Off the Books

by Soma Mei Sheng Frazier

A captivating debut following a cross-country road trip that will make you believe in the goodness of people, Off the Books sheds light on the power in humanity during the most troubled of times.

Recent Dartmouth dropout Mei, in search of a new direction in life, drives a limo to make ends meet. Her grandfather convinces her to allow her customers to pay under the table, and before she knows it, she is working as a routine chauffeur for sex workers. Mei does her best to mind her own business, but her knack for discretion soon leads her on a life changing trip from San Francisco to Syracuse with a new client.

Handsome and reserved, Henry piques Mei’s interest. Toting an enormous black suitcase with him everywhere he goes, he’s more concerned with taking frequent breaks than making good time on the road. When Mei discovers Henry's secret, she does away with her usual close-lipped demeanor and decides she has no choice but to confront him. What Henry reveals rocks her to her core and shifts this once casual, transactional road trip to one of moral stakes and dangerous consequences.

An original take on the great American road trip, Off the Books is a beautifully crafted coming of age story that showcases the resilience of the human spirit and the power of doing the right thing. The spirit of Frazier’s characters will stay with readers long after they have arrived at their destination.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery, Coming Of Age, Adult, Realistic Fiction, Road Trip

224 pages, Hardcover

First published July 30, 2024

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is an impressive debut, but it's still very much a debut.

it tries to do way, way too much. without exaggeration, the plots in this book include a romance, a found family arc, a mother/child relationship forming, a mother/child relationship healing, grief recovery, family drama, a mystery, and an international sociopolitical exploration.

among others.

this book is 224 pages long.

the way that all of this manages to fit is by sacrificing important things: big feelings, showing not telling, and even sometimes telling. (so many things that i don't think were intended to be mysterious or confusing were.)

i liked some parts of this — moments of writing, certain character traits, the first mystery — but instead of everything coming together, it felt like it kept falling apart. 

bottom line: too much -> not enough.

-----------------------------
tbr review

road trip books...that's my trope right there

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Off the Books by Soma Mei Sheng Frazier is a compelling read and an impressive debut.

Twenty-four-year-old Mĕi L. Brown dropped out of Dartmouth after a family tragedy and has been working as a private chauffeur offering her services “going karura” or “off the books” on the advice of her eighty-six-year-old Lǎoyé (grandfather) - an American history buff- who helps her find clients and who is her biggest ally, as she has distanced herself from her friends and is currently not speaking to her mother.

Mei’s most recent client is the mysterious Henry Lee who is paying her handsomely for a trip from San Francisco to Syracuse. Henry’s insistence on timed stops and the enormous suitcase he guards diligently never letting it out of his sight strikes Mĕi as suspicious behavior and she turns to Lǎoyé for advice on how to proceed. His reassurance is enough for her to continue on her assignment and as the narrative progresses, she gradually befriends Henry and the mystery behind the suitcase is ultimately revealed. What she discovers and their journey thereon compels Mĕi to reflect on her own life and choices and her family history, as the daughter of a white American father and Chinese American immigrant mother.

The author has deftly woven insightful historical, political and social commentary into a story revolving around a cross-country road trip that evolves into transformative journey will irrevocably change the way our protagonist views her privileged upbringing and her future and alter her worldview.

I enjoyed the road trip segments and liked that the novel is structured in chapters covering each leg of the road trip. The characters are well written and the author depicts complex human emotions with insight and maturity. I found Mĕi to be an interesting protagonist and appreciated how her personal journey is depicted throughout the course of the novel. I loved the bond between Mĕi and her grandfather, who was my favorite character. His wit, insight and wisdom certainly enriched the narrative. His interactions with Mĕi offer an interesting perspective on the issues and events described in the novel while also providing some much-needed lighter moments to balance the heavier themes.

“‘Listen,’ he says, ‘all my life I teach you history. So you can be on the right side of it. But a good life about more than knowing. A good life about doing, too.’”

The novel addresses sensitive themes such as navigating grief and loss and complicated family dynamics realistically and with empathy and compassion. Please note that there are mentions of racism, sexual abuse and suicide.

