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Available
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Genres
Collection
Publication
William Morrow (2019), 336 pages
Description
A READ WITH JENNA TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB PICK A BELLETRIST BOOK CLUB PICK NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK BY New York Times Time Marie Claire Elle Buzzfeed Huffington Post Good Housekeeping The Week Goodreads New York Post Publishers Weekly and many more "This is a true beach read! You can't put it down!" ? Jenna Bush Hager, Today Show Book Club Pick "Powerful . . . A twisting tale of love, loss, and dark family secrets." ? Paula Hawkins, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train and Into the Water A poignant and suspenseful drama that untangles the complicated ties binding three women?two sisters and their mother?in one Chinese immigrant family and explores what happens when the eldest daughter disappears, and a series of family secrets emerge, from the New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Translation It begins with a mystery. Sylvie, the beautiful, brilliant, successful older daughter of the Lee family, flies to the Netherlands for one final visit with her dying grandmother?and then vanishes. Amy, the sheltered baby of the Lee family, is too young to remember a time when her parents were newly immigrated and too poor to keep Sylvie. Seven years older, Sylvie was raised by a distant relative in a faraway, foreign place, and didn't rejoin her family in America until age nine. Timid and shy, Amy has always looked up to her sister, the fierce and fearless protector who showered her with unconditional love. But what happened to Sylvie? Amy and her parents are distraught and desperate for answers. Sylvie has always looked out for them. Now, it's Amy's turn to help. Terrified yet determined, Amy retraces her sister's movements, flying to the last place Sylvie was seen. But instead of simple answers, she discovers something much more valuable: the truth. Sylvie, the golden girl, kept painful secrets . . . secrets that will reveal more about Amy's complicated family?and herself?than she ever could have imagined. A deeply moving story of family, secrets, identity, and longing, Searching for Sylvie Lee is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive portrait of an immigrant family. It is a profound exploration of the many ways culture and language can divide us and the impossibility of ever truly knowing someone?especially those we love.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Beamis12
It is so hard to figure out why a book will resonate so greatly with some, and not others. This book is a case in point, it has garnered some terrific reviews, but there were some plot points that were for me, not realistic. A young Chinese woman disappears after returning to the Netherlands, when
In alternating chapters we hear from Amy, Sylvie herself and their mother. Changing views of Sylvie are revealed from her own words. There are many family secrets, and a suspected hidden treasures passed down from mother to daughter. Jealousy, and its ill effects, an ugliness that spreads. The struggle for immigrants to assimilate. Yet, I had trouble connecting to the characters. We do find out what happened to Sylvie and why, though I didn't feel I was given enough reasons to find the ending credible.
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the grandmother that helped raise her, was dying. Although her parents lived in the United States, Sylvie herself lived in the Netherlands for her first nine years. Her younger sister, Amy, who thinks Sylvie perfect, flies to the Netherlands to find out what happened to her sister.In alternating chapters we hear from Amy, Sylvie herself and their mother. Changing views of Sylvie are revealed from her own words. There are many family secrets, and a suspected hidden treasures passed down from mother to daughter. Jealousy, and its ill effects, an ugliness that spreads. The struggle for immigrants to assimilate. Yet, I had trouble connecting to the characters. We do find out what happened to Sylvie and why, though I didn't feel I was given enough reasons to find the ending credible.
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LibraryThing member hubblegal
Sylvie Lee is a successful, beautiful woman. Her younger sister, Amy, idolizes her. When news reaches them that their grandmother is dying in the Netherlands, Sylvie flies there to be with her. Sylvie grew up in the Netherlands. Her parents were too poor to take care of her when she was born and
The book fluctuates between chapters detailing Amy’s search for Sylvie and Sylvie telling her story starting a month earlier when she leaves for the Netherlands and occasionally a chapter from their mother’s point of view. The character development in this book is very good and I cared about this family. The author does a particularly good job of detailing the cultural differences and problems this immigrant family faced and the racism shown to the Chinese in the Netherlands. But I was disappointed in some respects and felt parts of the books were too much like a soap opera. I did not feel that the ending rang true at all and it felt out of place to me.
