Homeseeking is a poignant exploration of love and the impact of choices, set in 20th-century China. The story follows teenage sweethearts Haiwen and Suchi, whose close friendship in 1940s Shanghai is shattered when Haiwen enlists in the army to protect his brother from the draft, leading to their painful separation. Their lives diverge dramatically, culminating in a fateful encounter on a Hong Kong ferry in 1966.

Fast forward sixty years, and Haiwen, now in his late seventies, spots Suchi while working at a 99 Ranch in Los Angeles, sparking the possibility of rekindling their friendship. However, the weight of their shared history raises the question of whether they can forge a new connection amidst the shadows of the past.

Told through alternating narratives, the book spans seven decades, intricately weaving together the lives of these separated lovers as they migrate from Shanghai to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and America. The author’s meticulous research highlights the impact of modern Chinese history on the lives of its people. While the backdrop is steeped in war, the heart of the story lies in themes of family and connection.

The vivid descriptions of Shanghai's longing community create an immersive reading experience, showcasing the challenges faced by women like Suchi in building a life without support. The narrative structure, with Suchi’s story, told linearly and Haiwen’s in reverse unfolds seamlessly.

While I found the historical segments compelling, I wished for more insight into the characters' families during the war. Overall, Homeseeking is a beautifully written and thought-provoking book that captures the resilience of the human spirit in the face of life's challenges.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

What really struck me about this novel is that the author has left certain terms and words in the Chinese language or pinyin. It;s to symbolise the confusion and headaches you get when being in a new country and not being able to express yourself. The author states at the start to remember how you feel about this as it will make you think of how the newcomers all those years ago would have felt when displaced from one country to another. I think this is what really made the book for me.

In some ways, this lifetime-spanning novel reminded me of Free Food for Millionaires but centered more around a romantic coupling than an individual human or family. I’m not sure this worked for me as a reader. I was rooting for Suchi and Haiwen on their own journeys but because their relationship was prioritized over their individual stories or their families’ stories, I found some of the focus, particularly of their childhood, disappointing. I was hoping for more identity/diaspora commentary and while we got some when the seniors in the States were reflecting on their experience at the beginning, it wasn’t as much of a theme across the book.

I appreciated where Chen left untranslated words as this left a level of authenticity and nuance that I feel gets diluted in many translated novels I’ve read where everything is translated. I also really love learning new words and terms! I deeply appreciated the foreword at the beginning where Chen explains the difference in names and honourifics across contexts and invites readers to consider how difficult it is for those needing to navigate a new country, language and culture.

Overall, I found the pace of the book slow and the sense of time was opaque, particularly at the beginning, which was compounded by non-linear time skips. Suchi read a lot younger than she must have been in the early flashbacks so the romance focus felt a bit strange. I’d have loved to have seen more balance on other aspects her childhood than the hyper-focus we got on her relationship with Haiwen in the first quarter of the book. This does improve when Suchi and Haiwen are living their adult lives; however, I’m not sure the jump from their first meeting to their dotage really worked as the remainder is basically a fill-in-the-blanks since we know they meet again as seniors. For me, the best part of the book was when they were apart and exploring their family dynamics (I loved Suchi/Sulan’s story and found Haiwen’s sibling relationship thread heartbreaking). I loved the ending though and I’m glad Chen concluded our time with these characters the way she did:.

I was privileged to have my request to read this book accepted through NetGalley. Thank you, Hodder & Stoughton.