This book features a floating, drifting narrative as QQ recalls and reflects on his time in Asia, particularly Japan and Taiwan. It’s a collection of meandering thoughts and fragmented memories, exploring strong themes of identity, purpose, and how to create meaning in life.

QQ finds meaning through activism and reconnecting with his roots in Taiwan. One standout quote captures this sentiment: “We all knew that we lacked the future that our parents were promised from early on, and so all we had were our bonds with each other” (pg. 44). This reflects the frustration of youth in Taiwan and the shared sense of purpose that unites them, even for an expat like QQ.

The second part delves deeper into Taiwan’s political landscape, offering a historical overview. Here, QQ helps establish a newspaper to shed light on underreported Taiwanese issues in his quest to find meaning.

One of the core themes is the “in-betweenness” of being a first-generation Asian American. QQ describes this as feeling like “an orphan of Asia and America” (pg. 74), encapsulating the sense of not belonging fully to either culture.

While the story explores meaningful themes, I found it not particularly compelling. QQ’s narrative of emptiness felt excessive at times, with limited character growth, which made it harder to connect. However, the dialogue was well-crafted and enjoyable.

This book is best read in smaller chunks to fully digest and reflect on its themes.

Thank you NetGalley and Repeater Books for the ARC of this book.