This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
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sent her to live with her grandmother and the Tan family. Sylvie didn’t return to the US and her parents until she was 9 years old. But now Sylvie has returned to the place she thinks of as home. But Amy and her parents become deeply upset when Sylvie disappears and they are unable to get any answers as to what happened. Shy Amy must find the courage to go find her sister. Her search for Sylvie uncovers long concealed family secrets.The book fluctuates between chapters detailing Amy’s search for Sylvie and Sylvie telling her story starting a month earlier when she leaves for the Netherlands and occasionally a chapter from their mother’s point of view. The character development in this book is very good and I cared about this family. The author does a particularly good job of detailing the cultural differences and problems this immigrant family faced and the racism shown to the Chinese in the Netherlands. But I was disappointed in some respects and felt parts of the books were too much like a soap opera. I did not feel that the ending rang true at all and it felt out of place to me.
This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member 3bythesea
Enjoyable, absorbing read. Characters are well developed and the multiple perspectives add to the understanding of the complexity of family relationships. Overall plot twists did not feel gratuitous.
quickly.
quickly.
LibraryThing member pdebolt
This is the story of two sisters born to Chinese immigrant parents. The older sister, Sylvie Lee, is sent to the Netherlands to live with her relatives when the parents simply can't afford the lifestyle they would like to give her. Sylvie's ties to Amsterdam after returning to her parents and
I enjoyed Girl in Translation more than this book. I felt it could have been shorter, and I did weary of all the rabbit holes we went down to discover what happened to Sylvie.
My thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for this ARC.
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sister are strong. She has a seemingly successful career and marriage in New York, so her disappearance is puzzling. When Sylvie goes missing, the younger sister, Amy, immediately flies to Amsterdam to uncover any evidence and finds strange relationships that revolved around Sylvie. Kwok's book are very informative about the Chinese experience in America and abroad.I enjoyed Girl in Translation more than this book. I felt it could have been shorter, and I did weary of all the rabbit holes we went down to discover what happened to Sylvie.
My thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for this ARC.
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LibraryThing member KarenHerndon
Early reviewer free book, thank you😊
This is a wonderful book,
Just loved it- story, characters, writing style, everything.
Those of you who like Lisa See books will love this one.
Look forward to reading more by this author.
Highly recommend it.
This is a wonderful book,
Just loved it- story, characters, writing style, everything.
Those of you who like Lisa See books will love this one.
Look forward to reading more by this author.
Highly recommend it.
LibraryThing member herzogm
I enjoyed this book for the careful development of the main characters, details of living in the intersection of three cultures; American, Chinese, and Dutch, and the ability to hear each of the voices of the main characters in turn. I was a little surprised at the racism depicted in the
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Netherlands but I don't doubt the author did her homework. The plot twists were intriguing but unlike others, I was not surprised by the revelations at the end because they had already occured to me as possibilities. Now I need to seek out her earlier book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Brenda63
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers. I really enjoyed this novel; I was enthralled from the first word to the last. The author takes you on a journey through Chinese and Dutch culture through the eyes of Amy and Sylvie Lee (sisters) and their ma. Amy is searching for
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missing Sylvie in the Netherlands where more questions lead to Amy seeing a side of Sylvie that she never knew. The book talks of being an immigrant and the racism that is so rampant. Ultimately finding Sylvie leads to generational healing as all secrets are laid bare. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dawn1361
"...we are all ultimately unreliable storytellers of our own lives, whether we wish it so or not, whether we share a common language or not." Jean Kwok's novel, "Searching for Sylvie Lee" takes the reader along a journey as a family, each with secrets of their own that impact their interactions.
As Amy, Sylvie's sister, says to Filip, the musician who knew Sylvie and has come to Amy, "It is sad how trauma gets passed down from generation to generation. Helena, my own ma and pa: they taught us to keep our heads low, to hold our secrets as closed as an oyster. Keep ourselves apart from everyone else. At a certain point, you wind up dividing yourself internally into so many different people you do not even know who you are anymore." For Sylvie, she was no longer a granddaughter (grandma had passed), no longer a wife (her marriage had disintegrated), no longer an employee (she had been fired), no longer needed by her sister (Amy was now an adult). For Sylvie, the time had arrived to embrace a long ago prophecy and the time had come for the family to expose the secrets and begin to heal.
I received my copy of this novel through LibraryThing's Early Reader program.
