This book is lovely in so many ways that it's a little hard to put it all into words.
A Chinese family has returned to China after living many years in America chasing the American dream. The husband Wei works long hours to give his family their newfound wealth and privilege, while the wife Lina lives a life of leisure, and their daughter is sent off to school in America. When Wei's brother Qiang makes contact for the first time in 20 years, the hidden tensions and desires of the family members start to surface.
The quiet and insightful examination of the characters in here is a real highlight. Each person has a unique perspective and is fueled by their own yearnings, and the author is able to sketch them in sharp relief, turning the characters into multifaceted beings.
The book also addresses the hidden tensions in a marriage, with all that shared history and unmet expectations between the two participants. It asks the question of what happiness is. And it explores what makes a place a home, and the desire in all of us to find meaning and fulfillment wherever we may be.
There are little bits of Chinese sprinkled throughout the book, and while the author makes their meaning clear, I found knowing the language myself adds an additional layer of context to the dialogues. I also appreciated the references to the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, which helped to augment my limited understanding of that period in Chinese history and its lasting impact on people of my parents' generation.
While this book isn't my usual preference of being action and plot driven, I still found it riveting. Lucy Tan's beautiful and reflective writing really brings this quiet character study alive with meaning and emotion. This is Lucy Tan's debut novel, and I can't wait to read more from her.
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