The Expatriates: A Novel (Unabridged)
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3.5 • 4 Ratings
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
"Raise a glass: The first great book-club novel of 2016 has arrived.” —USA Today, 4/4 stars
“A female, funny Henry James in Asia, Janice Y. K. Lee is vividly good on the subject of Americans abroad.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Sex and the City meets Lost in Translation.” —The Skimm
Janice Y. K. Lee’s New York Times bestselling debut, The Piano Teacher, was called “immensely satisfying” by People, “intensely readable” by O, The Oprah Magazine, and “a rare and exquisite story” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Now, in her long-awaited new novel, Lee explores with devastating poignancy the emotions, identities, and relationships of three very different American women living in the same small expat community in Hong Kong.
Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, is adrift, undone by a terrible incident in her recent past. Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, something she believes could save her foundering marriage. Meanwhile, Margaret, once a happily married mother of three, questions her maternal identity in the wake of a shattering loss. As each woman struggles with her own demons, their lives collide in ways that have irreversible consequences for them all. Atmospheric, moving, and utterly compelling, The Expatriates confirms Lee as an exceptional talent and one of our keenest observers of women’s inner lives.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Three American women struggle with personal crises while very far from home in this smart, captivating novel from Janice Y. K. Lee. Since moving to Hong Kong with her husband and child, Margaret’s been living in a community dominated by well-to-do Americans. She hires fellow expat Mercy to help look after the household, so when a sudden tragedy befalls Margaret, both are devastated. Meanwhile, Hilary desperately wants a child and is determined to adopt a particular boy living in a group home. Lee brilliantly captures these women’s lives of privilege, unpacking with compassion and emotional honesty what happens when their bubbles are pierced by unavoidably human problems. Ann Marie Lee is a superb narrator, guiding the story with a firm sense of control (and just a dash of sarcasm where applicable). Recently adapted into a streaming series, The Expatriates is a sharp, entertaining story of how the other half lives—and what happens when things go wrong.
Customer Reviews
Sad but very good
A sad story, full of moments of reflection abour life and how we perceive and judge others. Also I loved the fact that the story took place in Honk Kong, and how’s the life of expatriates in thet country