When I finished reading this book, my first thought was that this was an interesting read and very different from what I initially expected going into it (my second thought was: This is a debut? It certainly didn’t read like one!). Given my background, I naturally gravitate toward immigrant stories (especially the ones involving immigrants from Asian countries to Western ones), where I know I will encounter experiences similar to my own – so when I read the summary for this one and saw that it would be a reversal of the traditional east-to-west immigrant story, I was definitely intrigued. Though having said that, I will admit I was also a bit concerned, as I associate “west-to-east immigrant narrative” with “story about the expatriate community in Asia” – as someone who came from a place with a long history of colonialism (the former British colony of Hong Kong), I am more than familiar with how the expat community operates and to be honest, it’s one of my least favorite things to read about (I guess you can say that I’m sick of picking up a book about an Asian country expecting to read about the local community and culture, only to find out it’s actually about expat shenanigans told from an expat perspective, with very little about the culture of the country itself). Add to that the fact that I’m also not a fan of “rich people behaving badly” stories (which is what many expat stories essentially boil down to), so of course, I was quite weary going into this one and was bracing myself for a potentially unpleasant reading experience. While there did indeed end up being quite a bit of “unpleasantness” in the story (those who’ve read this book will know what I mean), I was actually surprised by how different this one turned out from the typical expat stories that tend to glamorize the expat lifestyle. In her podcast interview with Books & Boba, the author Aube Rey Lescure talked at length about her inspiration for this book (I absolutely recommend listening to the interview after reading the book, as she provides some great insights and I actually appreciate the book a lot more than I would have otherwise) – one of the things she said that struck a chord with me is that she wrote this book not as a glamorization of the expat lifestyle, but rather, as an “anti-expat takedown” of sorts, highlighting the impact that the presence of these expats, with their indifference and condescension (and excessive, indulgent, high-riding lifestyles), had on the local Chinese community. Thinking back through the story after hearing Lescure say this, I see now that was the same sense I had gotten while reading this one, which is probably why I was able to appreciate this story more than other expat stories I’ve read.

In her interview, Lescure describes her book as a coming of age / family drama / social novel set in China, which is definitely an apt description. In her discussion with the hosts about this being an inversion of the usual east-to-west immigrant story, Lescure said that she couldn’t write the typical China to America immigrant story because that wasn’t her experience. Instead of being a story about Chinese immigrants in America, this one revolves around an American expat Sloan raising her biracial daughter Alva in modern-day (2007-2008 time period) Shanghai, China. Lescure said that her mother (who is French) separated with her father (who is Chinese) and raised her as a single mom in Shanghai – she went to the local Chinese public school for 8 years, then transferred to what she called a “budget” version of the international school for 2 years; significantly, her mother was a “renegade” who didn’t want to be part of the expat community, so their lifestyle was an unrooted one where they spent much of her childhood moving across Shanghai, renting one apartment after another. Throughout the story, Lescure included many cultural details and nuances to capture what her experience of growing up in Shanghai as a biracial teenager was like – she especially wanted to capture the granularity of her Chinese school experience and show how different it was from the international schools that the expat kids went to (fun Easter egg for those who’ve read the book: Lescure said that the test question scenario was from real life – she had answered that exact question the same way and got marked wrong…it was a moment of revelation for her about the education system in China). Something that Lescure did clarify was that even though certain elements of the story were based on her own experience, the sections about the expat community and lifestyle she actually did not experience, as those were based on what she heard from people she knew.

One of the things that stood out with this story is the way Lescure juxtaposed the two entirely different worlds – the nuances of the local Chinese community in which she grew up versus the glitz and glamor of the expat community – presenting both realistically to the point that it felt immersive. At the same time, she also interweaves the story of Lu Fang, the Chinese businessman whom Alva’s mom Sloan marries at the beginning of the story – the dual timeline narrative alternates between Alva’s perspective in the present (2007-2008) and Lu Fang’s perspective starting in 1985 and spanning decades, with both timelines ultimately converging in the present, in a way that I honestly did not see coming. In a sense, this story isn’t just about Alva’s coming of age, but also of Lu Fang’s, which I felt was an interesting way of structuring the story. I’ve mentioned in other reviews that with immigrant stories, we oftentimes get to hear from the immigrant child’s perspective, but rarely from the adults / parents’ perspectives, so I appreciated that with this story, Lescure chose to go in a different direction and give us Lu Fang’s story as well. For me, this added emotional depth to the story, especially at the end, when we find out some of the things that happened to Lu Fang and the impact this has on his relationship with Sloan and Alva.