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The looming question of why each responds is laced into the mystery of Sylvie's disappearance in The Netherlands, the country where she lived for the first 8 years of her life under the eyes of her grandmother and reared beside her cousin. Threaded along side the disappearance is: the many facets of immigration, remaining true to your culture while living in a new one, discrimination/bullying of the immigrant, cultural insensitivity, striving for perfection as a way to achieve acceptance. Kwok masterly is a reliable storyteller of the family and takes the reader into their lives without hammering upon these side threads -- they are introduced to shape the actions of the family and give the reader time to ponder their influence.As Amy, Sylvie's sister, says to Filip, the musician who knew Sylvie and has come to Amy, "It is sad how trauma gets passed down from generation to generation. Helena, my own ma and pa: they taught us to keep our heads low, to hold our secrets as closed as an oyster. Keep ourselves apart from everyone else. At a certain point, you wind up dividing yourself internally into so many different people you do not even know who you are anymore." For Sylvie, she was no longer a granddaughter (grandma had passed), no longer a wife (her marriage had disintegrated), no longer an employee (she had been fired), no longer needed by her sister (Amy was now an adult). For Sylvie, the time had arrived to embrace a long ago prophecy and the time had come for the family to expose the secrets and begin to heal.
I received my copy of this novel through LibraryThing's Early Reader program.
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LibraryThing member cattriona
This story was engaging and the writing made you really care about what happened to the characters. It also was an interesting portrayal of what it is like to be in a foreign culture, both as a Chinese person in America and in the Netherlands. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member juju2cat
What a beautiful book, filled with enormous love and grief. This copy is going into my antique bookcare to be treasured, always.
LibraryThing member Kimaoverstreet
Though I am certain Searching for Sylvie Lee will be well received by many, it was far too chick lit-ish for my taste. I found it implausible, predictable, and not a thriller as Scott Turrowhad blurbed it to be on the back cover. I found the characters unlikeable. Why didn’t they simply talk to
I did like Kwok’s use of different voices to tell the story and the way the original language structure was preserved for each of the different languages they spoke. I think it helped build tension and convey distance between the characters.
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one another instead of running around at such loose ends?I did like Kwok’s use of different voices to tell the story and the way the original language structure was preserved for each of the different languages they spoke. I think it helped build tension and convey distance between the characters.
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LibraryThing member ang709
I found a lot to enjoy in this story of a woman's search for her sister. I was quickly drawn in both because I wanted an answer to the mystery and because I cared about the characters.
The characters felt real. They were fully developed and flawed. There was also considerable character growth
The narrative style further helped me to get to know these women. Amy and Sylvie took turns doing most of the narration, though their mother occasionally took part, and each woman had a distinctive voice. Sylvie's storytelling begins a month before her disappearance while Amy and their mother pick up about the time Sylvie goes missing. The alternating points of view also served as an effective way to unravel the mystery.
The settings, primarily the Netherlands but also Queens, Brooklyn Heights, and Venice, were brought to life and felt a bit like characters in their own right.
However, what I appreciated most was the way the story incorporated real life issues such as obstacles immigrants face and struggles women sometimes deal with in the workplace. There was domestic drama too, showing the power of secrets to either destroy or heal a family.
Though this is the first book I've read by this author, it will not be the last. I would recommend it to those who enjoy mysteries or even just a good story.
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC.
The characters felt real. They were fully developed and flawed. There was also considerable character growth
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(something that's important to me), especially on the part of Amy. At the beginning she was shy and sheltered. The furthest she'd ever gone from New York was New Jersey. In search of her sister, however, Amy traveled alone to Europe, and that was just the start of her character's evolution.The narrative style further helped me to get to know these women. Amy and Sylvie took turns doing most of the narration, though their mother occasionally took part, and each woman had a distinctive voice. Sylvie's storytelling begins a month before her disappearance while Amy and their mother pick up about the time Sylvie goes missing. The alternating points of view also served as an effective way to unravel the mystery.
The settings, primarily the Netherlands but also Queens, Brooklyn Heights, and Venice, were brought to life and felt a bit like characters in their own right.
However, what I appreciated most was the way the story incorporated real life issues such as obstacles immigrants face and struggles women sometimes deal with in the workplace. There was domestic drama too, showing the power of secrets to either destroy or heal a family.
Though this is the first book I've read by this author, it will not be the last. I would recommend it to those who enjoy mysteries or even just a good story.
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC.
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LibraryThing member Micheller7
An aphorism is a short clever saying that is intended to express a general truth. Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok is filled with them. Three random examples are:
Well, if dogs could prey, it would rain bones.
But those who wish to eat honey must suffer the sting of the bees.
If one often walks
They add so much to the flavor of Kwok's third novel. But this is a decidedly different sort of novel from her other two, both of which I have read and enjoyed. This one is a dark, suspenseful mystery. I very much appreciate when a good novelist writes different sorts of books. So many seem to write books that are so similar.
