JANICE Y. K. LEE

"Raise a glass: The first great book-club novel of 2016 has arrived.” —USA Today, 4/4 stars “A female, funny Henry James in Asia, Janice Y. K. Lee is vividly good on the subject of Americans abroad.” —The New York Times Book Review “Sex and the City meets Lost in Translation.” —The Skimm Janice Y. K. Lee’s New York Times bestselling debut, The Piano Teacher, was called “immensely satisfying” by People, “intensely readable” by O, The Oprah Magazine, and “a rare and exquisite story” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Now, in her long-awaited new novel, Lee explores with devastating poignancy the emotions, identities, and relationships of three very different American women living in the same small expat community in Hong Kong. Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, is adrift, undone by a terrible incident in her recent past. Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, something she believes could save her foundering marriage. Meanwhile, Margaret, once a happily married mother of three, questions her maternal identity in the wake of a shattering loss. As each woman struggles with her own demons, their lives collide in ways that have irreversible consequences for them all. Atmospheric, moving, and utterly compelling, The Expatriates confirms Lee as an exceptional talent and one of our keenest observers of women’s inner lives. From the Hardcover edition.

In the sweeping tradition of The English Patient, a gripping tale of love and betrayal set in war-torn Hong KongIn 1942, Will Truesdale, an Englishman newly arrived in Hong Kong, falls headlong into a passionate relationship with Trudy Liang, a beautiful Eurasian socialite. But their love affair is soon threatened by the invasion of the Japanese as World War II overwhelms their part of the world. Will is sent to an internment camp, where he and other foreigners struggle daily for survival. Meanwhile, Trudy remains outside, forced to form dangerous alliances with the Japanese?in particular, the malevolent head of the gendarmerie, whose desperate attempts to locate a priceless collection of Chinese art lead to a chain of terrible betrayals.Ten years later, Claire Pendleton comes to Hong Kong and is hired by the wealthy Chen family as their daughter?s piano teacher. A provincial English newlywed, Claire is seduced by the heady social life of the expatriate community. At one of its elegant cocktail parties, she meets Will, to whom she is instantly attracted?but as their affair intensifies, Claire discovers that Will?s enigmatic persona hides a devastating past. As she begins to understand the true nature of the world she has entered, and long-buried secrets start to emerge, Claire learns that sometimes the price of survival is love.

Casada con un funcionario destinado en Hong Kong, Claire Pendleton llega a la colonia británica con el entusiasmo y la ingenuidad propios de una joven dispuesta a descubrir un mundo diferente. Al poco tiempo, cuando una prominente y acaudalada familia china la contrata como maestra de piano de su pequeña hija, Claire se ve inmersa en la embriagadora vida social del lugar y, fascinada por un ambiente tan ajeno a sus origenes, no tarda en relacionarse con Will Truesdale, un hombre enigmatico cuyo caracter reservado oculta una historia que se remonta diez años atras, durante la traumatica invasion japonesa de la isla. Asi pues, el pasado resurge en torno a figuras como Reggie Arbogast, un empresario ingles empeñado en cumplir una mision inconfesable, y, sobre todo, Trudy Liang, una belleza eurasiatica cuya personalidad arrolladora e impulsiva centraba la atencion del mas selecto y hermetico circulo social de la colonia. Pero cuando las fiestas en las mansiones de las colinas y los clubes junto al mar acaban de forma abrupta a causa de la ocupacion nipona, la frivolidad y la displicencia dejan paso a una sorda y feroz lucha por la supervivencia. Situada en dos momentos claves de la historia de Hong Kong, en visperas de la invasion japonesa y durante el renacimiento de la ciudad posterior a la guerra, esta primera novela de Janice Y.K. Lee se desarrolla en dos planos superpuestos. Bajo el aparente esplendor de la vida de la colonia extranjera en la ciudad, evocada con extraordinaria riqueza de matices, las complejas relaciones entre los personajes conforman un carrusel de intereses y pasiones propios de personas sometidas a las tensiones de una crisis historica.

