From the critically-acclaimed author of Under a Painted Sky and Outrun the Moon and founding member of We Need Diverse Books comes a powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family, perfect for fans of Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys and The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz.
"A triumph of storytelling. The Downstairs Girl is a bold portrait of this country''s past, brilliantly painted with wit, heartbreak, and unflinching honesty. Everyone needs to read this book." --Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval
1890, Atlanta. By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kwan works as a lady''s maid for the cruel Caroline Payne, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society''s ills, but she''s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. Now Jo, a girl used to living in the shadows, must step into the light to stand up for what she believes in. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.