The author incorporates timely and relevant themes, touching upon contemporary (and historical) world events, into the narrative, with emphasis on the Chinese American immigrant experience, and the plight of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China and the injustices committed against them. These segments are disturbing, with mentions of genocide, persecution and other atrocities.

The narrative does include segments wherein full sentences are spoken in Mandarin. Though the text that follows gives us a good idea of what is being expressed, perhaps a glossary/footnote/true translation would have made for a smoother read for those of us who do not understand the language. However, this does not detract from my overall experience. There were certain aspects of the story that I felt could have been explored further, but I did like how the author chose to end the story. The romantic track is executed with maturity and is shown to evolve gradually and does not distract from the primary narrative.

Overall, I found this to be a well-crafted, thought-provoking read and I look forward to reading more from this talented new author in the future.

Many thanks to Henry Holt & Company for the gifted ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on July 30, 2023.

Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book and I was hooked from the very beginning! Frazier’s writing style is compelling and drew me in with the first few sentences. It is part mystery, part coming of age story, but so much more too. Měi is a young American/Chinese woman who has dropped out of Dartmouth and now is a driver and takes clients “Off the Books”. She picks up Henry (a handsome young Chinese man) and his giant black suitcase to drive him across the country. Měi soon realizes something strange is going on with Henry and whatever he has in that suitcase but I didn’t suspect the story would head in the direction that it did! I will leave it to you to find out for yourself!
Frazier did a superb job bringing Měi to life for me. I especially liked the background information and exchanges between Měi and her Chinese mother and grandparents. I appreciated how Měi came to a fuller understanding of her mom by the end of the novel and I loved her relationship with her grandfather. The dialogue between them is wonderful. As she and Henry spend many hours on the road together and the story begins to twist and turn Měi has lots of time to reflect on her past and some hard challenges she’s faced and I liked how this really fleshed out her story.
The book also covers difficult history of the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uyghur people. I only had a brief knowledge of these issues but the cruelty is horrifying and I plan to learn more after reading this book. That being said, the novel ended on a high note. I liked the conclusion and the wrap up to the story. I was both surprised and pleased.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a coming of age story, a cross cultural story, or a road trip story (there is even some romantic tension). This will be one I truly remember reading and enjoying. Thank you Henry Holt and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

[Kerrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Off the Books" turned out to be more serious than I expected. The story revolves around Mei, a Chinese-American woman who dropped out of college after a family tragedy. Her pot-smoking grandfather buys her a car and arranges for her to work "off the books" as an unlicensed driver who doesn't report her earnings. Her current job is to transport a handsome young man named Henry from Oakland, California, to Syracuse, New York. The contents of Henry's large black suitcase put both him and Mei in danger.

As Mei drives Henry, she reflects on her complex relationship with her mother and learns more about the persecution of Uyghurs in China. She also develops feelings for Henry in spite of her firm belief not to get involved with her clients.

Soma Mei Sheng Frazier is a talented writer, and this is a gripping story. One minor issue I had was that some dialogue in Mandarin was left untranslated, which could be confusing for readers like me who don't understand the language.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, Měi is driving handsome Henry Lee across the country without reporting it on her taxes or anywhere else or delving very deeply into the specifics. “My motto … is ’My clients’ business is none of my business,’” Měi notes in Chapter 3. But the title also refers to Měi’s quandary in life. She struggled to get herself into Brown University, only to adopt hipster ways and drop out. Who is Měi anyway? And who does she want to be?

Meanwhile, Henry Lee has some sort of secret. He has an enormous suitcase that he keeps with himself at all times. Something shady? Měi starts thinking about it more and more. How much should be kept off the books and ignored?

