can tell that he was a foreigner. Her strange looks combined with her unbound feet make her an outcast and guarantee that she will never find a husband. Her mother hides her away so she's barely experience life outside her small home and her only friend is her mother's servant. One day she makes a rare trip to a temple and makes a wish for her father to return. Little does she know that wish would change her life forever. Soon she's all alone in a foreign land filled with people who distrust her. How can she build a new life for herself and still be true to her roots? Where can she run when home is thousands of miles and an ocean away?

This story, based on the life of the author's great-great-grandmother, is an engaging and unique immigration tale. From Ning's life in Shanghai to her trip across the ocean and her life in America her bold spirit shines through as she's thrown into daunting situations and has to handle them all on her own. I love how she borrows courage from tales of her favorite pirate queen. An author's note in the back details more about the life of the author's family.

[Ann Boytim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Set in 1878 in Shanghai China a story of a young girl half Chinese and half American. Ning lives with her Chinese mother and one servant and she realizes she is not like the other children around her and is an outcast. Her father left her mother and went to America and is a successful business man but never realized he fathered a child. Ning's mother and Ning clash over many things and her mother reallizes Ning will never make a good marriage so she decides to contact Nings father and ask him to come to Shanghai. This man arrives not knowing he has a daughter but looks at her and cannot deny who she is. This man decides to send Ning to America to live with his parents. Ning is put in the charge of a woman making the journey but her father goes on to his business elsewhere and Ning arrives in America like a lost soul between two worlds where she fits in neither space. George's parents take her in and her grandfather is a very kind man but his second wife does not know what to do with Ning. Life is so different for this young girl trying to please everyone and not be an outcast. Only time will tell if she is accepted for the sweet person she is.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first pages, I was rooting for Ning as she faced many struggles growing up as a girl first in China and then in America. The author did an excellent job conveying Ning's feelings of inadequacy because she didn't have any place where she could truly fit in and was wanted by the adults in her life. That is until she is sent against her will from China to America to live with her American side of the family--a family she grew up knowing absolutely nothing about. When she meets her grandfather, she feels some hope that just maybe she could learn to be American enough to have a home and a family. Although she must go through many challenges to get there, she doesn't give up.

Based on the real life events of the author's great-great-grandmother, this historical fiction novel is deeply personal, well-written, and will be a book you won't be able to put down once you start reading. I am very excited to share this book with my middle schoolers! I would also LOVE to read another book (or books) about Ning when she is older.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ning is a bi-racial 12 year old girl living in Shanghai in the 1870's. She struggles to fit in with her unbound feet and other Caucasian features. She ends up moving to New York with her father and ends up in a small town on a farm with her paternal grandparents. Here she also struggles to fit in but this time for her Asian features what the locals perceive as odd customs. Even her own grandmother bears prejudices against her. But Ning is determined to find a place in this new land.

Unfortunately, not a lot has changed since the 1870's. There is still a lot of prejudice against those who we perceive as being different than us; people from other cultures are often looked down upon and treated poorly, new people often struggle to fit in.
I felt like the story dragged a bit in places. The turning point was also over a very odd revelation. I appreciate that the story is based on the author's own familial experience (great great great grandmother or so). It definitely lends authenticity to the story but also feels like the story is then constrained to follow that path.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

My heart broke for Nina, a biracial privileged child who lives in Shanghai in the 1870s, born to an American father and a Chinese mother. Her mother is distant and cold so Nina is excited to meet her father who is coming to China for work. When Nina finally meets him, she learns he never knew about her existence and doesn't want a relationship. Despite this, Nina'a mother follows through in sending Nina to live with her father's family in New York away from their servant, First Boy, who has always shown Nina love.

Nina has a difficult time trying to be accepted by her step-grandmother, the townspeople, and her classmates. but her grandfather makes a great effort to make his granddaughter feel welcomed, and honors her culture with an artistic painting that still graces the farm where Nina settled and later inherited.

Even in her adult years, Nina's husband left her and their eight children, but hopefully her children gave her happiness.

[Wina · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for this historical fiction for ages 9-12. I did not want to stop reading this book! I was dying to know what happened to Ning, and how it all turned out--maybe because I knew it was based on a true story. The author changes some details, and had to make up all the personal part of it, and did a wonderful job. I just gobbled it up. There were so many fascinating details of the period, too. Another great book to read during Lunar New Year, it is alluded to several times. I love the characters in this book, and how the author imagined her ancestors to be. She had several clues to work from, but had to fill in much. I'm filled with love for her paternal grandfather, and so glad this story is available for all of us! It is so cool to see the prejudices from both the Chinese and the American side, and to see the bad and good of each culture. The author's note is mandatory reading (I say).

