Homeseeking by Karissa Chen
This sweeping epic examines themes of displacement, identity and loss through the lives of a couple separated by war and circumstance. Suchi and Haiwen meet as children in pre-WWII Shanghai. Their connection is instant and intense, and friendship eventually blossoms into love. But Shanghai is gripped by occupation and political upheaval, and Haiwen is forced to enlist in the Nationalist Army and leave home. The war displaces Suchi too, when her fearful parents send her to Hong Kong along with her sister. The couple lose touch but never stop wondering about and longing for one another. Weaving back and forth through time and place, the novel reflects on 60 years of Chinese history and the varied experiences of the Chinese diaspora. Though Haiwen and Suchi’s stories are marked by pain and heartbreak, there is hope there too, and resilience in the face of struggle. Ambitious in scope and filled with truths that are universal, Homeseeking is a novel that lingers.
Reviewed by Mary Kinser, collection development librarian, Whatcom County Library System
(Originally published in Bellingham Alive May 2025 issue.)