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drgnhrt968's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
sogeegf's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
markw's review
dark
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Took me a while to get in tune with one, perhaps because of the oblique nature of a lot of the writing and dialogue, but by the final third I was completely gripped.
Henry Park is a first-generation American Korean who works as a kind of undercover spy or detective, embedding himself in organisations and reporting back to his boss, the ruthless Dennis, for the benefit of the unknown (to Henry) client.
As the blub on my edition says, it's about "the immigrant experience, about love, loyalty and the languages that define us". It's also about racism, betrayal (loyalty's partner), and the American dream.
Henry speaks some Korean, learned in his childhood, but not confidently, and has the first-generation immigrant experience of being neither one thing nor the other. It's no accident that his wife, Lelia, is a childhood speech and language therapist.
Prior to the action of the novel, Henry has gone badly adrift in a placement: posing as a client/patient of a therapist in order to report on him, he is drawn to the man (a kind of "going native"?) and has to be extracted in professional disgrace by his handler Jack. About this time his wife Lelie has apparently lost faith in him and departed for the Greek islands. Henry is then placed with the team of John Kwang, a local politician, the first Korean Councilman in the borough. Henry is effective in his role as mole because he is able to get close to his targets, but this puts him the position of either betraying the target or betraying his boss by not doing so.
Henry Park is a first-generation American Korean who works as a kind of undercover spy or detective, embedding himself in organisations and reporting back to his boss, the ruthless Dennis, for the benefit of the unknown (to Henry) client.
As the blub on my edition says, it's about "the immigrant experience, about love, loyalty and the languages that define us". It's also about racism, betrayal (loyalty's partner), and the American dream.
Henry speaks some Korean, learned in his childhood, but not confidently, and has the first-generation immigrant experience of being neither one thing nor the other. It's no accident that his wife, Lelia, is a childhood speech and language therapist.
Prior to the action of the novel, Henry has gone badly adrift in a placement: posing as a client/patient of a therapist in order to report on him, he is drawn to the man (a kind of "going native"?) and has to be extracted in professional disgrace by his handler Jack. About this time his wife Lelie has apparently lost faith in him and departed for the Greek islands. Henry is then placed with the team of John Kwang, a local politician, the first Korean Councilman in the borough. Henry is effective in his role as mole because he is able to get close to his targets, but this puts him the position of either betraying the target or betraying his boss by not doing so.
hayleyrhiannon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
kutreen's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I was amazed by how skillfully the characters and plot elements were designed and intertwined to bring out different reflections from the main character on his pseudo-American identity. I think this will resonate deeply with any child of immigrants or person who immigrated as a child who has felt like an outsider even in their "native" country. Lee captures many of the thoughts and feelings I've had throughout my life that I hadn't even realized were related to my family's immigrant status but which I now realize affect much of the way I perceive and interact with others. I will be sure to check out his other novels.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death
Minor: Racial slurs, Infidelity, Cancer, Car accident, Racism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
suzz's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
radioisasoundsalvation's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this, my first experience with Chang-rae Lee! His language lilts very lovingly through his scenes, his descriptions; it's what Pat Conroy wishes he could do, but is too dramatic and self-indulgent to do with any sort of economy. Park's lifelong struggle with parallel lives all roots down to being a first generation Korean American. His actions as a mole-for hire just emphasize that Park is not a man who can spend any more time walking the thin wire between all of his different identities. Lee's ingenuity in handling the ethnic-American experience with the domestic spy business is quite creative; although at first, I was skeptical. It really works though, once you realize he's not something out of Mission Impossible. It's much more subtle than I'd imagine it could be carried out, and that's all because of Lee's deft hand. I'll definitely be scoping out his other novels!
_cherish's review against another edition
I did not like any of the main characters. Also, the writing style is super confusing.
kathryn_muchnick's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
incredibly dense and searing portrait of Henry Park. especially enjoyed the chapters about his relationship with his wife but that private plotline was masterfully woven with the spy plotline
audreyng_29's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.75