This book is about an immigrant family with inter-generational secrets and takes place in New York City and The Netherlands. Kwok paints a picture with every scene she describes. Her characters are very well developed, and experience growth and change over time.
Sylvie's childhood was with her grandmother and cousin's family in The Netherlands because her immigrant parents could not care for her when they first came to New York City. At about nine years of age she rejoins them and her young sister. When this hard striving, married young woman learns that her beloved grandmother is terminally ill, she returns to The Netherlands to be with her. She does not return home and disappears. Her sister Amy travels to The Netherlands hoping to find her.
The novel goes back and forth from the perspective of each sister as well as some short chapters from the perspective of their mother.
Although the novel progresses very slowly at times it certainly kept me reading to find out what happened to Sylvie. In fact, I broke my cardinal rule and looked a little ahead, when I needed more information. Luckily, I did not fully uncover the true answer to the mystery, so I was able to avoid the real answers until I got to the end.
Well, if dogs could prey, it would rain bones.
But those who wish to eat honey must suffer the sting of the bees.
If one often walks
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by the riverside, one's shoes will eventually get wet.They add so much to the flavor of Kwok's third novel. But this is a decidedly different sort of novel from her other two, both of which I have read and enjoyed. This one is a dark, suspenseful mystery. I very much appreciate when a good novelist writes different sorts of books. So many seem to write books that are so similar.
This book is about an immigrant family with inter-generational secrets and takes place in New York City and The Netherlands. Kwok paints a picture with every scene she describes. Her characters are very well developed, and experience growth and change over time.
Sylvie's childhood was with her grandmother and cousin's family in The Netherlands because her immigrant parents could not care for her when they first came to New York City. At about nine years of age she rejoins them and her young sister. When this hard striving, married young woman learns that her beloved grandmother is terminally ill, she returns to The Netherlands to be with her. She does not return home and disappears. Her sister Amy travels to The Netherlands hoping to find her.
The novel goes back and forth from the perspective of each sister as well as some short chapters from the perspective of their mother.
Although the novel progresses very slowly at times it certainly kept me reading to find out what happened to Sylvie. In fact, I broke my cardinal rule and looked a little ahead, when I needed more information. Luckily, I did not fully uncover the true answer to the mystery, so I was able to avoid the real answers until I got to the end.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Searching For Sylvie Lee, Jean Kwok
This novel proceeds in the voices of the three major female characters, Sylvie, her sister Amy, and Ma, the mother of both. The story unfolds as their memories are very slowly related to the reader. There are buried family secrets which will ultimately determine
When the Lees emigrated from China to America, “the beautiful country”, they decided to temporarily send their daughter Sylvie to live with relatives in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Helena and Wilhem Tan had also emigrated from China. They were financially better off and operated their own restaurant. Once on their feet, the Lees hoped to retrieve Sylvie. The Tans had a son Lucas, who was the same age as Sylvie so she would have a friend. The Tans did not practice the old ways of China, however, while the Lees continued to do so. Therefore Sylvie is raised far differently than her sister Amy, born in America while she was in Holland. Also, for some reason, Helena disliked Sylvie and mistreated her. Ma’s mother also lived with the Tans, and she is the person who is kind to Sylvie and who really raises her during her time there. The book stresses the difficulties of living as immigrants and as people who are not white, in a foreign country, and this is emphasized through the experiences of both families as they move through their lives.
As each of the important characters dealt with their experiences, in their own unique way, it sometimes got repetitious and tedious. Each suffered from their own emotional issues. Ma had always felt guilty and insecure about her life and the choices she made. She never truly adjusted to American ways and did not speak the language well. Sylvie felt cheated and abused, unloved and insecure, because she had been sent away to live with relatives. One of her eyes had a defect, and she had a protruding tooth. In addition to being Chinese and extremely different in a place like Amsterdam, those physical issues caused her to be bullied. She retreated into a shell and was determined to prove her worth by being the best in school and at work, but she was never fully accepted by others. She kept her distance from others and was perceived as cold, thus she always felt like, and was treated as, an outsider. Amy was born in America while Sylvie was in Europe. She had her own problems to contend with since she had a stammer and was very shy. Being different in America was no different than being different in Amsterdam. Both situations made the girls sad and withdrawn. When Sylvie came to America, Ma neglected Amy and worshiped Sylvie. Sylvie was the one Amy leaned on for support, the one who comforted her. Sylvie grew up to seem far more outgoing and far stronger than Amy, who remained shy and introverted. Sylvie married Jim, a professor. He was white and from an elite, wealthy family. They had snobbish ideas about one’s place in, and behavior in, the world. Sylvie had her own very successful career in the corporate world. She was now financially secure, but still different on many levels!
