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A review by bookdragon217
Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok
5.0
"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 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.
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 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.