Overall, this was a worthwhile read, though some parts will not only be difficult to stomach, but will also tick some people off (I certainly felt angry and frustrated with some of the things that happen) – of course, this means that there will be trigger warnings galore. Also, the characters aren’t too likable in here – the kids I could empathize with, but the adults (specifically the parents) I honestly could not stand (except for maybe Lu Fang at certain points in the story). Although with that said, after hearing Lescure describe her purpose for writing the characters the way she did and what she was trying to achieve by doing so, it did make me dislike them a little less.

The unlikable characters and some of the plot points aside though, another aspect of this book that I really enjoyed were the various cultural references (especially the Chinese ones), as well as the untranslated Chinese characters and phrases sprinkled throughout the story. In her interview, Lescure talks about this and mentions that the meanings of most of the Chinese words can be picked up from context (this is true, as majority of the Chinese was either translated or explained), but there are a few instances where only readers who know the Chinese language will pick up on (like the scene near the end with the Chinese poem, which was actually my favorite scene from the story). I always enjoy coming across things I recognize in books that I read – it makes the reading experience more fun and engaging (and the difficult aspects a tad more tolerable).

If you decide to pick this one up, I definitely recommend also listening to the author’s Books & Boba interview, as it puts the entire book in greater perspective. Like I mentioned earlier, I came to appreciate the book on a much different level than I would have otherwise.

Received ARC from William Morrow via NetGalley.

Thank you William Morrow for accepting my request to read and review River East, River West on NetGalley.

Stars: 3


This was okay. There were many scenes throughout that were difficult to read and imagining the action left me sick. The prejudices of Chinese versus Chinese-American are portrayed. In addition the wealthy versus poor. Educational opportunities of those who pay are shown and their interactions with a scholarship student. These are some examples. There are sexual exploits interspersed.

Overall I found this was too heavy for the time I chose to read it. In another head space, I don't think my rating would change; I didn't like the characters or the story. I did appreciate the historical aspects.


Published: 01/09/24

This book is so much better than expected. The description from the publisher tells you the basics of the story. It does not sound like a page turner, but I had a hard time putting it down.

"River East, River West" by Aube Rey Lescure is a dramatic, full of sad realities and circumstances of a young woman, and her parents, set-in modern-day Shanghai. Much unfulfilled ambitions, discontent, poverty, materialism, insecurities and miscommunications. Was powerful and raw. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Loved this book! Having lived in China for two years and experiencing the cultural differences, this author was spot on! Told from two perspectives during two different timeframes, the character development is spectacular. The relationship between mother and daughter that is explored is fraught with every emotion and gave me all the feels. Highly recommend!

Straddling the divide between East and West is fourteen year old Alva. She lives in Shanghai with her American mother, Sloan.
All Alva wants to do is go to school in America. When Sloan marries their landlord Lu Fang it seems that’s the end of her dreams.
As the story progresses Alva finds there is more similarities between Lu Fang and herself than she thought.
A coming of age story for Ava, a tale of dreams lost and stoic survival moving towards the promise of the unknown for Lu Fang.
Sad and thought provoking.

A William Morrow ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

This is a coming of age and immigrant story. Two timelines are intertwined. Alva's life with her single mother, the second with a stepfather. Alva's mother was a want to be actress who ran to Shanghai. Alva is trying to find her place being white and Chinese. I enjoyed the story. Everyone was trying to find where they belong.

Alva’s is so lost. My heart hurt for this character. She is sad, lost, and lonely.
Her mother is a drunk, or at least that is what we are told. Her stepfather is a rich businessman who I don’t understand.

I am so torn with this read. I had such high hopes for this book because I have heard so many good things about it. But sadly, it just feel short for me.