Off the Books begins as a carefree road trip novel, but it metamorphoses in an instant about a fourth of the way through. I don’t want to spoil this lyrical novel, but let’s say that readers will watch as Měi tackles some pressing questions of empathy, morality and humanity. A most unique novel, with so many surprises, making it hard to believe that this is author Soma Mei Sheng Frazier’s first novel. Expect also to learn a lot about the Chinese Communist Party’s horrific genocide against the Uyghurs of Northwest China.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. in exchange for an honest review.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mei is twenty-three and dealing with the loss of her father. She has a distant relationship with her mother, always feeling closer to her father. The one constant is her weed-smoking grandfather who starts her on a new career path as a limo driver (paid off-the-books). Her clients tend to be sex-workers, until her grandfather gets her a job transporting the oh, so handsome Harry and his bulky, black suitcase from San Francisco to Syracuse, New York.

The political, genocidal, and humanitarian atrocities in China spurs much of the intrigue as it is what spurs the road trip. However, don’t go away thinking this book is dark. It is tempered with likable characters, humanity, and humor.

This is a fun, quick road-trip book with themes of identity, grief, misunderstandings, and reconciliation. The dialogue is crisp; filled with humor and compassion. I wouldn’t mind having Mei’s grandfather as a friend.

I would like to thank Goodreads Giveaways and Henry Holt & Co. for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Kate Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT'S IN THAT SUITCASE?! This question had me immediately hooked and didn’t relax its grip until the shocking discovery that launches readers into the real meat of the book. This is a wonderful, unexpectedly informative novel, unlike any I’ve ever read; I couldn’t put it down.

This book has been listed as “Mystery” but in my eyes it’s a cross-genre masterpiece. It's not often I read a book and feel like I’ve learned perspective-shifting information, but Off the Books touches on global issues of which I had very little knowledge. There are several content warnings readers should be aware of including: sexual violence, self harm, and racism. Despite the discussion and depiction of many serious topics, the weight of these issues never felt overwhelmingly heavy for me, thanks to Soma Mei Sheng Frazier’s beautiful writing style and deeply lovable characters.

I wasn't sure what to expect upon first meeting our protagonist, Měi. A former limo driver and college dropout, Měi drives private clients under the table at the urging of her grandfather. The novel centers around a trip from San Francisco to Syracuse with a client named Henry. Attractive, personable, and rich, Henry would be perfect if it weren’t for that gigantic suitcase he suspiciously lugs around. When Měi’s curiosity gets the best of her, she confronts Henry and embarks on a journey that transforms her understanding of herself, her family, and the world around her.

At the outset, I felt a bit detached from Měi and her choices (for example, why drop out of an Ivy League to become a limo driver? Why would you poke the suitcase?!). But as the novel progresses and we gain additional context, the reader (and Měi herself) comes to understand her history, perspective, and her blind spots. By the end of the novel, Měi is one of the most complex and wonderful protagonists I’ve read in some time.

I really enjoyed the interplay of family dynamics, cultural ties, and the growth that often transpires in your twenties. Měi and her family feel authentic; their conversations feel extremely real. The struggles which Měi and other characters encounter throughout this story moved me to tears.

Thanks a million to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book <3

[Elizabeth Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

Měi is a driver who works "off the books," hence the title...her offbeat Chinese grandfather is her advocate in life & he has provided her the vehicle and the work: for her to ferry mostly sex workers around. But in this story, he has put her with a well-heeled man who is doing a cross-country trip with a mysterious huge suitcase, with her as the paid driver. The plot evolves from this foundation.

I didn't enjoy reading this unfortunately. The author tries in my estimation to do too many things with this novel, and I felt like most of them were not done that well as a result. It is admirable that she wishes to highlight the astonishing genocide happening with Uyghurs in China and in the Chinese diaspora within a more "palatable" somewhat lighter yarn. However there was just too much threaded in and frankly a lot was hard to follow. Mei's feelings about her family, about the idea of parenting, being ridiculed as an Asian-American, romantic feelings, travel highlights for many cities across the U.S., a loving portrait of Oakland, a suicide, her paranoia being justified or not...the list goes on. There were also so many pieces that seemed poorly explained or abrupt to me that I can't even begin to list them.

There was also a large amount of Chinese in the book. Sometimes translated, sometimes just hinted at. But it seemed excessive: for example, having the young girl draw words and Mei translating them in long lists just seemed like a lot of space-taking which most readers won't enjoy, be able to properly read, nor retain. And added nothing to the plot.