In 1942, Will Truesdale, an Englishman newly arrived in Hong Kong, falls headlong into a passionate relationship with Trudy Liang, a beautiful Eurasian socialite. But their love affair is soon threatened by the invasion of the Japanese as World War II overwhelms their part of the world. Will is sent to an internment camp, where he and other foreigners struggle daily for survival. Meanwhile, Trudy remains outside, forced to form dangerous alliances with the Japaneseain particular, the malevolent head of the gendarmerie, whose desperate attempts to locate a priceless collection of Chinese art lead to a chain of terrible betrayals.

Set in present-day Hong Kong, The Expatriates follows the lives of three women. An unspeakable tragedy leaves twenty-something Mercy with a crippling personal inertia, and Margaret, a mother of three, numb and unable to heal. In the same small expatriate community, Hilary tries to distract herself from a marriage gone stale by providing piano lessons for a local orphan, only to find her actions openly criticized on an anonymous online forum.The individual, sometimes overlapping perspectives of Mercy, Margaret and Hilary are woven together, exposing the insularity and complex privilege of the expatriate world, whilst also revealing the fragility of a woman''s position in the world.. When the women are struck by tragedy, each of them realizes how shockingly dependent they were upon conforming to the unspoken rules of their milieu. In Hong Kong, without speaking Cantonese or having a job (it is almost always the husband who precipitates the move), these women find themselves, almost unexpectedly, stripped of their former identities and living in a land of country clubs and housemaids. Without their familiar ties to family, friends, and jobs,they find themselves in a world where the old rules no longer apply.The Expatriates is a novel about overpowering grief, the transformative power of forgiveness and how finding oneself in a strange land can be the best way to find one''s true self.

Ambitious, exotic, and a classic book club read, The Piano Teacher is a combination of Tenko meets The Remains of the Day. Sometimes the end of a love affair is only the beginning In 1942, Will Truesdale, an Englishman newly arrived in Hong Kong, falls headlong into a passionate relationship with Trudy Liang, a beautiful Eurasian socialite. But their love affair is soon threatened by the invasion of the Japanese, with terrible consequences for both of them, and for members of their fragile community who will betray each other in the darkest days of the war. Ten years later, Claire Pendleton lands in Hong Kong and is hired by the wealthy Chen family as their daughters piano teacher. A provincial English newlywed, Claire is seduced by the colonys heady social life. She soon begins an affaironly to discover that her lovers enigmatic demeanour hides a devastating past. As the threads of this compelling and engrossing novel intertwine and converge, a landscape of impossible choices emerges between love and safety, courage and survival, the present and above all, the past.

THE INSPIRATION FOR EXPATSAN ORIGINAL SERIES STARRING NICOLE KIDMANNOW STREAMING ON PRIME VIDEODevastating and heartwarming, and exquisite in every way, this is a book youll fall deeply in love with and never want to put down.Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians From the New York Times bestselling author of The Piano Teacher, a searing novel of marriage, motherhood, and the search for connection far from home. In the glittering city of Hong Kong, expats arrive daily for myriad reasonsto find or lose themselves in a foreign place, and to forget or remake themselves far from home. Amidst this hothouse atmosphere, a tragic incident causes three American womens lives to collide in ways that will rewrite every assumption of their privileged world: Mercy, a young Korean American and recent Columbia graduate, once again finds herself compromised and adrift, trying to start her life anew; Hilary, a wealthy housewife, is haunted by her struggle to have a child, hoping to save her uncertain marriage; meanwhile, Margaret, once the enviable mother of three, tries to negotiate an existence that has become utterly unrecognizable after a catastrophic event. Faced with unthinkable choices, these three women form a profound connection that defies the norms of the sequestered communityfinding in each other a strength borne of need, forgiveness, and ultimately hope. Atmospheric and utterly compelling, The Expatriates showcases Lees exceptional talent as one of our keenest observers of womens inner lives.

