Some of the writing in this book is so exquisite that I just had to take a moment quite a few times just to absorb the beautiful imagery and sentiment.  The story is solid and embroils you in the dual cultures of Chinese and Dutch. I cared a lot about the characters and at times felt quite emotional.  I have never read any Jean Kwok books before, but I don’t think this will be the last one.

When Amy Lee’s older sister Sylvie goes missing while visiting their Dutch relatives, she vows to retrace Sylvie’s steps and find out what happened. It’s both a mystery and a very moving exploration of identity issues and complex entangled familial relationships. Incredibly emotionally charged with themes of jealousy, secrecy and a heart-wrenching glimpse into the Chinese-American experience, Searching For Sylvie Lee is the tragic domestic drama you’ve been waiting for.

Part mystery, part romance and part family drama, 'Searching for Sylvie Lee' has a lot to offer, and it delivers. With a robust cast of characters, a strong mystery and really solid plotline, I was incredibly impressed by this novel. I found myself stopping to admire the prose, the description and the sheer depth of knowledge and information that was conveyed on every page without feeling forced or laborious. Jean Kwok is a really talented writer and I can't wait to read more by her.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounding up

This was book was both a mystery and a story about family dynamics. While I enjoyed reading this it was very obvious from the get go where it was going. Well written and I liked the different voices of the three woman narrators. I would be interested to read more from the author.

This was a great book to read, another one I just couldn’t put it down. I just loved it. I enjoyed every page and read it very quickly. Another new author for me which I always look forward to.
The story was an unusual one but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment at all nd I just kept on reading until I got to the end.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A tale of three countries and the complexity of families, love and honour.

Sylvie Lee was brought up by her mother’s cousins in the Netherlands but always felt hated by Helena. She then returned to be with her family, leaving behind her beloved grandma and cousin Lukas.

The story tells of Sylvie’s attempt to find out where she truly belongs and why Helena hates her. And of her sister Amy’s search for her when she goes missing. 

The character of Amy is much more relatable and rounded than Sylvie’s. As the story goes on we learn of the true Sylvie behind the successful exterior.

A complex tale about how secrets can destroy us and how love can be painful in many ways.

Searching For Sylvie Lee is a wonderfully insightful novel of a fragmented family divided not only by their physical distance from each other, but also by language. Jean Kwok's use of different mother tongues really made this novel memorable for me because I love understanding how languages influence culture and vice versa. Within the Lee family Grandma speaks her Chinese dialect and perhaps a smattering of Dutch because she lives in the Netherlands with the cousins who took in her granddaughter Sylvie. Sylvie speaks Dutch first and Chinese second. Sylvie's birth mother, Ma, however, immigrated to New York and speaks Chinese, with English as a non-fluent second language. Ma's younger daughter, Amy, speaks American English first and Chinese second. Throughout the novel, which is written entirely in English, Kwok deftly switches points of view between these women and I was amazed at how they each convincingly speak in their own language to us readers. Through the use of different proverbs and maxims, rhythms and word orders I could instantly identify each language and, often, the speaker too. Searching For Sylvie Lee is a masterclass in writing communications!



That said though, what drives the mystery element of the story is a gaping lack of communication because no one knows why Sylvie has apparently disappeared from her perfect life. I was fascinated by how none of Kwok's characters seem to see themselves in the same way as their friends and family see them. This is particularly true of the sisters Sylvie and Amy who in some ways are reflections of each other, both envying their sister for qualities they fail to recognise in themselves.



So why not a full five star review? I did feel that the story lost its pace through the last quarter and, while it was still a good read, something of the spark was lost for me, especially through the whole Venice escapade. I had really grown to love the characters in their near-Amsterdam locale and was keen to try and unravel the ever more complex links woven between them, however I felt taking a group of on holiday negatively affected the narrative pace. This was a little disappointing because I then wasn't completely able to get myself back into the atmosphere in time to fully appreciate the ending. Overall, however, Searching For Sylvie Lee is an excellent portrait of human relationships and exploration of personal identity. Well worth a read!

Amy is Sylvie Lee's sister and she is trying to find out what has happened to her. Sylvie had been raised by her grandmother. After nine years she returns to live with her parents and sister, Amy. Sylvie goes missing after spending time in Europe. Amy then goes in search of her sister  ut she won't like some of the things she discovers. 

