Die Ferien

by Weike Wang

Zwei Sommerurlaube mit den Schwiegereltern, die herrlich schiefgehen: Keru und Nate verlieben sich gerade wegen ihrer kulturellen Unterschiede ineinander. Keru arbeitet als Unternehmensberaterin und ist mit sechs aus China in die USA eingewandert. Nate forscht als Biologe zum Sozialverhalten von Fruchtfliegen. Er ist der Erste in seiner Familie, der eine Universität von innen sieht. Das Einzige, worin ihre Eltern sich einig sind: Es ist Zeit für Enkel. Aber Keru und Nate wollen keine Kinder. Um des lieben Friedens willen planen die beiden zwei gemeinsame Sommerurlaube mit ihren Eltern, auf Cape Cod und in den Catskills. Doch irgendwann kann Keru ihre über Jahre aufgestaute Wut nicht mehr unterdrücken, so viele Erwartungen, so viel Druck. Und Nate hat sich längst so sehr in die Welt seiner Forschungsobjekte zurückgezogen, dass er keinen Weg mehr findet, seine Frau aufzuhalten.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Family, Book Club, Adult

208 pages, Hardcover

First published December 3, 2024

About the author

Weike Wang is a graduate of Harvard University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry and her doctorate in public health. She received her MFA from Boston University. Her fiction has been published in or is forthcoming from Alaska Quarterly Review, Glimmer Train, The Journal, Ploughshares, Redivider, and SmokeLong Quarterly.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

i'll never get tired of reading lit fic about weirdos.

https://emmareadstoomuch.substack.com...

i love weike wang: her sharp and clean writing, her deft incorporation of grand-scale themes and commentary, her very weird and very real characters. this leaned much more into that middle one, and i really enjoyed it — it felt like equal parts hearing gossip about a couple you kind of know, or catching up with a good friend at a coffee shop, and reading a long and clever article.

bottom line: one of my favorite writers currently writing!

(thank you to the publisher for the arc)

[Yun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the first half to be as sharp and piercing as they come, but then the second half kind of lost me.

We start off with Keru and Nate each taking a turn inviting their parents to vacation with them. Keru's Chinese parents are strict and emotionally guarded, while Nate's white, working-class parents don't quite know what to make of their son's career in academia. So when you throw these characters together, surely comedy and conflict ensues.

And it does. That first part definitely had me chuckling and shaking my head, with its sharp, satirical commentary of the typical dynamics within a Chinese American family and a white working-class family. Add to that the factor of marrying outside of your race and class, and each scene felt like such a zinger. The frequent misunderstandings and earnest hurt feelings made for a searing and funny read.

But I'm not sure I was as enamored with the second part of the book. At times, it became too exaggerated and I had a hard time relating to the characters and their inflexible ways. It feels like in Part Two, they became caricature of the people they were in Part One, ever more obstinate and set in their ways. I saw less and less of the humor I had previously enjoyed, and I just felt sad for the characters.

This isn't that long of a read. It honestly feels a bit like one of those stories where the author came up with a specific situation and wrote a novel around it. As a result, that original premise of vacationing with the parents shines as the story's strongest part. The rest of it did feel less focused, as if it were there to pad a great scene out into a full-length novel.

But don't let me dissuade you. I feel like this is my usual complaint with literary fiction, that I always expect more than it gives me. I hope to walk away with food for thought, but instead, the rather directionless culminations always leave me more befuddled than enlightened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
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[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an odd little novel with an odd (compelling) protagonist. It’s the story of Keru and Nate, a married couple, and two vacations with their families in rental houses. It’s so very wry and subtle an an interesting way to create a portrait of a marriage. I’m curious to see wha others will think about this novel.

[Jessica Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weike Wang is becoming one of those authors I like spending time with. I settle in with her books, I get comfortable, I know I will enjoy my stay.

Keru and Nate have been together since college. He is a professor, she is a consultant. He comes from a small Appalachian town where he never fit in. She is an immigrant who never fit in. They work as a couple, though they have been together long enough that we see the cracks that have formed from small divisions growing over time. They have been together long enough that their love is more assumption than action. They work a lot, they have no children, and their lives have taken on a flatness they don't know if they like or not.

We see them over two vacations, five years apart. And each time their vacation is intruded on by others, mostly by their own families. Both Keru and Nate have strained relationships with their parents in different ways, and they also struggle to relate to their in-laws. Their families are probably the biggest pressure on them individually, but also as a couple. And watching the two of them navigate these visits is both cringey and relatable.

It's mostly a quiet book, but one I couldn't stop reading. I like the strange little details, the way Keru throws things at pivotal moments, the constant taking pillows on and off the couch. The book is quite evenly split between the two of them, and they both feel fully drawn. This isn't really about going anywhere or seeing any big change, and that was fine with me.

