Okay, I'll admit it, I might be biased here though when it comes to "Homeseeking" by Karissa Chen. Just putting that out there as a potential *book review* disclaimer!

In a Nutshell: *Homeseeking* by Karissa Chen is a historical saga that unfolds over six decades, focusing on two characters and their lives across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the USA. It boasts excellent characters, meticulous research, immersive historical atmosphere, and compelling story development. The reverse flow of the two timelines is a brilliant narrative technique. While it occasionally feels a bit lengthy and drawn out, overall, it's a worthwhile and enriching read. If you enjoy his...

"We can never again be who we were . . . It's impossible. We've already missed each other." I left Shanghai when I was nine. By the time I was able to make it back for a visit almost a decade later, the city of my birth and early years, along with the people I'd loved, were all inexorably changed. Maybe that's why I'm always drawn to stories set in Shanghai. The city of my youth exists now solely in my memories, and I keep having this steadfast hope that, by reading about it, maybe somehow I'...

Such a beautiful, authentic, character-driven book. *Homeseeking* wasn’t as “in-your-face” emotional as I expected, but I love the subtlety of this one. Karissa Chen has crafted something truly special here.

The timeline was a bit disorienting for me overall, but I totally get why the story was told this way. If you're looking for insightful book reviews, definitely check out *Homeseeking*.

Karissa Chen's *Homeseeking* is a historical fiction novel exploring themes of love, displacement, and the fundamental human need to belong. Spanning six decades, the story follows Suchi and Haiwen from their early years in 1930s Shanghai, through war and political turmoil, to their surprising reunion in Los Angeles in 2008. Their lives unfold across Taiwan, Hong Kong, California, and New York. I struggled with this debut novel. The author's shifting between past and present timelines often felt...

One of my reading goals this year is to dive deeper into historical fiction, especially with a touch of romance, and *Homeseeking* totally delivered! I'll admit, I'm pretty clueless about Chinese history, so I really appreciated learning about the hardships these characters faced and the political landscape of the time, all thanks to Karissa Chen's storytelling. The narrative structure was so unique, flipping between the female main character's perspective from past to present and the male lead'...

Heaven is probably a long, character-driven book. Those are the kinds of books I find unputdownable—long, slow family dramas unfolding over decades, with characters that grow more layered with every page. This story begins with Suchi in 1940s China and Haiwen in 2000s California, then traces Suchi forwards and Haiwen back until they've found each other, across the world and across lives, over and over again. I don't always love historical fiction, which I often find has a stiff and formal st...

My review for the Washington Post:While Karissa Chen’s sweeping epic, "Homeseeking," centers on war, love, and family, more than anything it’s about the immigrant’s phantom limb — the longing for home and for the lives and loves left behind.The book uses a wide lens, showing the upheaval of the Chinese Civil War, the tumult of the Cultural Revolution, and the dissonance of immigration, while never taking the focus off the two lovers at the center of the story: Suchi and Haiwen, who meet as kinde...

Oh man, I haven't full-on sobbed at a book like this since "A Little Life." "Homeseeking" is like a modern "The Joy Luck Club," following Suji and Haeven as they grow up in WWII-era International Settlement Shanghai and then deal with the fallout of the Chinese Civil War in the years that follow. It's a gorgeous, absolutely heartbreaking story about family and the impossible choices we make for the people we love more than anything. Definitely one for fans of emotional historical fiction and Kar...

4.5 stars rounded up to 5! What a read! I was completely captivated by this story! "Homeseeking" is both a coming-of-age tale and a poignant story of reconnection after years of separation. It's an emotional journey, and incredibly educational. Karissa Chen's thorough research shines through – I was genuinely impressed by her ability to portray the complexities of modern Chinese war and politics and the impact on ordinary people. While the backdrop is war, at its heart, "Homeseeking" is a story...