How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee
How We Disappeared
by Jing-Jing Lee
This is a story about family. It’s
a story about war. It’s a story about surviving. A story about living after
loss. It’s a story of healing and a story about the passing of time. It’s a
story of teenage girl taken from her family during World War II and forced to
live for years in a brothel as a comfort woman. It’s the story of a women
married to a man for decades, who both suffering from the pains of war, never
really knew each other or shared their past. It’s the story of a boy whose
grandmother left him with a truth that he doesn’t know how to share.
This novel takes place in Singapore
during both World War II and the early 21st century. It focuses heavily on the
atrocities committed by the Japanese during the war and the affect that had on
the Chinese communities during and after the war for generations to come. Lee
did a beautiful job weaving these stories together and creating these
characters. She created such interesting family dynamics that really defined
the way generations reacted with each other. The way she described the cultural
aspect shaped not only the characters but the world building as well. Times of
war felt desolate and scarce. The tone of her writing would reflect the world
building in a way that you could feel the emotional weight of each moment and
each action.
I thought I had certain elements and plot points figured out, only for
more parts of the truth to be unveiled and for things to shift. The blending of
the past and the present lent itself beautifully to this novel. It leaves you exploring
so many questions about how we cope with love and loss and traumatic
experiences. Lee did such a great job exploring all of those themes. Definitely
a novel I could recommend for not only her writing but her ability flesh out
characters and moments to have the most emotional impact. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest
review.
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