This debut novel was such a strong start to my 2024 reading year! Its title a reference to the two parts of Shanghai separated by the Huangpu River, RIVER EAST, RIVER WEST is an exploration of divisions and barriers—what we have and what we want, the lifestyles of 'locals' and expats, and the lines carved into our lives by history.

In Shanghai, 2007, fourteen-year-old Alva’s life changes after her often-struggling American mother, Sloan, marries a wealthy Chinese man, Lu Fang. Setting her sights on attending an international school, Alva ventures into the lifestyle of expats and finds a jarring disconnect. Her chapters are permeated with her alienation, loneliness, and fury. I admired her boldness and felt heartbroken for her naivety.

In alternating sections of the book, Lu Fang’s story begins in 1985, revealing that his relationship with Sloan isn’t as simple as Alva assumes it is. A top student and the pride of his hometown, Lu Fang’s promising future was supposed to begin with university in Beijing, but his time there is cut short by the Cultural Revolution. Sent to Chuanxi for rural reeducation, his life takes a different direction, his dream of studying abroad curdling into regret for the life he could’ve had. Although he felt more distant, I came to understand how he became the Lu Fang we see through Alva’s eyes in 2007.

Aube Rey Lescure's absorbing debut offered a perspective I hadn't previously encountered in fiction, and it left me ruminating for weeks afterwards.

The story opens with Alva, who is half-Chinese, watching her white mother, Sloan, marry a Chinese man, Lu Fang, 20 years her senior. It is told from Alva's viewpoint and Lu Fang's. The time line is from the 80's up to 2014 or so. There aren't a lot of characters so that wasn't the issue. They were pretty well defined and Shanghai was well described. My own issue is trying to keep track of foreign names and in addition this author threw in Chinese, not just the language but the characters. The writing was fine and that is what kept me going but I really, really disliked all three of the main characters and hoped for a redemption by the end but truly I didn't care.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for providing me with a digital copy.

I loved the reverse migration aspect of this book. I just didn't like the characters. I can handle one unlikeable character, but the three main characters which just too difficult for me.

really impressive, deep story regarding a family and history, as well as around idenetity and how that's affected by location. thanks for the arc.

River East, River West is not your typical coming-of-age story. Alva is the child of an expatriate and a Chinese National (whose identity is never revealed). Like many teenagers, she is seduced by the cool American Life that has always felt just out of reach and loses herself in her pursuit of the American Dream. Lu Fang is Alva's recently acquired step-father who has the financial means to help Alva achieve what she wants, but who is also haunted by lost dreams and regret.

Told in alternating narratives and timelines , we follow Alva's present while exploring Lu Fang's past and grapple with the universal questions of belonging, family, and the things we trade away in pursuit of our dreams. At times heartbreaking, and difficult, I appreciated this multi-cultural twist on a popular narrative. River East, River West had me researching Chinese history and seeing the world through a new and different lens. Every year, I try to read more books written from cultural points of view that are not my own. This book did not disappoint.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my eARC. All opinions are solely my own.

I devoured this one in about 6 hours and I can't stop thinking about it.

We're following Lu Fang and Alva in dual timelines, Lu Fang in 1985 and Alva in 2007. Lu Fang is a married Chinese man who starts to question his life when he becomes involved with an American woman. Alva is a Chinese-American teenager who wants more and feels like she'll get that in America, but when she has to stay in China because her mom marries Lu Fang, she decides American-school is the next best thing and soon discovers things aren't always as they seem.

I loved the multiple POV and timelines, as I often do. I liked that the stories ended up intertwining. I thought this was an interesting approach to exploring identity and belonging. There is talk throughout of standing out and being an outsider, and a lot of "grass is greener..." ideology. Reading this actually made me kind of sad because of the turmoil/anguish the characters seemed to feel about their own situation and the way characters are always reaching for something else because they think there's better out there (ie. America).

