The Expatriates: A Novel by Janice Y. K. Lee (Epub)

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.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I was surprised t how good this book is. Don’t ask why I was surprised. I’m not really sure but when I started it I had no clue as to how enjoyable to was going to be. Or how accurate the ex-pat communities settle in Hong Kong, not really letting go of their overseas roots and ives. How they introduce themselves to one another. How they cope with their new way of life, luxurious and up market yes, but full of new challenges and often a new kind of loneliness that can be tough to overcome.I’ve lived the life of a Hong Kong Ex-pat for over 40 years now. I came from Britain with my wife and children not knowing in anyway what to expect. I watched my wife struggle with this new environment snd society. It was very hard for her but…… she sooner rather than later patiently adapted to her new life in much the same way as others had. Life became more materialistic, clubs were joined of the type that were never available to her before. Accommodation was luxurious compared to what we had in the UK. But…..somewhat like the 3 main characters in this book centres on, something, at times indefinable, seem to have been lost. A sense of reality perhaps. A sense of being “temporary”. A sense that “this will end soon and that’s fine by me. I can only take so much of this way of living”. A loss of reality in our thinking. Changes in our priorities. An introduction to a shallower way of life where worth depends much more on how much your husband earns, who he works for, what clubs you belong to what are you live in.Watching my partner change in some many ways. Then perhaps watching him detach from the family due to his work, the drinking that comes with it, the customer entertaining and what also can come with all that”.I think Ms Lee got it about right. Very perceptive. Very true how we must come to terms with our lives and see beyond the silly ex-pat snobbery that can tend to overwhelm us. To not be fooled by a more wealthier but shallow life. To retain our humanity.

⭐[4.5 stars]Headline:The Expatriates hit a couple of my “what makes a book work for me” buttons: a good balance between plot and style, dark undertones, and social commentary.Major Themes:Maintaining your identity through motherhood, expat life, Hong Kong culture, appearance vs. reality, getting beneath the surface of peopleWhat I Liked:- When I picked up The Expatriates, I was expecting a light novel about wealthy, successful expats living it up in Hong Kong and I was delighted to find the story also had surprising depth. Yes, many of the characters’ lives sparkle on the surface, but darkness lurks just underneath as it becomes apparent that reality is quite different from appearances.- While I can’t say if Lee’s social commentary on Hong Kong culture and expat life is spot-on (having never been to Hong Kong and never been an expat), it was one of my favorite parts of the novel and truly made the setting and context come alive.”This is the Hong Kong curse that expat housewives talk about in hushed voices: the man who takes to Hong Kong the wrong way. He moves from egalitarian society, where he’s supposed to take out the trash every day and help with the dinner dishes, to a place where women cater to his every desire – a secretary who anticipates his needs before he does, a servant in the house who brings him his espresso just the way he likes it and irons his boxers and socks – and the local population is not as sassy with the comebacks as where he came from, so, of course, he then looks for that in every corner of his life.”- I love when a book contains a mystery or crime, but it’s more of a catalyst to explore relationships and emotions than the center of the story. And, that dynamic gave The Expatriates the kind of balance between style and plot that makes books work for me.- The level of entitlement among the expat community and wealthy Hong Kong residents was disgusting at times (i.e. a maid holds up an ipad while a child plays on it in a restaurant). But, it was a train wreck I couldn’t stop reading about!- I find that stories about rich people can either completely hit the mark or be incredibly boring…and a key to success is having an observant outsider (i.e. Nick Carraway) to marvel on the wealthy’s social quirks and deliver biting commentary. Mercy played this role in The Expatriates. Though she graduated from Columbia and moved in wealthy circles there, she had a less privileged childhood as a Korean immigrant in Queens. And, she was scrapping by to make ends meet in Hong Kong. She interacted with the wealthy expats, but was not one of them.What I Didn’t Like:- In addition to the Epilogue wrapping the story up a bit too neatly (a feeling I have about Epilogues in general), this one was unrealistic and overly sappy.A Defining Quote:”She looks around the table during a pause in the conversation with Mindy. Every woman there is well exercised, watches her diet, has two or three children, a husband. They all have shiny hair, and they are all wearing sheaths and daytime dresses perfect for the occasion. No one is breaking the rules of ladies’ luncheon. They radiate well-being and privilege, and yet she is among them, so who is to say what’s behind any woman’s smiling face.”Good for People Who Like:Social commentary, marriage, dislikable characters, different cultures, motherhood, wealthy people behaving badlyCheck out my blog, Sarah’s Book Shelves, for more reviews.

⭐I read this book really quickly. It was quite a page turner set in expat Hong Kong through the eyes of 3 women. Its narrative homes in on their social mores and how they link to each other on so many (both expected and unexpected) levels in a culture that is not their own. It had echoes (influences) of other writers – most strongly (for me) Doris Lessing “To Room Nineteen”. Each character was sympathetically drawn and each fell into their own tragedies/redemption/messes – depending on your perspective. I enjoyed it but ended up not quite sure if the the women lacked depth or whether the intention was to portray social satire in this transient community.

⭐I once lived in Hong Kong as an expat wife, so can relate to this book. Good if you are or were an ex pat wife in Hong Kong or interested in life in Hong Kong.

⭐This was a fantastic book which opened with a feeling of both the boredom and the glamour of being an expatriate in Hong Kong. The pampered wives of lawyers and top executives play tennis by day and go to dinner parties at night (having maids and cooks who do everything for them), but behind all this, are they happy? In contrast to these characters, a perpetual “failure” Korean American ivy league graduate has to come to terms with a terrible event in her recent past.The many difficulties and trials the brilliant heroines have to face only reinforce the main theme of the novel. Self acceptance. Maybe it is ok not to be perfect and have the perfect house and children. Maybe one won’t succeed in a relationship or have a budding career after receiving an ivy league university degree. The most fundamental thing is to arrive at acceptance of one’s own self and to be able to move on and go forward in life.I found the heroines very believable and of course enjoyed the exotic setting of Hong Kong. The descriptions are lovely and emotions that the writer evokes are poignant and realistic. It shows the strength of different women who, although it looks like everything has been given to them, can overcome difficulty and show solidarity to survive. A brilliant read!

⭐As an expat living in Hong Kong, I really enjoyed this book as the references and idiosyncrasies of expat life in Hong Kong are captured beautifully. The intimate minutiae is brilliantly told and explored. The only thing that felt a bit forced and trivial was the ending.

⭐Powerful, poignant, and ultimately hopeful, the stories of 3 women coming together in an unexpected way. Lee is fearless as she delves in to describe very difficult human experiences. I loved her first book The Piano Teacher, and with The Expatriates she has managed to write another gripping book. It is Milan Kundera meets Edith Wharton in present day Hong Kong. Loved it and highly recommend it.

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