The men in the book, Pa, Lucus, Filip and Wilhem, are largely irrelevant or not well developed. The women are generally portrayed as mean and strong, rigid and controlled, as well as controlling. The men are meeker and softer in their behavior and development, with hidden violent tendencies. Both the men and women harbor secrets which will undue all of their lives.
When Sylvie suddenly disappears, after visiting Holland for her grandmother’s impending death, the story continues to become distracted with side issues. The characters did not feel authentic nor did their behavior. Sometimes it felt contradictory. I did not develop an attachment to any of them or a particular liking for any of them. I found them weak, selfish, self-serving, immature and headstrong, if not also lacking in common sense and judgment. The book is about very flawed characters that never seem to move on from their early descriptions as children.
Perhaps it was the author’s intent to distance the characters from the reader, emphasizing their “otherness” by not developing any significant traits in them to draw them closer to the reader. Just as they never felt accepted in their worlds, maybe she wanted the reader to also not accept them, and to always view them as penultimate outsiders.
The moral judgment of the characters, white, homosexual, heterosexual, Asian, American, rich and poor, was atrocious. While I wanted to keep reading to discover where the book would lead me, I was disappointed when it finally decided on one direction and took me there. At times, the narrative waxed poetic and at times it felt like it was geared to a young adult reader. It never truly grew up into a book I could recommend to others.
This novel proceeds in the voices of the three major female characters, Sylvie, her sister Amy, and Ma, the mother of both. The story unfolds as their memories are very slowly related to the reader. There are buried family secrets which will ultimately determine
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the outcome of the book. The narrative felt drawn out and proceeded too slowly for me. It took me weeks and weeks to finish this novel. It traveled in many directions which did not draw me in immediately. At first I thought it was a murder mystery, than a romance novel, than a story about family secrets, then about unrequited love, then about the experience of the immigrant, then about interracial marriages, then about alternate sexuality, then about infidelity, then about race, and even more tangential issues. In essence, it was a novel that attempted to subtly present the progressive agenda, but it became heavy handed instead! There were too many diversions, none of which were fully developed before the tale danced off in another direction. When the Lees emigrated from China to America, “the beautiful country”, they decided to temporarily send their daughter Sylvie to live with relatives in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Helena and Wilhem Tan had also emigrated from China. They were financially better off and operated their own restaurant. Once on their feet, the Lees hoped to retrieve Sylvie. The Tans had a son Lucas, who was the same age as Sylvie so she would have a friend. The Tans did not practice the old ways of China, however, while the Lees continued to do so. Therefore Sylvie is raised far differently than her sister Amy, born in America while she was in Holland. Also, for some reason, Helena disliked Sylvie and mistreated her. Ma’s mother also lived with the Tans, and she is the person who is kind to Sylvie and who really raises her during her time there. The book stresses the difficulties of living as immigrants and as people who are not white, in a foreign country, and this is emphasized through the experiences of both families as they move through their lives.
As each of the important characters dealt with their experiences, in their own unique way, it sometimes got repetitious and tedious. Each suffered from their own emotional issues. Ma had always felt guilty and insecure about her life and the choices she made. She never truly adjusted to American ways and did not speak the language well. Sylvie felt cheated and abused, unloved and insecure, because she had been sent away to live with relatives. One of her eyes had a defect, and she had a protruding tooth. In addition to being Chinese and extremely different in a place like Amsterdam, those physical issues caused her to be bullied. She retreated into a shell and was determined to prove her worth by being the best in school and at work, but she was never fully accepted by others. She kept her distance from others and was perceived as cold, thus she always felt like, and was treated as, an outsider. Amy was born in America while Sylvie was in Europe. She had her own problems to contend with since she had a stammer and was very shy. Being different in America was no different than being different in Amsterdam. Both situations made the girls sad and withdrawn. When Sylvie came to America, Ma neglected Amy and worshiped Sylvie. Sylvie was the one Amy leaned on for support, the one who comforted her. Sylvie grew up to seem far more outgoing and far stronger than Amy, who remained shy and introverted. Sylvie married Jim, a professor. He was white and from an elite, wealthy family. They had snobbish ideas about one’s place in, and behavior in, the world. Sylvie had her own very successful career in the corporate world. She was now financially secure, but still different on many levels!
