The Jade Lily is the second novel by Australian author, Kirsty Manning. Alexandra Laird had rushed home from London to be with her grandparents in Melbourne. Opa was dying, and she needed to be with him in his last hours, and to be there for Oma. Her husband’s imminent death brought to mind all the memories that Romy Cohen (nee Bernfeld) had been suppressing. Shanghai, and their years there as Jewish refugees loomed large in her thoughts.

Once Wilhelm has passed, and the proper Jewish mourning rites observed, Romy urges Alexandra to go back to work. Her job as a commodities trader gives her the opportunity to transfer to Shanghai, and she hopes she can use her free time to track down her mother’s family. Alexandra had already known as a young orphan that her mother, Sophia Shu was Chinese, and had been brought to Australia by Romy. Now, with their grief still raw, is hardly the time to ask her Oma about it, so Alexandra makes her own enquiries. And tries not to get too distracted by Zhang, the charming garden designer sharing her building.

Manning tells her story using a split narrative: Romy’s story begins with her family’s escape from Vienna; Alexandra’s narrative is set in 2016. These are supplemented with letters and diary entries. Manning’s characters are multi-faceted and, mostly, appealing, although sometimes their behavior is disappointing or puzzling. Certainly, the most charming character of all is the city of Shanghai itself. Manning’s evocative descriptions will fill the reader’s imagination with the sights, sounds and smells of the place, the food and the people.

The depth of Manning’s research is apparent on every page, and she kindly lists some resources for those readers who are bound to want to know more about the Jewish refugees accepted by Shanghai during World War Two, about the Japanese occupation, and about Traditional Chinese Medicine. She captures the era well, and the mystery of Sophia’s origins will keep readers captivated, even if the reason for the secrecy is less than convincing. Enthralling historical fiction.
With thanks to Allen&Unwin for this copy to read and review.