She does have some decent writing about places and good descriptions of various types of hotels or inns in which they stayed; however the descriptions of, say, nature outside a hotel never felt like an organic part of a smooth plot. One thing I felt she did well was actually the dialogue by the Chinese/Chinese-American mother and grandfather. Their imperfect English and manner of expression I could totally imagine from the way it was written. Also the grandfather was perhaps the most developed character, clearly drawn, and he was a character of a character, indeed! Her mother was drawn somewhat well also. These were some high points.

Overall it was, for me, a choppy experience to read this though, and I am sorry to say that I can't highly recommend it.

However I do greatly thank Henry Holt/Macmillan Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy for my honest review! I was very intrigued by the description and am glad I had the chance to read it.

[Alex Dolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't just a compelling book; it's an important one. Off the Books addresses an important issue that has gotten almost no attention. In the same way Haruki Murakami has tackled issues like wartime atrocities in Japan through the frame of magical realism, Soma Mei Sheng Frazier makes a modern humanitarian crisis in China accessible by couching it inside of a mystery and road trip. It's a deceptively simple story where readers can appreciate the chemistry between the characters and the bonds they develop over the course of the book, the sharp wit and crackling dialogue. It's funny and earnest. But it's also powerful. Books like this help people relate to different cultures by reminding us how we all have the same fundamental wants and needs, despair and flaws. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Off the Books.

The premise was intriguing, and though there were parts of the narrative I really liked, this wasn't for me.

First, I love the relationship between Mei and her grandpa; he's funny, honest, and blunt, unlike stereotypical Chinese grandparents.

Second, I also liked how when Mandarin was spoken, the words weren't italicized, but part of a natural conversation between Mei and her grandpa or Henry and Anna.

Third, as the road trip progresses, Mei discovers the truth about her dad, her mom, and what it means to hold secrets from the people we love.

Now, what I didn't like:

I did like the narrative giving voice to the atrocities and abuses suffered by innocent people willing to speak out against the Chinese government, which we know doesn't know anything about the concept of free speech.

There's a lot of interesting and disturbing background information about certain groups of people being denied religious freedom, amongst other things.

But, there was too much political discussions.

I read to be entertained, not to be reminded what a hellhole our world is.

I found it difficult to believe Henry is transporting a small, thin child in a suitcase.

I guess if you found a large suitcase big enough to fit, it's possible, but still, I couldn't suspend disbelief.

You know you're reading a book when your client is a hottie, and so is Mei and naturally they get together by the end.

This is not real life; how many cab drivers have handsome and well spoken passengers?

And how many attractive cab drivers have you had?

Me? None.

The writing is good, but there was no urgency or suspense, even when Mei suspects they might be followed or someone knows Anna is in their custody.

This was too political for me to enjoy, but I think some readers will like it.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lemony Snicket told me to read this book. He said, "This book tossed me into the back of the car and drove me out to horizons that were startling, hopeful, and utterly captivating." The main character Mei has recently dropped out of college and begins a new career as a discreet chauffeur for sex workers, until she starts a cross country trip with Henry, who brings an enormous black suitcase with him everywhere, and insists on frequent breaks. There are unexpected twists, a digestible amount of political and social commentary, and characters that resonate. I really liked this one.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the synopsis of the book hints that this book will be suspenseful and engaging, the secret of Henry's big black suitcase makes this an important and timely read. Mĕi feel likes a fully realized and complex main character whose strong voice easily carries the plot along. Mĕi , her mom, and her grandfather are examples of nuanced and authentic representation of Chinese-Americans that manage to avoid many common stereotypes while calling them out along the way. I deeply enjoyed Mĕi's grandfather and the important historical and political conversations he brought to the book. He is a great example of what solidarity and an understanding of shared histories/struggles looked like and the way this was interwoven into his conversations with Mĕi never felt forced. Mĕi's relationship with her mother and its developments over the course of the book ,again, felt very natural and authentic. I enjoyed how Mĕi's inner turmoil and negotiating her understandings of her family dynamics developed alongside the unexpected twists and turns of the road trip with Henry.