The men in the book, Pa, Lucus, Filip and Wilhem, are largely irrelevant or not well developed. The women are generally portrayed as mean and strong, rigid and controlled, as well as controlling. The men are meeker and softer in their behavior and development, with hidden violent tendencies. Both the men and women harbor secrets which will undue all of their lives.
When Sylvie suddenly disappears, after visiting Holland for her grandmother’s impending death, the story continues to become distracted with side issues. The characters did not feel authentic nor did their behavior. Sometimes it felt contradictory. I did not develop an attachment to any of them or a particular liking for any of them. I found them weak, selfish, self-serving, immature and headstrong, if not also lacking in common sense and judgment. The book is about very flawed characters that never seem to move on from their early descriptions as children.
Perhaps it was the author’s intent to distance the characters from the reader, emphasizing their “otherness” by not developing any significant traits in them to draw them closer to the reader. Just as they never felt accepted in their worlds, maybe she wanted the reader to also not accept them, and to always view them as penultimate outsiders.
The moral judgment of the characters, white, homosexual, heterosexual, Asian, American, rich and poor, was atrocious. While I wanted to keep reading to discover where the book would lead me, I was disappointed when it finally decided on one direction and took me there. At times, the narrative waxed poetic and at times it felt like it was geared to a young adult reader. It never truly grew up into a book I could recommend to others.
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LibraryThing member astridnr
Searching for Sylvie Lee is an engaging read. Sylvie, is the child of a hard working, but poor Chinese immigrant couple living in New York. She is sent to live with her grandmother and aunt and uncle in the Netherlands and spends most of her early childhood there. Eventually she returns to New York
I found this book to be very interesting on many levels, touching on a number of poignant themes. The story is told from the perspective of Sylvie, her sister and her mother and is told with compassion and humanity. Jean Kwok writes a moving book. I definitely recommend this read.
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to again live with her family, which includes a younger sister. At the time the action takes place, Sylvie has travelled to Amsterdam to be with her dying grandmother and has disappeared. Against this backdrop the plot unfolds. This is the story of unrequited love, of family secrets, of heartbreak.I found this book to be very interesting on many levels, touching on a number of poignant themes. The story is told from the perspective of Sylvie, her sister and her mother and is told with compassion and humanity. Jean Kwok writes a moving book. I definitely recommend this read.
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LibraryThing member Lauranthalas
Searching for Sylvie Lee is so many things woven together into one book: a mystery dealing with relationships, immigration, families, cultures, secrets, and so much more. I absolutely love this book. It’s a beautifully written, thought-provoking novel that will fill you with so many emotions.
“It is a profound exploration of the many ways culture and language can divide us and the impossibility of ever truly knowing someone—especially those we love.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
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“It is a profound exploration of the many ways culture and language can divide us and the impossibility of ever truly knowing someone—especially those we love.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member l-mo
A quick paced novel, Searching for Sylvie Lee kept me interested throughout its entirety. It’s not the most original book, but the characters are believable and I enjoyed the differences presented on how one views oneself vs how others perceive you.
LibraryThing member RachelRamirez
Searching for Sylvie Lee was a beautifully written story of two sisters, culture, immigration, generational differences, and family conflict and secrets. When Sylvie goes missing, Amy must confront their differences in order to discover the truth.
LibraryThing member rglossne
Sylvie Lee goes to Amsterdam to see her dying grandmother, and disappears. Amy Lee, her sister, lives in Brooklyn with their parents, follows to try to find her. The Lees are an immigrant family with a complicated past. Amy and Sylvie's mother left Sylvie as a small child with her mother in the
In the process of searching for Sylvie, Amy learns that Sylvie's seemingly perfect life, career, and marriage, are falling apart. The narrative follows the sisters' experiences in the Netherlands, before her disappearance for Sylvie, after for Amy. Each uncovers family secrets and comes to understand her family in a new way. While at first it was jarring to me to think about a Chinese family settled in the Netherlands, I got past my limited view and found the story compelling.
