Last Night at the Telegraph Club is an amazing and detailed historical fiction novel set in 1950s San Francisco, during the Red Scare, when there was a lot of cultural conservatism in America. The book is about 17-year-old Lily Hu, a Chinese American girl living in Chinatown, who is dealing with the struggles of her identity, family expectations and love. Lily is a very smart student who dreams of working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As the story goes on, Lily begins to fall in love with another girl, Kath Miller, a classmate who introduces her to the Telegraph Club- a lesbian nightclub in North Beach. Her father is a doctor who is at risk of deportation due to supposed Communist ties, and the threat of persecution scares their family. As Lily gets deeper into her relationship with Kath, she must face not only the dangers of being openly queer, but also the possibility of losing her family, her future and her place in her community.
I loved reading this book because it is a masterfully written novel that explores identity, love, family and resistance. I love how the author paints 1950s San Francisco with vivid detail, capturing everything from the smells of Chinatown to the danger of queer nightlife. The era’s political and cultural tension is blended into the characters’ struggles, making the story feel personal. I also love how the author doesn’t just romanticize the era or the challenges Lily faces. She shows a clear depiction of the risks involved in being true to oneself at a time when being “different” could cost you everything. Overall, this is a beautiful story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and romance because it is an amazing combination of the two.