Overview

It is 1904, and Rachel and her family are leaving Russia to escape the continuing riots against Jews. They take the Trans-Siberian Railway across the country and board a ship to Shanghai. Life is difficult and strange in this new city, but Rachel's luck changes when she finds a job writing for a newspaper. Meanwhile, Sergei finds that working in a factory in St. Petersburg is not only miserable but dangerous, and he soon joins the rebelling socialist workers. Through letters, Rachel and Sergei share their dream of moving to America to find a better life. The story that began in Rachel's Secret continues in this, the second novel in the Rachel Trilogy.

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9781927583142

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Reviews

On its own Rachel's Promise is an educational, well researched novel. Sanders based her novel on her grandmother's life, included actual historical events and many of the characters really existed. the rich history and setting drew me into the story.--Corinne Mathews ""Resource Links"" Sanders beautifully balances the alternating stories of Sergei and Rachel, who are mere teenagers caught in the cross-fire of persecution during extreme political upheaval. Her main characters are authentic, with each having a very distinct voice. The book is a page-turner.--Patricia Tilton ""Children's Books Heal"" Sanders combines her own family history with larger known historical events - the Russo-Japanese War, the organized strikes of pre-revolutionary Russia and the Jewish community that settled in Shanghai. The style, with its simple declarative sentences, makes this a fine choice for younger readers.-- ""Historical Novel Society"" Sanders vividly describes the poor conditions of the factory workers while contrasting their lives with the extravagance of the czar's castle and those of diplomats in St. Petersburg. In addition, she conveys information about the Jewish immigrant community in Shanghai during the early twentieth century. Recommended for all libraries.-- ""Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews""

The intense drama of each of these young people's stories provides an opportunity for Sanders to explore some fundamental questions about life...While their struggles may sound bleak and depressing, Sanders' characters are anything but. Rachel is an intelligent, loving young woman. Her courage and determination are clear as she seeks out opportunities to become a writer despite the many obstacles in her path. And while Sergei's struggle seems more desperate, he, too, inspires hope through his determination to do the right thing...Best suited to students with an interest in historical fiction...Highly Recommended. -- (12/20/2013) A wrenching story of a Russian-Jewish family fleeing the pogroms of the early 20th century...Sanders combines her own family history with larger known historical events--the Russo-Japanese War, the organized strikes of pre-revolutionary Russia and the Jewish community that settled in Shanghai. The style, with its simple declarative sentences, makes this a fine choice for younger readers. -- (02/01/2014) It reads like historical fiction, but much of Rachel's Promise, the second book in Shelly Sanders' 'The Rachel Trilogy, ' is based on fact. Sanders' grandmother Rachel eventually left Shanghai for San Francisco, enrolled at U.C. Berkeley and became the first Jewish woman to be accepted into the university's science program, graduating in 1930. -- (11/14/2013)

Author Information

Shelly Sanders has worked as a freelance writer for almost twenty years. The character of Rachel in Rachel's Secret and Rachel�s Promise was inspired by Shelly's grandmother, a Russian Jew who fled to Shanghai to escape persecution and then made her way to the United States, where she was the first Jewish woman to be accepted into the University of California, Berkeley�s science program. Shelly lives in Oakville, Ontario with her family.

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