Homeseeking by Karissa Chen
Thanks Sceptre and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy of this book.
Homeseeking is a historical fiction romance that is a total emotional saga, standing at nearly 500 pages long. When the war pulls teenaged Haiwen and Suchi apart, so begins this beautiful coming-of-age story of love, family, connection and unbreakable bonds. Haiwen and Suchi are best friends growing up together in a longtang in Shanghai. The war brings Haiwen to the decision to take his brother’s place in army enlistment, ultimately pulling the young lovers apart. Homeseeking is the story about how one small choice changed the course of our protagonists’ lives, spanning several decades and countries.
Historical fiction is my jam. I have a special place in my heart for books that are founded on real events, places and sometimes even people, and especially when it is done well. Chen’s plentiful research for this book is clear to see: there’s war, politics, people and places to reckon with, not to mention the complexities of the multiple Chinese languages. There’s a note at the start of the book that draws attention to the author’s use of changing dialects and languages, which I appreciated. However, I do think this could detract many readers, particularly those with no grasp of the Chinese languages at all. Some dialogue isn’t translated into English at all, which Chen says ‘adds to the displaced feeling’ that many immigrants face in their new countries. A fair point.
Homeseeking is certainly a slow-burn read and this is absolutely a romance saga. The author luxuriates in bringing 1940s Shanghai to life with stunning descriptions of the longtang (a community shared alleys) that Haiwen and Suchi grow up in. She leaves no stone unturned in building a magical and naive teenage romance, deepening each character’s backstory with their interests, their personalities. There was no doubt in my mind of who these people are. I completely loved how Chen brought the story to life through the environments, food a.k.a. the ultimate Chinese love language, clothing, language and familial relationships – it’s not hard to develop an emotional connection to our main characters.
There’s a beautiful, feminist thread running alongside the main story too, and I particularly connected with Suchi’s perspective. Sisters Suchi and Suchan are the perfect characters to showcase the challenges of being a woman in the war in the 1950s, and we see their sisterhood develop in different ways, as well as watch as they relocate to Hong Kong and start new lives. Of course, their lives are difficult and heartbreaking. Haiwen’s side of the story felt a little harder to connect with, especially as his story unfolds in reverse as he reflects on the hardships of the war and slowly delves into the toughest parts of his life. Perhaps it’d be easier to read in a physical book format, so that the reader can easily check the dates that break up the prose. (I read this in a Kindle eARC format!)
All in all, I completely adored this breathtakingly emotional story for its gorgeous balance of romance and historical fiction. One for my fellow history girlies.
