Rey Lescure avoids the trap of predictability as she connects the dots between Lu Fang’s past as a lowly worker and his present as a rich Shanghai landlord married to an American woman. Her writing reflects a gift for vivid setting and distinctive characters, both of which bring to life the heady, wildly optimistic era of mid-2000s China ... Rey Lescure proves herself to be a remarkably humane storyteller, focusing on the ties between her characters and the worlds they inhabit in order to ground an ambitious, multi-generational story of global upheaval in personal, poignant detail.
Rey Lescure’s brilliant debut alternates between the lives of Lu Fang and Alva, placing their desires and evolving story lines in a vibrant social context ... With an assured hand, Rey Lescure illuminates how even someone who feels trapped and diminished can still make a life.
[A] captivating and sharp debut ... Rey Lescure provides immersive depictions of Shanghai and Qingdao along with delicate character work. This is a remarkable story of a family caught between cultures.