The Expatriates by Janice Lee

The Expatriates by Janice Lee is a very atmospheric book – the reader can sense the “heaviness,” the isolation, and the constraints that often surprisingly define the lives of those living overseas.  Small, closed communities, like this one in Hong Kong, force the members, especially women, to conform.  In The Expatriates, Janice Lee (The Piano Teacher) shares the thoughts and emotions of three women, ultimately describing how their lives intertwine. 

Mercy is a young twenty-something who seems ever adrift without much purpose, despite an education at Columbia; Margaret Reade is a trailing spouse, giving her career a hiatus to follow her husband and care for the children; and finally, there is Hilary who wants a child desperately, contributes to the local gossip and is shocked when it reflects back on her actions.  Each of these women is very self-centered in her own way, yet the reader is left to ask if that is not a necessary part of self-preservation in this rather artificial environment. Who should each women trust? And why? The unthinkable happens, grief seems pervasive, and Lee adds an element of suspense that propels the story forward.

I found The Expatriates to be a very engaging read, especially since I had lived overseas for several years.  Its themes of motherhood/marriage, acceptance/friendship, and racial and class stereotypes are universal and the characters and their musings are fascinating, if not always sympathetic. 

The Expatriates by Janice Lee received a starred review from Library Journal.