This story held a lot of interesting elements for me. I liked ,earning more a out the Dutch and Chinese cultures. It was interesting to see whether families were or not in their own countries. The story is told from three different perspectives: from a mother and her two daughters. The story had a great twist . 

I would like to thank NetGalley, John Murray Press and the author Jean Kwok for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which provided mystery, an engaging storyline where we get to know Sylvie and Amy, their personalities and relationships but also gives an insight into their experiences of racism-both overt and also sometimes seemingly unintended. 
The mystery was not hard to guess but nonetheless was handled well, keeping me interested as more information came with the development of the storyline.  The waste and loss is poignant as Helena, Ma & Pa act out their hurts.  The impact on Sylvie is tragic yet her positive impact on Amy is heartwarming. A book, therefore, of many interesting elements, including an introduction (for me) to the Netherlands. Lots to pique the interest and a great wee read!

A heartbreaking and beautiful book about love, family, secrets and lies. Although the author softened the blow of the ending earlier in the book, it was still a surprise as I thought I had imagined the reveal.

The concept of this story was great. Sylvie Lee (Snow Jasmine) goes missing after returning to the Netherlands from America to visit her sick Grandmother with whom she lived with for a few years while her parents were trying to make a new life in the USA . Her quiet introverted sister Amy who is seven years younger travels there after Sylvie disappeared to track her down. 
The book is written with passion and sensitivity but I personally struggled with it until I was about half way through. I am glad I continued with it as it turned into a captivating read. Lots of family secrets, jealousy, love and emotion. The story is written by the prespective of the three main characters, Sylvie, Amy and Ma. 
A decent read.

A book of secrets and lies. Friendship and love. Family secrets.   The book didn’t grip me and I didn’t gel with the characters. 
A daughter of a Chinese immigrant family who lives in the us travels to Amsterdam to see her dying grandma.  She then disappears.. her sister Amy then goes in search of Sylvia but what secrets will she uncover.

This book could simply be described as a missing person story, and that would be accurate but would do it such a disservice. This story of a Chinese family living in the US whose daughter flies to the Netherlands to see her dying grandmother, and then disappears, is so beautifully drawn. Not only is it a tale of family secrets, it’s a tale of two families who move from China to the Netherlands and the US respectively, and face all the struggles and prejudices familiar to any immigrant family. It’s a book to savour, told from multiple viewpoints and points in time, but easy to follow. The author does a beautiful job in unpicking the story of Sylvia Lee’s disappearance. This one will stick with me.

I really enjoyed this novel. It's a story of 2 sisters involving a mystery and family secrets. I like this kind of plot and I think this one was executed well. 
The character development and the thrilling aspect of the mystery was integrated well by the author. 
I'd read from Kwok again.

Thanks a lot to netgalley and the publisher for this copy.

I was provided a free ebook from Netgalley in order for an honest review 

2.5*

Searching for Sylvie Lee tells the story of a girl who goes missing while in Holand visiting her dying Grandmother. The narration is split between Sylvie and her sister Amy who is trying to track her sister down.

Honestly I don't know what to make of this book. At times I really enjoyed it. The characterization was great and some of the themes were interesting and well discussed like family, immigration, expectations and self perception.

However, some of the story I found quite weird and not very believable. I also predicted the ending. Which for a mystery book usually makes me mark it down - I usually love a twist I didn't see coming.

I would say if you're looking for a good mystery maybe give this one a miss. But if you're interested in any of the themes mentioned above and are looking for something easy to read then go for it.

However if you are sensitive to certain issues I would have a look at the trigger warnings associated with this book - don't want to list them and spoil the story.

I didn’t know whether I would enjoy this book as it is a little outside of my usual genres and I wasn’t sure I would relate to any of the characters. I was pleasantly surprised.

I think the author is a brilliant storyteller, the narratives switching between the three narrators takes a little while to get used to but I think it was ultimately the right choice.

The novel is about family secrets and through the voices of the other characters, the author enables there to be more secrets even once the novel is finished.

I liked the portrayal of the three Lee women who give their voices to the story. Each had secrets of their own and through their stories the reader is able to pick apart how and why their relationships were like they were. It is frustrating as the reader to know more than the characters sometimes. I felt myself wanting a happy ending where all their harboured feelings were revealed.

Obviously a “happy” ending in the traditional sense does not happen in this novel, but it was still an enjoyable read nonetheless.