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Netherlands, as her life in the US was difficult. Sylvie joined the family in the US when she was 9 and Amy was a toddler. In the process of searching for Sylvie, Amy learns that Sylvie's seemingly perfect life, career, and marriage, are falling apart. The narrative follows the sisters' experiences in the Netherlands, before her disappearance for Sylvie, after for Amy. Each uncovers family secrets and comes to understand her family in a new way. While at first it was jarring to me to think about a Chinese family settled in the Netherlands, I got past my limited view and found the story compelling.
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LibraryThing member bookmuse56
Jean Kwok’s latest novel is rueful, richly detailed and often harrowing as we follow three women; the mother, the younger sister - Amy, and Sylvie Lee, the missing beautiful and successful older daughter.
The title is the first hint that there is more to the storyline than just a
At the beginning this storyline was a slow burn but by the end this book was definitely worth the wait as the puzzles presented by unreliable narrators intertwine in a seamless way. I often wondered as withheld secrets were eluded or contradicted who was telling the truth.
A deliberate and suspenseful tale spiked with themes of cultural identity, cultural expectations and the differing views of immigration on generations within a family.
This book is a terrific pick for book clubs as it showcases how memory become story and thus a form of immortality.
The title is the first hint that there is more to the storyline than just a
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“disappearance”. As a mindful writer, Kwok makes her point in a deliberate and quietly suspenseful style.At the beginning this storyline was a slow burn but by the end this book was definitely worth the wait as the puzzles presented by unreliable narrators intertwine in a seamless way. I often wondered as withheld secrets were eluded or contradicted who was telling the truth.
A deliberate and suspenseful tale spiked with themes of cultural identity, cultural expectations and the differing views of immigration on generations within a family.
This book is a terrific pick for book clubs as it showcases how memory become story and thus a form of immortality.
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LibraryThing member stephvin
Excellent book that spans three cultures: Chinese, American and Dutch. This book is about a Chinese couple who struggle financially and who have a female child they send to live with relatives in the Netherlands. When she returns to her parents in America she develops a life that appears successful
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on its face. Her sister Amy adores her. Sylvia the first daughter raised in the Netherlands returns when her grandmother is dying. From this time she disappears and the bulk of the book describes from each characters perspective what happens. There are twists and turns and an unanticipated ending. The writing is beautiful and the plot captivating. I highly recommend this book.. Show Less
LibraryThing member Booklover217
"In love and life, we never know when we are telling ourselves stories. We are the ultimate unreliable narrators."- Sylvie Lee
Sylvie Lee spent the first nine years of her life in the Netherlands being raised by her grandmother in the home of her mother's rich cousin. The rest of her days she lived
Jean Kwok tells a beautiful story through three perspectives: Sylvie, Ma(mother) and Amy (younger sister). Kwok writes characters with so much depth and emotion that you can't help but be drawn to each one. Whether you hate some or love others, you can't contain the feelings evoked. Where Kwok excelled was in her use of such beautiful prose. Each sentence was perfectly crafted and painted a beautiful picture of each scene. Her juxtaposition of Chinese metaphors within the text was brilliant and perfectly placed. Each word help you visualize the characters, setting and time. They gave context to each pivotal scene.
The novel tackles heavy topics in a beautiful way. The main themes were identity, immigrant experience, racism, stereotypes, family drama, cultural experience, tradition, self esteem/ confidence, family secrets, love and mental health. It was rich, ripe with emotion and full of depth. It was a story that left me breathless and heartbroken during some parts, yet also had me cheering through some parts when particular characters found their voice. It is a story that will always stay with me because it teaches you about the human spirit and what it means for some to truly broken by life and circumstance. The title is perfectly fitting because by the end when it all come together, you figure out the deep meaning. Bravo to Jean Kwok for such a beautiful, emotive tale that will remain close to my heart for years to come.
Sylvie Lee spent the first nine years of her life in the Netherlands being raised by her grandmother in the home of her mother's rich cousin. The rest of her days she lived
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with her parents and a younger sister, who completely adores her. Sylvie goes on to get an education, a great career and marries a rich man in what seems to be the ultimate American dream. When her grandmother falls ill. Sylvie drops everything to go care for her until she dies. Immediately afterwards, Sylvie disappears without a trace from the very place she always longed to return to. Amy, her very sheltered little sister leaves the safety of Queens and embarks on a journey to a foreign place in search of Sylvie Lee. With every turn, the story begins to get more complicated. Jean Kwok tells a beautiful story through three perspectives: Sylvie, Ma(mother) and Amy (younger sister). Kwok writes characters with so much depth and emotion that you can't help but be drawn to each one. Whether you hate some or love others, you can't contain the feelings evoked. Where Kwok excelled was in her use of such beautiful prose. Each sentence was perfectly crafted and painted a beautiful picture of each scene. Her juxtaposition of Chinese metaphors within the text was brilliant and perfectly placed. Each word help you visualize the characters, setting and time. They gave context to each pivotal scene.
