Transplants by Daniel Tam-Claiborne
A moving and thought-provoking novel, Transplants explores themes of identity, belonging, and cultural displacement. Daniel Tam-Claiborne’s prose is lyrical and deeply introspective, offering readers a powerful look into the experience of navigating multiple worlds. A compelling read for those who enjoy literary fiction with emotional depth.

This hard-hitting and poignant novel really surprised me. Despite its short length, it covers a breadth of time, distance, and themes. I really liked how this book drilled into the 'grass is greener' themes and didn't shy away from the massive racism and inequality problems that plague The States. Too often in fiction, The States are portrayed as some sort of mecca, which couldn't be further from the truth! This book examines both Chinese and American cultures, warts and all.

I came to root for Lin and Liz over the narrative. Both of them made frustrating choices at times but it was impossible not to cheer them on. But, due to their similar names, I found myself having to pause to remind myself whose story I was in. (The ARC sometimes even had the wrong names which didn't help!)

The storytelling style was straight forward, the pacing was good, and the senses of place felt strong. The writing style felt rough around the edges at times, but Tam-Claiborne shows immense promise.

I'm glad I spent time with this book!

“Remember the best parts, the most important parts, and leave the rest behind”

This novel is a powerful and lingering read, set between rural China and small-town America. It follows Lin, a socially withdrawn Chinese student, and Liz, a Chinese American teacher grieving her mother’s death. Their paths intertwine, but a betrayal leads to Lin’s expulsion from her university in China, forcing her to navigate life at an Ohio community college, while Liz retraces her family’s past in China. As global tensions rise, both women confront difficult truths about identity, belonging, and home.

The story seamlessly blends the personal and political, painting vivid portraits of the places the characters inhabit while raising important questions about privilege, assimilation, and survival. At its core, it explores deep connections that transcend borders and expectations.

Both protagonists feel like outsiders—Lin in her own country and Liz among her American colleagues—leading them to seek belonging in each other’s worlds. The novel’s writing is eloquent yet action-packed, with elements of code-switching that add authenticity. Many Asian and Asian American readers may relate to the themes of dual identity and the struggle to fit into two cultures. With its thought-provoking narrative and emotional depth, this is a must-read for those who appreciate beautifully written, socially relevant fiction.

Thank you Post Hill Press for the ARC!

This is the story of two women, one Chinese American and the other born in China, and the happenings that arrive in the months leading up to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Am not certain I was the audience for this book. But there were quite a few positives I can enumerate, and perhaps folks should make their own decisions.
It is well-written and engaging, it definitely kept me guessing. The characters of Lin and Liz were well-developed and for the most part it wasn’t too difficult to follow their actions and motivations. All the way thru the story I did want to follow and find out what ultimately happens. The story is never boring. Along the way, the various locations the women travel to, and through, are painted with a descriptive brush.
There are a large number of Chinese words, phrases, and expressions in the text, and the meanings were definitely not always apparent. A glossary would have been helpful because I’m certain I missed some pertinent details because of the language barrier and the lack of context clues. But it was mostly rather interesting and informative about everyday life in the various regions of China, and it wasn’t usually too difficult to figure out what was going on.
I had more of an affinity for Liz, from Ohio, in her search for her roots. These chapters were truly fascinating. Lin, on the other hand, made some decisions that I could not understand at all - for instance, she tended to hop into bed with men she didn’t know well if at all, and seemed not to be able to make a connection with anyone, really. If this was a personality issue it wasn’t well detailed or explained. Maybe she was simply very introverted - even though she engaged with strange men she didn’t know in ways that absolutely defied introversion. It was just odd and not explained at all. If it was a trauma response, what could have been the trauma? After all, she literally begins her college life sleeping with one of her professors. Although this ended somewhat shockingly and traumatically, you just don’t get to see what makes this woman tick. She seems hollow and reactive, as opposed to how Liz’s motivations and thoughts are contrasted and pretty clear.
Thanks to NetGalley and Regalo Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Such an interesting book! The author does a really good job of highlighting the nuances of the different attitudes shown towards American-Chinese people, and Chinese people. I liked the structure of the book and the way it alternated between different POVs. The pacing was good and the two main female characters were likeable. It was easy to get through yet still a thought-provoking read.

wow wow wow. this is a novel that hits hard and lingers long after the last page. this was set between rural China and small-town America, it follows two women—Lin, a Chinese student more comfortable with animals than people, and Liz, a Chinese American teacher grieving her mother’s death—who form an unlikely connection in a world that often pushes them to the margins. their ake a sharp turn after a betrayal leads to Lin’s expulsion from her university in Qixian. all of a sudden, Lin is navigating the unfamiliar world of an Ohio community college, while Liz retraces her family’s past in China. but as global tensions rise and cultural divides deepen, both women are forced to confront uncomfortable truths about home, identity, and what it really means to belong.