I think as I neared the end, it became more and more obvious how the book was going to end but there was plenty of guessing throughout the book. I felt myself latching onto Amy’s hope that her sister was okay. 

The storyline on the whole was just about believable, the characters being in debt but affording flights from the USA to Amsterdam can be overlooked to be able to grasp what the author was trying to do with the storyline. 

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book and the characters. It was a frustrating read at times, switching between the voices and timelines was a little confusing at first, but ultimately the author pulls it off to write about complex family issues and how secrets can pull a family apart even many years later.

This was a really interesting and difficult book to read. I went to the reviews afterwards to see if anyone else had the same thoughts and there are definitely similar. 

The story is told from the points of view of Amy (in the present), her sister, Sylvie (in the past), and their Mother - also in the present. It’s set mainly in The Netherlands as Amy goes to the country to find her sister who was supposed to have returned home to the USA, but didn’t. Jean Kwok has tried hard to give each character a voice. Amy and Sylvie’s Mother known as Ma - is in the USA, waiting for news of her daughter. She talks mainly in Proverbs and it’s incredibly annoying - but I can see why the author has written her this way - to highlight her lack of English language and bring her Chinese voice to the foreground. Nevertheless, there could have been a few less proverbs and saying’s that’s for sure. 

In The Netherlands, the characters who speak Dutch also speak in their translated way - which again is interesting  but possibly not necessary. It makes for very disjointed English between Sylvie who speaks fluently, Ma who speaks it hardly at all, and the other characters who pepper their speech with Dutch translations. I’m torn between being in awe of Kwok’s skill, and also frustrated. 

I would say that the book really picks up speed about a third of the way through, until then I was dipping in and out of it along with other books and wasn’t really invested in getting to the end. Once the pace changes and secrets unravel it becomes more interesting. There is strong exploration of family, heritage, values, respect and traditions. The author explores racism, family secrets and the underlying mystery carefully.

2.5⭐️ Classic textbook case of "everyone liked but me".
This book started strong, the disappearance and the tension that came with it. We started to have a glimpse of the different personalities in the family maybe started to uncover some secrets.
Then boom, downhill it went!
I think the main problem for me was the amount of different themes the author started (and then failed) to explore through the book.
Mystery, family drama, life of immigrants, race, romance, unobtainable love, searching for yourself, family secrets, sister love....it changed direction of what it wanted to be so many times that in the end I have no idea what I was reading anymore.
I didn't like to narrative and writing either, it felt like I was reading a soap opera. 
Sorry but not for me at all.
Thank you NetGalley and John Murray Press for he advanced copy!

Sylvie spent the first nine years of her childhood in the Netherlands being raised by her Chinese Grandmother and distant relatives. When she returns home to America she has a new sister, Amy, and strangers as parents. But Amy loves her and looks up to her. Sylvie is successful and pretty, marries well and works hard.
Sylvie returns after many years to the Netherlands to visit her dying grandmother and then vanishes.
Amy goes in search of her but finds out things about Sylvie that are out of character and disturbing. Will she find the real Sylvie and what life changing secrets will she reveal.

I loved Searching For Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok.  I enjoyed reading its beautiful descriptive language and the mystery of what had happened to Sylvie. I think the characterisation is very good, the three main characters, Sylvie, her younger sister Amy and their mother Ma are each clearly recognisable by the way they speak. The story alternates between the two sisters and their mother’s perspectives, as the details of what happened to Sylvie are revealed.

Sylvie had left her home in the USA to visit her dying grandmother in the Netherlands where she had lived until she was nine. After the funeral she was supposed to return home, but she never arrived. Amy and her parents are distraught and she flies to the Netherlands to find out what had happened to her.

This is a mystery full of suspense and it is also a story about family relationships, about secrets and the barriers that language can raise – Amy’s dominant language is English, whereas her mother and father, Chinese immigrants living in America, have just a basic grasp of English and still speak Chinese. Sylvie also speaks Dutch as until the age of nine she had lived with the Tan family, Chinese immigrants living in the Netherlands. It’s not just the language but also the different cultures and the racism they experienced that separated the characters.

I had realised quite early on what the family secret was and what had happened to Sylvie, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book. My only criticism is that in the latter part of the book, particularly as Sylvie describes her visit to Venice I thought that the book veered offline. Although the episode is essential to the plot the detailed description took away the momentum of the mystery and my attention wandered a bit. But the ending made up for that!