Foreigners
Description
Perfect for fans of Pachinko and Last Night at the Telegraph Club, this propulsive, tender novel follows an immigrant family across generations as they navigate love, belonging, and the great fictions we must weave to preserve a legacy.
For centuries, the Chin family has kept its secrets.
In 1878, Duanfang knows he’s destined for greatness. He’ll do anything to uphold and protect the legacy of his Manchu family—even if it means hiding his past.
In 1965, Zheng Yi flies from Taiwan to New York City to have a shot at attending an American college. Thrown into a world of parties, prejudice, and a tumultuous romance, Yi worries that New York may be more than she can handle. But just as she is beginning to adjust, she must make a shocking decision that will irrevocably change her life and her future forever.
Today, Dawn Chin’s family is opaque at best, with heavy expectations and heavier silences. But an assignment to interview her grandmother is about to crack open her real family history: a legacy hundreds of years old, and a lie decades in the making . . .
- An ambitious, literary gem
- A multi-POV story following one family across generations
- A thrilling historical romance with a shocking, unforgettable twist
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Person
E. L. Shen is the author of The Queens of New York, which is a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year and a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick. Her debut novel, The Comeback, was praised in The New York Times for its fast-paced prose, authentic dialogue, and big emotions. Her most recent novel, Maybe It’s a Sign, is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. She currently lives in Connecticut with her husband. Learn more at elshenwrites.com.