In the author’s note, she says she’d originally planned on Celia’s story to take place around 1910. How much of the story would have been different, do you think, if it hadn’t been set in the time period the author ultimately chose?
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Because of the continued development in steamships in the 1900s, travel became more reliable and efficient. Shanghaiing Owen and Celia and the others would not have been necessary.
The Chinese immigrants were not needed for labor and gold mining as much by 1910, so that would change the storyline I think.
I think Barbara hits it on the head, although in 1910 and following there was still a negative attitude toward immigrants – particularly toward Asians in the Western United States, as well as Eastern and Southern Europeans in the Eastern part of the country (witness the punitive immigration legislation in 1924). During the 1880s the bias against Asian men working on railralds and as mners was particularly strong.
I agree as the moderation of travel came into being, the shanghaiing of the Owen and Celia would not have been believable. I believe also by placing the time period early, the story lent itself to more authenticity.