Between Two Names

by Aaron Wang

A Gripping Coming-of-Age Novel of Ambition, Identity, and Secrets.

For students like Mark (Cheng) Ma, studying abroad was never part of his plan. Lacking the resources, confidence, and even the English skills to navigate this new reality, Mark finds himself isolated by language barriers and economic disparities.

As he wrestles with this knowledge, Mark finds an unlikely ally in Howard, a charismatic classmate who introduces him to Western films, fashion, and a new way of seeing the world. Their friendship—and Mark’s growing feelings for Howard—gives him the courage to question: what unseen forces are shaping his future?

Blending suspense, cultural exploration, and the raw vulnerability of self-discovery, Between Two Names is a powerful coming-of-age novel that explores privilege, ambition, and the invisible lines that divide—and connect—us.

204 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2025

About the author

Aaron Wang is a writer based in Toronto, Canada.

Reviews

[Elisabeth M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coming-of-age novel of a boy navigating self-identity and community in foreign spaces. Our protagonist, Cheng Ma (or Mark), is loosely based on the author’s experiences as a student in China. Cheng Ma, having only attended local school in China, finds himself in the overwhelming landscape of an international school— where the language, culture, assignments are all vastly different from what he’s grew up with. We step inside the brain of this shy and anxious student as he questions the surrounding systems and philosophies. Aaron Wang writes so that we can feel the protagonist’s social anxiety and linguistic isolation in this time of his life, and as well as his determination to discover a means of fulfillment.
What I love about this book is that it’s not meant to compare schools and cultures in a way that presents one as superior to the other— rather it reveals the brokenness, pains, but also some joys, of these structures. Between Two Names is a quiet, simple novel that invokes nostalgia, universal adolescent themes of belonging, and surprisingly profound ping pong metaphors.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into Between Two Names expecting a compelling story of cultural identity, and at first, it seemed to promise just that. The level of detail in the narrative was so intricate, I genuinely thought I was reading a memoir—which made it all the more disorienting when the plot began to lose focus.
By chapter 13, I ultimately had to DNF. The storytelling felt scattered, jumping from scene to scene without a clear throughline. While I appreciate layered stories and complex characters, the sheer amount of information—some of it overly granular—pulled me out of the reading experience rather than drawing me in.
This one just didn’t work for me, though I can see how readers who enjoy intensely detailed narratives or memoir-style fiction might have a different experience.
Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Aaron Wang for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to surprise myself here by giving this work five stars. Frankly it needs attention from a good proofreader. Not due to the author not being a native speaker of English, but rather due to a few discrepancies in the timeline.
But this book is such a lovely surprise! It's very fresh and new. It feels so authentic and it gives us a look at high school life in China which I found fascinating. But much more than just that, the author is possibly the most gifted at self-reflection. It's truly a marvel to read his journey. I can't wait to see what he writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's a brilliant work and I hope it is a breakout success!