River East, River West set in China
River East, River West
Off to China in 1985 and 2017 in this novel. It’s a coming of age story and one about immigration too so there was a lot to unpack and enjoy. This is one of those novels that you feel good that you’ve read as you’ve learned about something that you might not have thought of before.
Off to China I go….
Susan Booktrailer x
BookTrail the locations in River East River West
Boarding Pass Information
Destination : China
Author guide: Aube Rey Lescure
Genre: coming of age
Food and drink to accompany: Black bean sauce chicken
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A novel to transport you to China
BookTrail the locations in River East River West
A story of fitting in and working out where you belong.
Duckworth are producing some fine reads. River East, River West is one of them. The location of China in two timelines makes this even more interesting as things have changed quite a lot between 1985 and 2007 between rural and urban China.
In 1985 we are in Qingdao, we meet Lu Fang works as a lowly shipping clerk. He has dreams but China is changing and is opening up to a new future by allowing in outsiders (foreigners) and more diverse capital. The contrast between the past and future has never been more apparent. When we flip 22 years and end up in 2007, you can also see how China is changing and how those living there are feeling. Alva is half way between a Chinese and American world – the focus here is an expat school where all of the nuances of an expat life are revealed. One foot in one culture and the other in another one entirely.
There’s no fast pace or mystery here but what you have is a look into the expat life, a look at what identity means and what belonging feels like.
Moving and sad in parts, hopeful and inspiring in others.
BookTrail the locations in River East River West
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More books set in China
BookTrail Boarding Pass: River East River West
Twitter: AubeReyLescure