It's hard to write this review without adding spoilers but I do highly recommend this one. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one but I really enjoyed it.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure. Alva is a teenager in China, her mother is an American and her father (who she never met) is Chinese. They live a tough life until her mother marries their landlord, and then life gets easier, although Alva does not like him. Lu Fang is the landlord now husband. The story goes back and forth between Alva’s teenage life, and Lu Fang’s teenage and early adult life. They both struggle and have a hard time fitting in. There is a lot about China in the early 2000’s as well as the 1980’s. Interesting story, but I found it kind of dark and depressing. #rivereastriverwest #aubereylescure #debut novel #china #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday

RIVER EAST, RIVER WEST by Aube Rey Lescure is a debut novel which received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. The basic storyline involves Alva, a 14-year-old mixed-race teen in 2007 Shanghai; her new step-father and disgruntled, almost retired businessman, Lu Fang; and the mother/wife, Sloan, who is a former minor American movie star. Each character has an interesting back story (Lu Fang and Sloane have been lovers since the mid-1980s), but their goals don't mesh well and it may be difficult for readers to look beyond the self-centeredness that each exhibits: Alva acts out and LuFang, with some justification, still mourns the lost opportunities due to the Cultural Revolution. Everyone is unhappy; Booklist calls them "prisoners of their circumstances" while a minor character comments, "Learning to be content – that is wealth in itself." Rey Lescure, a French-Chinese-American writer who grew up in China and France, makes several barbed references and thus introduces some political commentary, but the text moves slowly overall.

Told from the contrasting perspectives of a teenage girl in Shanghai in the later aughts, and her stepfather as a younger man, River East River West is an intimate picture of life in China in the years following the death of Chairman Mao, and leading up to the economic crash of the Western world.

Lescure's representation of China during both time periods feels detailed and well-researched. The unique sense of loss (of autonomy, of aspirations) as experienced by both narrators was a beautiful thread running throughout the whole story; the way the two voices came together at the end both unexpected and uplifting.

There are so many beautiful quotes and reflections I'd like to share when I can compare to a final copy, but for now I'll say that I think this would be a good fit for readers of Behold the Dreamers (Mbue) or Dominicana (Cruz).

Thank you to William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for letting me read an advanced copy of River East, River West by debut novelist Aube Rey Lescure. I loved this duel timeline story set in 1980s and early 21st century China! It alternates between the lives of teenage Alva in 2007/2008 and her mother's new husband (Lu Fang) as a young man in the 1980s. Both narratives are strong, but I may have enjoyed reading Lu Fang's story a bit more only because of the historical aspect. It takes place after China's Cultural Revolution which I didn't know much about and I always enjoy learning a bit of history through fiction.

This wasn't always an easy read. I had mixed feelings about some characters but it was satisfying to see their growth throughout the book. I came to care for and want the best for each of them. There are a few scenes that are hard to stomach so if there are areas you try to avoid in your reading, I'd recommend looking into content warnings for this book.

I'm already looking forward to reading what Lescure writes next!

Three and a half stars...

Having lived in Asia more than once I was looking forward to reading this book. The author did a lovely job setting the scene, detailing the culture and gave a unique twist on the usual immigrant story. The main focus is a coming of age story of Alva. She is half American and half Chinese though her father is unknown. Set in modern-day Shanghai the book takes a look at the continued repercussions of previous historical events in China.

Alva is searching for her place in the world and feels strongly that she wants to be American. Her upbringing has been fraught dealing with a mother who abuses alcohol and whose parenting leaves much to be desired. Their lives change for the better when her mother marries a wealthy Chinese business man. Alva sees his wealth as a way to achieve her goal to become fully American by attending the prestigious Shanghai American School.

The characters are well developed but are very damaged. The book is a very sad story and one that kept me thinking about after finishing it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read the e galley prior to publication.

Lots of feelings of depression, sadness and melancholy in this story. It's long, but flowing and emotional in the writing. This book is about dreaming and wishing for more than you have, but it's not ambition, it comes across as jealousy and entitlement. I found the book sad and depressing, but there are life lessons. Alva and her mother always want more, but feel entitled to a better life without realizing how to work for it to earn their lifestyle, always trying to take a short cut to the good life. Finally with the entrance and tenacity of Lu Fang, the stepfather, they realize there is hope and can move ahead, but it will take work. Lu Fang has dreams and desires of his own that holds him back in early life, but he comes to the conclusion earliest about what he lost, and his persistence forms a family and gives the other women hope and ambition.

Parts of this book got really long and drawn out, it wasn't a happy read, but I can see this being on lists for book clubs and discussions. Not my favorite book, but gives you lots to think about.