Paper Names: A Novel
An unexpected act of violence brings together a Chinese-American family and a wealthy white lawyer in this propulsive and sweeping story of family, identity, and the American experience. Set in New York and China over three decades, Paper Names explores what it means to be American from three different perspectives. Taut, panoramic and powerful, debut novelist Susie Luo's Paper Names is an unforgettable story about the long shadows of our parents, the ripple effect of our decisions and the ways in which our love transcends difference.
Available May 2, 2023
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Community Reviews
I wanted to like this more than I did. Beginning was slow to find the conflict, and I felt the ending had no resolution.
Chinese Immigrant family. Dad works as a doorman at a fancy apartment, his daughter ends up going to Harvard law. Their lives intersect with a white lawyer who teaches the daughter piano, and ends up being involved in their lives in a lot of ways. The ending wrapped up a little too quickly and not too satisfactorily. But reading the book was great
Content warning for death, interpersonal violence, child abuse, vehicular manslaughter, and related topics. I take issue with this book's synopsis, because it made me expect a completely different novel. It was good, I liked pieces, but this was another one where the pacing got to me. The first half of the novel, I was super close to putting it down. I eventually got into it, but the first half almost let the rest of the book down.
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