WINNER OF THE THE GREEN STORIES PRIZE 2023Fairhaven A Novel of Climate Optimism traces the lives of a group of innovators, engineers, and visionaries as they struggle against the odds to bring climate solutions to Southeast Asia and to the world. Grace Chan, a young Malaysian working at the Fairhaven infrastructure project in Penang, is terrified of what the future might bring. She reluctantly comes to terms with the role that she and her colleagues will play in addressing that future, and the toll it will take on their own lives. Nearby, on an abandoned oil platform, three unlikely companions come together by chance as they discover an unexpected opportunity arising from a devastating accident. Meanwhile, in the distant north, a Japanese assistant professor takes a bold idea from concept to reality.As they work towards their common goals, a more powerful force lies in wait, which may bring them success or disaster. Praise for FairhavenIn a time when the narrative matters more than we can possibly imagine, the need for story telling that lets us reflect on who we are, who were becoming, and the world we wish to create is incredibly important. This book is that story. It will open up a door to your imagination while serving as a bridge to the place of yourself that remembers our strengths and why were here. Its beautiful and engaging and a true testament to our times. Anne Therese, Author of The Climate Optimist.Gripping drama bursting with inspiring ideas of what is possible: a map to the future D.A. Baden, founder of Green Stories and author of Habitat Man.This engrossing novel offers a rare combination of in-depth technical knowledge with a flair for telling compelling stories. It brings the story of a diverse cast of characters to life as they try to solve real climate change problems before its too late. Catherine Cole, Asia Sustainability Advisor and former CEO, MOTIFClimate change is the most pressing environmental topic of today, as it has already affected this generation and is expected to be an even more severe issue for future generations to cope with. Reading this climate fiction book will educate and entertain you, and more importantly, tell you that individual actions can alleviate the climate crisis. Edwin Lau, Founder and Executive Director, The Green EarthNo turning back now. We have crossed the threshold where fact will be stranger than fiction. Ironically good climate fiction like Fairhaven, may help us envision a path forward and give us inspiration for the challenging journey ahead. John Englander, Author, Moving to Higher Ground, Rising Sea Level and the Path Forward (2021)The future of Earths climate is a story we get to discover together. Climate fiction like Fairhaven is needed to illuminate the possibilities ahead. Tito Jankowski, CEO, AirMinersIn a world grappling with climate despair, Fairhaven emerges as a beacon of optimistic possibilities. Willis and Lee weave a compelling narrative that intertwines the urgency of climate action with the power of human resilience and innovative spirit. Tom Raftery, Technology Exec Evangelist & Influencer Sustainability, Supply Chain, Energy, EVs.We cant navigate our way to a better future fed on a diet of nothing but doom and gloom. we need stories to challenge, provoke and inspire to help us dare to imagine and act with hope Fairhaven does just that! ...

Situada en dos momentos claves de la historia de Hong Kong, en vísperas de la invasión japonesa y durante el renacimiento de la ciudad posterior a la guerra, esta novela conforma un carrusel de intereses y pasiones propios de personas sometidas a las tensiones de una crisis historica.Casada con un funcionario destinado en Hong Kong, Claire Pendleton llega a la colonia britanica con el entusiasmo y la ingenuidad propios de una joven dispuesta a descubrir un mundo diferente. Al poco tiempo, cuando una prominente y acaudalada familia china la contrata como maestra de piano de su pequeña hija, Claire se ve inmersa en la embriagadora vida social del lugar y, fascinada por un ambiente tan ajeno a sus origenes, no tarda en relacionarse con Will Truesdale, un hombre enigmatico cuyo caracter reservado oculta una historia que se remonta diez años atras, durante la traumatica invasion japonesa de la isla.Asi pues, el pasado resurge en torno a figuras como Reggie Arbogast, un empresario ingles empeñado en cumplir una mision inconfesable, y, sobre todo, Trudy Liang, una belleza eurasiatica cuya personalidad arrolladora e impulsiva centraba la atencion del mas selecto y hermetico circulo social de la colonia. Pero cuando las fiestas en las mansiones de las colinas y los clubes junto al mar acaban de forma abrupta a causa de la ocupacion nipona, la frivolidad y la displicencia dejan paso a una sorda y feroz lucha por la supervivencia.Reseñas: Esta primera y excelente novela de Janice Y.K. Lee habla de la codicia, el amor, el deseo, la guerra [...] y de Hong Kong, una ciudad que asiste fria y distante a la ascension de unos, la caida de otros, y la ruina moral de casi todos.La VanguardiaLa maestra de piano es un delicioso artefacto literario que conviene leer con detenimiento. [...] Janice Lee es una observadora meticulosa e incisiva, atenta a los detalles aparentemente triviales. [...] Un debut sobresaliente.El Correo

