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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