this story was so heartfelt to me cause of how effortlessly it moves between personal and political, showing the messy, often painful realities of migration, race, and power. the writing was so good that it will pull readers into Lin and Liz’s inner worlds while painting a vivid picture of the places they inhabit. it also raises important questions about privilege, assimilation, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.

overall, this whole thing was about connection—the kind that defies borders and expectations. it really was a smart, deeply moving read that challenges the way we think about identity and the ties that bind us. if you love books that are as thought-provoking as they are beautifully written, this one belongs on your shelf.

thanks Post Hill Press for a copy!

A thoughtful and reflective story about two young women who are both uprooted from the familiar and thrust into the unknown. The book carries strong themes of immigration and identity, and specifically identity in cases of immigration. The writing was decent and the characters relatively well-developed. The messages of the author were a little on the nose sometimes, but on the whole I enjoyed this book.

Lin is a Chinese person who doesn’t fit in with her university peers in rural China. Liz is a Chinese American who doesn’t fit in with the other white, foreign English teachers at the same university. Lin dreams of having more freedom to be herself without the judgment of others, and Liz dreams of an alternate life where her parents didn’t immigrate to America. Both feeling like outsiders in their own home, they transplant themselves to each other’s respective countries.

Transplants is one of those rare books where the writing is well done and eloquent, yet the story is action-packed without meandering along. There’s a lot of code-switching to Mandarin (grateful that I took Chinese but you would be fine if you didn’t!), and both heroines are complex and unconventional, wrestling with their place in contemporary society and their sense of identity. I think that many Asian/Asian Americans will be able to relate to being from two different worlds and not fitting into either, and the struggles that both protagonists face are very real, especially in the context of the pandemic and lockdown. I personally always felt distant from my hometown, so I definitely related to this book.

Fans of Ling Ma’s Severance will also like this one due to the common themes of being uprooted and facing a pandemic.

Special thanks to Post Hill Press, Regalo Press, and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Highly recommend this one! This book offers such a thoughtful look at what it means to be “other.” One character, a Chinese American woman, is searching for herself in her mother’s homeland, while the other, a Chinese student, is navigating life in America. Their journeys mirror each other in unexpected ways, and one quote that really stuck with me was:

“Think about it. Each of us has been uprooted from one place and, through a great series of chance and circumstance not entirely our own, been made to reinvent ourselves somewhere else.”

A powerful and beautifully written read!

In Transplants, the author presents a deeply emotional and thought-provoking narrative that explores the complexities of identity, belonging, and the search for self in an increasingly divided world. Set against the backdrop of a rural university campus in Qixian and the contrasting landscapes of Ohio, the novel follows two women—Lin, a solitary Chinese student, and Liz, a grieving Chinese American teacher—as they forge an unlikely friendship in the face of personal and cultural challenges.

Lin and Liz are both outsiders in their own ways. Lin is a quiet student who finds herself more at ease with her pets than with her classmates, who mock her for her relationship with a white foreigner. Liz, meanwhile, is struggling with the recent loss of her mother, all while navigating the complexities of being a Chinese American teacher in a space where she faces exploitation by her peers. Their bond, though improbable, becomes a source of survival and strength in a world that seems indifferent to their struggles.

The novel takes an unexpected turn after a betrayal leads to Lin’s expulsion, and the two women swap lives—Lin heading to a community college in Ohio and Liz searching for answers about her parents’ mysterious departure from China. This shift in their paths forces both characters to confront their pasts and grapple with the uncertainties of their futures, set against the backdrop of a global crisis that further strains the relationship between China and the United States.

Alternating between Lin and Liz’s perspectives, Transplants is a masterful exploration of migration, race, and the limits of belonging. The novel poignantly examines how identity can be fragmented and how the pursuit of kinship can sometimes lead to surprising connections. The writing is lyrical and evocative, capturing the emotional depth of the characters’ journeys, both external and internal. As Lin and Liz navigate their respective struggles, the narrative beautifully delves into themes of power, love, and freedom, illustrating how differences that initially seem insurmountable can, in the end, create a deeper bond between individuals.

Ultimately, Transplants is a moving meditation on the complexities of cultural displacement and the search for one’s place in a world that often feels hostile to difference. It’s a story that reminds us of the transformative power of empathy and the unexpected connections that can help us better understand ourselves and each other. A must-read for those interested in stories of migration, identity, and the profound human experience.