I enjoyed that the romance element hinted at in the synopsis did not overtake the main plot of the book and felt like the chemistry between Mĕi and Henry was well developed.

On a more technical note, I appreciated the amount of Mandarin that was included in the book. Often times, books will put a translation in italics near by or stick to one to two words/phrases in another language. There were moments of multiple lines in Mandarin that honestly were difficult to understand even with context clues what was being said, however, this made it easier to experience things from Mĕi's POV with not being fluent in Mandarin either.

This is a very tiny detail in the overall plot, but I wish there was a bit more said about Mĕi going to Dartmouth. It felt like the school being Dartmouth was thrown in for the shock value of her dropping out from an ivy league school, when more could have been said about her passion for journalism, how politicized was her education (outside of her exposure from her grandfather), connecting this to the fact sheets, etc. Related to this, there were a handful of times she said something that truly made me facepalm (especially considering she two semesters away from an ivy league degree). While it showed how she had lead a more privileged and sheltered life, it also just seemed inconsistent with the rest of her character.

cw: sexual assault, gender-based violence, racism and racial slurs, and suicide


While I don't consider this a spoiler, it seemed to be pointedly left out of the synopsis, so I will put it here:

*SPOLERS AHEAD*

This is such a timely and important read to shine light and spread awareness about the ongoing Uyghur genocide in Xinjiang, China. The book serves as a great entry point for those unfamiliar with the issue by detailing the human rights violations occurring, the complicity of the international community and the United States in particular, and the role of surveillance/technology. I did not expect this to be a part of this book at all when I started it but am very pleased it was.

[Julia Famularo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read the advance copy of this book!

- Měi is a limo driver who takes “off the books” jobs to make ends meet. One trip driving a man named Henry reveals much more than she expected— about Henry, what he’s transporting, the meaning of family, and geopolitical landscapes.
- This was my first education on China’s imprisonment, genocide, and sterilization of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang. I was horrified. It felt like a timely and important read. If you are unaware of the human rights abuses against the Uyghur people, this was an approachable introduction.
- The book had one of the most well-written and layered main characters I’ve read in a long time. I really loved seeing Měi grow and change throughout the short trip.
- I felt like the pacing was a little inconsistent, but the setting of a major road trip aligns with that.
- I loved the depictions of family across ethnicities, language barriers, generations, and chosen family. It was beautiful.

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

was excited about the premise, but sorely disappointed by the execution

[BookBabeNails · Rating 4 out of 5]

»—-Booksta ¸.•´*¨`*• Book Blog •*`¨*`•. 25+ Book Discord-—«

This book surprised me, but in a really good way. I think classic road trip trope and I think of a more lighthearted read, but this was deeper than that. Loved Mei’s grandfather the most. Best character! I wasn’t expecting this to cover some of the topics it did, but I really enjoy when there’s more than meets the eye with a book. I appreciate that the book raises awareness about a subject that doesn’t get enough attention. The MC had some “squirrel!” rambling moments, but I found her growth to be endearing. Loved the dialogue between the characters. Overall a well-written, quick read!

Thanks to Henry Holt Books for the arc!

[Stacy40pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Off the Books by Soma Mei Sheng Frazier. Thanks to @henryholtbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mei has dropped out of college and begun driving a limo to make ends meet, usually for sex workers. She tries to stay discreet and out of her customers’ business. Until her new client Henry let’s her into his secret and a casual road trip becomes anything but casual.

Alert to road trip trope fans! If you enjoy road trip books, this is the next one for you. This is an important read as it gets into a lot of little known important and real life events. I always enjoy a fiction that I learn something about the real world. The plot was interesting but its first person narration and the main character has a tendency to go into a tangent. She would start remembering the past and then jump right into the present. I lost my place a few times and would have appreciated more structure around this.

“Henry. A normal name. But he is not normal. None of this is normal.”

Off the Books comes out 8/30.