[Alan Mead · Rating 3 out of 5]

A coming of age story with cultural identity at it's core. Ning,( later changed to Neenah for American sensibilities), grows up in Shanghai with her mother Sun and an absent American father. Ostracized and bullied for green eyes and large feet,she longs to fit in. When at 12, the matchmaker declares Ning unmarriageable her mother sends her off across the waterways and continents to New York to her paternal grandparents. Once in America, Ning fines herself criticized for her Asian ways and features.
Taken from the author's own great great grandmother's history, I longed to know more of the backstory and to see the character's more fully developed. It rightly depicts the racism directed toward the Chinese immigrants, as well as the fear, intimidation and assimilation.
Thank you to #Netgalley and Astra Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

When reading a historical fiction title, I especially enjoy learning about the person or persons behind the story. In this case, Michaela' brings her great-great-grandmother's story to life on the pages as you read. As mentioned after the story, there are some things that were changed like Ning's age when she came to live in America.

Regardless, this story is a great example of life in another country at a different time and the challenges faced in coming to America. There is also the fish out of water thread as Ning is half-Chinese and half-American. That means she never really "fit in" either in China or when she first comes to America.

[Jessica_loves_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. I love books that teach me about life in China. This book, which starts in Shanghai in 1878 tells the story of the author’s great-great grandmother, Ning who was born of an American father and a Chinese aristocratic mother. The result of her mixed heritage is she doesn’t feel she can identify with either culture. This story really gets interesting as Ning arrives in upstate NY and we see how poorly she is treated by her small town neighbors. Ning’s resilience and strength were awe-inspiring and it is here that the book brought me to tears. This was an amazing read I could not put down!

[Karin Fisher-Golton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The descriptions of the historical settings are rich with details. Ning/Neenah's situation is emotionally relatable to modern readers (and this was a many tissue experience for me!) at the same time we see how different situations were in the late 19th century in both China and America. The characters are richly rendered and nuanced--even those whose choices may seem questionable at first.

The Author's Note at the end, with photos from the author's family, is fascinating and satisfying to read after this engaging novel.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the true story of the author's great-great-grandmother's trip as a young girl from her birthplace in China, to small-town New York in the 1880's. As a mixed race girl, she is too big and Western-looking to fit into Chinese society, yet American society is filled with racist, demeaning caricatures of the Chinese. Will she ever find a place to fit it? Will she ever find a family to love her? Kids looking for high adventure won't find it here, but kids looking for relatable characters who grow and learn will love it.

[Sol · Rating 4 out of 5]

"View from Pagoda Hill" was a great story about struggling with mixed identity, cultures, and prejudice that comes from both parts of your identity. Reading about Ning, the main character, navigating the fine line of not ever being enough of either identity, in her case Chinese or American, to be accepted, is a struggle that I know a lot of mixed people will relate with. Overall it was a really compelling story and that dealt very well with complex and heavy topics.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this young adult book about a girl who is uprooted from her home in China to live in America. It takes place in the late 1800's and was based on the author's actual ancestry. The author included information at the back of the book that told about real experiences that that were used as a basis for the story. Clean and great for adults and young adults. I want my 14 year old to read this.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, either I missed it or they didn't initially explain it, but I thought Number One Boy was her brother for much of the novel.

Anyway, I like this historical perspective of the Chinese customs, like the lotus blossoms, and how a mixed child would have been perceived at the time, but found it hard to feel empathetic for all the adults in Ning's life that were constantly letting her down.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ning lives in Shanghai with her mother but with an American father and unbound feet, she feels like an outsider. When her mother learns that the matchmaker will not be able to arrange a marriage for Ning, she asks Ning’s father to take her to America. Ning, renamed Neenah by her father, feels even more of an outsider in an America that resents Chinese immigrants. Based on the author’s great-great-grandmother’s life.

[Katie O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent historical fiction; bonus points for how well the based-on-a-true-story elements are threaded through a compelling, character-driven narrative that conveys the context of the time so well. Very interesting insights on the subtle and blatant interactions that make or break family & friendship within tightly bound social structures or when trying to bridge/breach them. An upper middle grade read with enough heft to interest any (older) age.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating story based on the author’s great great grandmother. I liked the first half of the book better than the second half. Ning experiences a lot of xenophobia and racism and her internal dialogue about that isn’t as well developed as I expected. She also had a bit of a personality shift as she tried to please her step grandmother that didn’t make much sense.

[Evelyn Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly believe this is such a beautiful story and it really connects with you and shows a lot of emotions. I love how the author really showed the history in china and how it was like, especially about the harsh Beauty standards Chinese women had to face like the lotus blossoms.

[Tena Holdaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Editors need to proof read. There were several errors. The transformation of the step mom was a little too abrupt and misplaced for me. The family history link was amazing to think about and I enjoyed the topics on inclusion.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multicultural historical fiction based on the life of the author’s great great grandmother who was born to a Chinese mother and American father in China and sent to America to grow up.

[Jenny Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too slow and repetitive - she doesn't fit in in China and she doesn't fit in America. Her growing relationship with her American grandparents is lovely but the part of the book that finally really grabbed me was the author's note where I learned that it is all based on her real ancestors. That's too late for me to find the book compelling.