El 1942, Will Truesdale, un angl:amp;egrave;s acabat d:amp;#39;arribar a Hong Kong, s:amp;#39;enamora apassionadament de Trudy Liang, una bella eurasiatica que freq:amp;uuml;enta els salons de la bona societat. La seva hist:amp;ograve;ria d:amp;#39;amor es veu de seguida amena:amp;ccedil;ada per la invasi:amp;oacute; japonesa, que tindra terribles conseq:amp;uuml;:amp;egrave;ncies per a tots dos i per a tots els membres de la seva fragil comunitat, que acabaran traint-se els uns als altres en els dies m:amp;eacute;s foscos de la guerra.Deu anys m:amp;eacute;s tard, Claire Pendleton arriba a Hong Kong, on :amp;eacute;s contractada com a professora de piano pels Chen perqu:amp;egrave; ensenyi la seva filla. Claire se sent sedu:amp;iuml;da per la vida social de la col:amp;ograve;nia. Aviat coneix un individu i hi t:amp;eacute; un afer. Al cap de poc descobreix que el comportament enigmatic del seu amant amaga un passat molt fosc.

Situada en dos momentos claves de la historia de Hong Kong, en vísperas de la invasión japonesa y durante el renacimiento de la ciudad posterior a la guerra, esta novela conforma un carrusel de intereses y pasiones propios de personas sometidas a las tensiones de una crisis historica. Casada con un funcionario destinado en Hong Kong, Claire Pendleton llega a la colonia britanica con el entusiasmo y la ingenuidad propios de una joven dispuesta a descubrir un mundo diferente. Al poco tiempo, cuando una prominente y acaudalada familia china la contrata como maestra de piano de su pequeña hija, Claire se ve inmersa en la embriagadora vida social del lugar y, fascinada por un ambiente tan ajeno a sus origenes, no tarda en relacionarse con Will Truesdale, un hombre enigmatico cuyo caracter reservado oculta una historia que se remonta diez años atras, durante la traumatica invasion japonesa de la isla. Asi pues, el pasado resurge en torno a figuras como Reggie Arbogast, un empresario ingles empeñado en cumplir una mision inconfesable, y, sobre todo, Trudy Liang, una belleza eurasiatica cuya personalidad arrolladora e impulsiva centraba la atencion del mas selecto y hermetico circulo social de la colonia. Pero cuando las fiestas en las mansiones de las colinas y los clubes junto al mar acaban de forma abrupta a causa de la ocupacion nipona, la frivolidad y la displicencia dejan paso a una sorda y feroz lucha por la supervivencia.Reseñas:Esta primera y excelente novela de Janice Y.K. Lee habla de la codicia, el amor, el deseo, la guerra [...] y de Hong Kong, una ciudad que asiste fria y distante a la ascension de unos, la caida de otros, y la ruina moral de casi todos.La Vanguardia La maestra de piano es un delicioso artefacto literario que conviene leer con detenimiento. [...] Janice Lee es una observadora meticulosa e incisiva, atenta a los detalles aparentemente triviales. [...] Un debut sobresaliente.El Correo