[C.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic road trip story on top of a light-handed education on a global topic that many of us don't know enough about. This debut novel is a fun read full of facts that might set your wanderlust into high gear and then make you hit your web browser to learn more about topics raised during the story. This is a quick and enjoyable read. It might read like a beach read, but there is a lot more depth for those who crave it.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mei is a Chinese-American young woman who is an "off the books" limo driver. She is hired to drive Henry Lee, a stranger with a mysterious suitcase, across the country. What follows is a road story that has very little intrigue, in addition to having characters that are hard to connect to or even understand. I picked it up intrigued that the story involved a Uyghur girl (persecuted ethnic minority in China), but the writing and the plot just didn't work for me. An added difficulty was the extensive use of Chinese phrases which were not always translated or when they were, it was in a very confusing way.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Off the Books-a standalone

By Soma Mei Sheng Frazier-debut author

Publication date 7-30-24, Read 7-28-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for this ARC🧡 ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

📃 Page Count: 219

Genre: Multicultural Interests, Adult Fiction, Mystery

🌏Setting: San Francisco to Syracuse

Tropes:

❤️Asian American
❤️family drama
❤️cross country road trip
❤️coming of age
❤️hidden truths
❤️contains children
❤️forced proximity

⚠️ TW: suicide(not H/h), racism, genocide, human trafficking/slavery(just mentioned)

💭 Summary 💭Mei takes the mysterious Mr. Lee on a road trip with his coveted black suitcase from CA to NY. When he reveals the truth about this journey, Mei is faced with moral dilemmas as she reconnects with her estranged mother and grandfather.

Heroine: Mei Brown(24), Chinese/American limo driver turned chauffeur to sex workers at her grandfather's urging. Dropped out of Dartmouth after her father's death.

Side cast: Henry Lee(29) hires Mei to drive him to NY; Jimmy Xin-a writer about Uyghur Muslim persecution; Anna-Jimmy's 11 year old daughter; Aynur-Jimmy's wife who is being held by Chinese authorities; Mei's Grandfather Laoye- the funny, weed-smoking, videogame-playing eccentric; Mei's Mother


My Thoughts: This goes along with Jewish and African Americans persecution from the Holocaust and the African slave trade. I found a lot of similarities between these groups of oppressed and their oppressors. I'm not very familiar with Asian culture or history, so this was a lesson in morality, propaganda, politics, and the importance of family history.

Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 1/5-not until the end, off page
😭: Emotion 3/5
❤️: Couple 3/5
⭐️: Rating 4/5

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

just all over the place: thirty percent mystery, fifty percent family drama, twenty percent love story, and one hundred percent unbearable. the broken english doesn’t help at all—though i’ve allocated half a star for the joint-rolling videogaming fucks-be-gone grandpa, he’s truly a man of the people—and the writing is super inconsistent with the story, especially with mei and henry (chauffeur and chauffee?)… for one, i think it’s amusing that she goes from meeting him to admiring him to dreaming of him carrying her in her arms, all within the first 14 pages (a new personal best!), and then they never get anywhere with this half-desire. really the entire book is full of half-somethings: nothing is quite resolved, as if Frazier can’t commit to a certain storyline and decides to tell everything at once instead.

crashout incoming: i can get over the strange stylistic choices (i have genuinely never seen a semicolon used in that way) but i cannot get over the mandarin. once the girl comes in, we have entire sentences strung together in pinyin with little to no translation. hello?? for me this is screaming “look at this girl (she’s chinese) did i mention she’s chinese? she’s chinese, in case you were wondering. yeah, chinese. c-h-i-n-e-s-e.” i’m actually losing my mind because this was so laughably gaudy and unnecessary. be so for real, 90% of the readers don’t understand mandarin, the editor probably doesn’t understand mandarin, even the god damn main character doesn’t understand mandarin! literally what is the point?? to prove that the author is bilingual?? this is Homeseeking on crack, because at least Homeseeking had some sort of historical aspect with the language and the different cultures. at first i read the dialogue and it sounded like a five year old—if you’re going to hide a crucial element of the story behind a different language, the least you could do is to make it believable in that language!—and then i resolved to just skimming it which completely invalidated her character. and just to add on to the mess, there is the dismal underlying attempt on highlighting the uyghurs: just enough to shed light on the tragedy while somehow making it so shallow as to diminish the whole thing. oh your wife is detained? let me just drive your smuggled child across the country and back while trying to harp and virtue signal on their persecution at the same time. unbelievable.