The novel tackles heavy topics in a beautiful way. The main themes were identity, immigrant experience, racism, stereotypes, family drama, cultural experience, tradition, self esteem/ confidence, family secrets, love and mental health. It was rich, ripe with emotion and full of depth. It was a story that left me breathless and heartbroken during some parts, yet also had me cheering through some parts when particular characters found their voice. It is a story that will always stay with me because it teaches you about the human spirit and what it means for some to truly broken by life and circumstance. The title is perfectly fitting because by the end when it all come together, you figure out the deep meaning. Bravo to Jean Kwok for such a beautiful, emotive tale that will remain close to my heart for years to come.
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LibraryThing member Dreesie
This novel is a page turner--it's a mystery, a family saga, and an immigration story all wrapped together. It is told from multiple viewpoints and jumps back and forth in time. All things I love, when they are done well. A perfect book for an airplane trip or a day at the pool (as long as oyu're
In short, it is excellent. It is fabulously crafted. The clues are all there, I thought I knew where this was heading--and I turned out to be right. But I wasn't really sure until the end. Which is just how I like it.
Thank you to William Morrow and LibraryThing for sending me an ARC for this book.
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Sylvie Lee--27, married, successful go-getter--heads to the Netherlands because her grandmother is dying. She spent her first 9 years living with her aunt, uncle, cousin, and grandmother there and has not been back til now. She reconnects with friends while there as well.
After her grandmother's death, she tells everyone she is heading home to NY, and then disappears. A week later her younger sister Amy, who has always been in her shadow, arrives to help search. She learns a lot about her sister while there, and better understands why she is who she is. She also uncovers family secrets.
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not watching kids, because you will get wrapped up in this!).In short, it is excellent. It is fabulously crafted. The clues are all there, I thought I knew where this was heading--and I turned out to be right. But I wasn't really sure until the end. Which is just how I like it.
Thank you to William Morrow and LibraryThing for sending me an ARC for this book.
———
Sylvie Lee--27, married, successful go-getter--heads to the Netherlands because her grandmother is dying. She spent her first 9 years living with her aunt, uncle, cousin, and grandmother there and has not been back til now. She reconnects with friends while there as well.
After her grandmother's death, she tells everyone she is heading home to NY, and then disappears. A week later her younger sister Amy, who has always been in her shadow, arrives to help search. She learns a lot about her sister while there, and better understands why she is who she is. She also uncovers family secrets.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
Here's a multi-narrator, suspenseful domestic thriller set in Amsterdam, featuring a fractured Chinese-American family. Amy is searching for her elder sister Sylvie, who disappeared after returning to Holland to see their dying grandmother. Sylvie was raised by her aunt and uncle in Amsterdam until
Quotes: "Ma is delicate and yielding, like a coconut rice ball. Sylvie is all long limbs and sharp edges, more of a broadsword saber."
"If you do not speak, no one will ever hear you."
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she was nine, due to the financial struggles of her parents, who were just getting launched in New York City after emigrating from China. Sylvie, on the surface successful in marriage and career, is really yearning to return to Europe and especially to see her cousin Lukas, her childhood companion. The voices of Amy, Sylvie, and their mother, all owning disparate pieces of the puzzle of Sylvie, are dramatic and sympathetic, and there are excellent secondary character as well. A fine, suspenseful novel.Quotes: "Ma is delicate and yielding, like a coconut rice ball. Sylvie is all long limbs and sharp edges, more of a broadsword saber."
"If you do not speak, no one will ever hear you."
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LibraryThing member jmoncton
Although superficially, this story might get tagged as a mystery, it's really a story about family dynamics, and especially family secrets. Sylvie, the perfect older daughter of a Chinese American family, goes missing in the Netherlands and it's up to her younger sister Amy to try and find her. The
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story alternates between Amy's and Sylvie's point of view and often recounts the same situation but through completely different eyes. What unfolds is a complicated intertwined mess of family relationships and secrets. I thought the setting in the Netherlands was especially fascinating and vividly portrayed. Show Less
Awards
Read with Jenna (2019-06 — 2019)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-06-04
Physical description
336 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
006291202X / 9780062912022