1.5/5 tldr ts pmo

[Catarina Marques · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feeling REALLY conflicted about this book. The base plot had me hooked from the start, and I was almost certain this would be a 5 star read. It started off strong: Měi driving on a road trip, a sort of puzzling passenger, and a mysterious luggage bag.

These elements seemed to lay the foundation the stage for a climax, a satisfying discovery.

However, going through the pages, the writing style was really challenging to keep up with.

It felt almost as if the author expected the readers to already be familiar with the narrative, fully immersed. But I felt that some details were too vague, kind of underwhelming.

The narrative’s frequent shifts between past and present definitely didn’t help here. It’s completely understandable that these flashbacks had a purpose, they showed Měi’s journey as she came to terms with loss, painful memories and realizing she had to work a lot more on her personal relationships. I wonder though, could the story have developed in a smoother way?

Just to wrap up, I think the Off The Books tried to cover many themes at once and left a few loose ends.

Bur hey I definitely am no writer and maybe I just didn’t fully connect with it, and that’s fine!

PS.: I kept thinking about this book and I believe that the story would have made a lot more sense if it had Měi as the narrator. It had all the bias of first person storytelling but really lacked the insights we would normally get from a third person narrator.

[Preeti Mahatme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mei is a Dartmouth dropout who drives a limo to make ends meet. Her grandfather has arranged for her to drive a client Henry cross country from Seattle to Syracuse. When Henry is found lugging around a huge heavy suitcase which he won't let out of his sight or hands, Mei's curiosity is peaked. This is as much a story of a road trip as it is about family and relationships. The book is based around a Chinese immigrant family and there are lot of references to Chinese culture and way of life. The book also throws light on the horrible atrocities being committed on the Uyghur community by the Chinese Communist Party and this was one of the more interesting parts of the story. I admit I struggled with reading the Chinese phrases liberally mentioned through the novel. I wish there had been a translation. Overall a quick interesting read.
Thank you Netgalley, Henry Holt Publishing and Soma Mei Sheng Frazier for the ARC

[Hallie Meisler · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Based off the plot alone I had high hopes for a 5-star book. It had good bones, but the execution didn’t land. Flip flopping back and forth between Mei’s memories and the road trip felt disjointed, Mei leaving felt weird, the mystery of the ice cream truck had no suspense and wasn’t really a mystery, immediately turning around to go back to CA after finding Jimmy made no sense and his wavering at the end too. I liked all of the characters which made the weird plot decisions a bit of a bummer.

[Kristin B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welp, I did NOT know what I was getting myself into when I picked this one up. It was a hard read and an easy read at the same time (if that makes sense.) I had a difficult time tracking with the Chinese dialogue, but overall felt invested in the story. It’s a cross between realistic depictions of scenarios happening in China with the Uyghurs, but also a family story with the main character grieving and ultimately getting closer to her family along the way. It’s a maybe for me, for you.

[Tammy O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting storyline with great characters. I especially enjoyed Mei’s conversations with her mom and her grandfather as she processed relationships within her family.

Advance reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important, timely & well done! Not enough people know what’s going on in China but it didn’t feel too preachy. The book was also funny so that helps! It felt a little rushed at times, hence the star off.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how I love the relationship between Mei and her grandfather. What an awesome guy.

[Jenna Bellar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Premise was so good - execution sadly fell short for me!

[Reesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not crazy about this book. It was about a limo driver who has a client with a secret black suitcase. It turns out the secret is a young Chinese girl he is smuggling out of China to reunite with her father. It is all about how bad things are in China and the government. It tried to be a fun read, but with the current political climate, it was difficult.