I like the way Wang's work explores the lives of women who are variations on a theme. Daughters of Chinese immigrants, women driven to succeed, women who do not fit the mold of their parents' expectations or the American culture around them. They may have similar character sketches, and the stories around them explore similar themes, and yet they all feel quite different. I love that we see so much that can open up even in what others may consider a limited scope.

I mostly wish her books were longer because I so enjoy how lived in they are. The sharp eye for detail, the real consideration of relationships. Here in particular there is so much about what we may owe our parents, when do things cross the line, what is the goal of a relationship with people who do not understand you. Nate's family in particular pretends to play-act that everything is great, which Keru struggles to do. And Keru's family is so blunt that even Nate's Chinese lessons haven't done much to ingratiate him. Keru and Nate may come off as prickly sometimes but they both really struggle with the obligation to their families and the difficulty that comes from interacting with them. And yet they continue to try, continue to reach out, continue to support the families that don't support them. It isn't a book that wants everyone to get along or one that minimizes the pain parents can inflict. This is a tricky subject for me, but I never felt like Wang was being too optimistic or too harsh, it just felt right on.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's easy to think you're just marrying your partner, especially in the early days. However, the age-old saying 'you marry the entire family' (on both sides) still holds true. Rental House is a clever, character-driven exploration of the immigrant experience and an interracial relationship dealing with family dynamics. It's not simple merging different cultures; there’s plenty of eye-rolling and making do—Author Weike Wang shares some hilarious insights.

It is a novel about Keru and Nate, Yale graduate sweethearts. Keru is Chinese and raised by strict immigrant parents, while Nate comes from a rural, white, working-class family. When the two decide to bring their families along for vacation, the question emerges: Are we compatible enough?

Two people dating is fun, romantic, and independent. However, when they marry and try to merge their families, the cracks are exposed, and adding a layer of different cultures breaks their foundation.

Keru had failed to consider until she gained such inlaws and realized oh f*&@, so that's what meant by the phrase you marry your inlaws

Keru's mother and father have rigid belief systems. They have a preconceived notion that all Americans are living the American dream. They are wealthy by default because living in the land of opportunity means you have to avail yourself of everything in front of you. Keru's father seems to think he and his family should constantly struggle. He believes Using a dishwasher is to admit defeat

Why suffer more than I have to? Why keep asking myself if I've suffered enough?

Keru contends with two opposing forces as a child and into adulthood.

The push of her parents to assimilate and the pull of the fabled white family who, worse case scenario, send you off to bed without meatloaf and you stomp upstairs...and later your mother comes to give you a goodnight kiss

Personally speaking, there is an engaging, truthful dynamic in the book—one where Asian parents withhold loud acts of affection. You grow up watching an idolized version of the American family imposed on you through Friday night family sitcoms. The one where the parents come to your room and tell you, no matter what you did, you'll be loved, and it will be okay. Author Weike Wang does a phenomenal job describing Keru's past triggers and how they affect her experience with her inlaws.


For Keru, proving successful meant working toward extreme measures, but for Nate, his parents believed he was perfect or a little too bright.

Nate's parents were really nice to Nate, and at times it was insufferable how innocuous the conversations could get...They had to keep acknowledging one another, else one of the might disappear

At one point, Nate's mother sends a subtle dig at Keru, telling Nate he shouldn't have gone into a scientific career because most of the people he would be contending against were really intelligent Asians--never giving Nate a chance to climb the hierarchy.

Nate's mother is chatty and tries hard to 'connect' with Keru, but she feels unconnected. She constantly mentions having children, a topic Keru finds offensive.

Misery likes company, and people with children want the childless ones to join them

Keru realized what she disliked about her mother-in-law. The woman demanded to be understood by everyone around her, yet was not willing, ready, or able to extend generosity to others

The book's second half focuses on more of Keru and Nate's lives, which evolved from their parents. They now meet Eastern European neighbors, and, in a way, these foreigners behave in the same irrational ways as their parents. Making them question the choices they make in their marriage. The way Keru works more, makes more money, their decision not to have children, and their obsession with their dog.

We also meet Nate's jobless brother, a freeloader. Not only does Nate hate this about his family, but Keru is overtly judgemental about how Nate's family handles finances and his brother's life. She still invests in his random project of opening a workout facility—it surprised me as much as Nate.


I didn't give Rental House five stars because the book's second half fell relatively flat. It didn't have the same gumption as the first part. I read an article where author Wang stated the novel should be approached as two novellas instead of one congruent story, which makes sense.

This novel is relatable, witty, often humorous, and sometimes heartbreaking.
4/5 stars

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book and try an author I've never read before. I received this book through the Riverhead Reader Program. Unfortunately, I do not understand any appeal for it. I found this book extremely dry, monotone, flat, and full of 'telling' not 'showing'. What was the point of anything in this book? Was I supposed to care about any of the characters? Hopefully other people enjoy it, but it's not for me.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get it, this is one of those cilantro authors…you know, ya either love it or hate it. As for me, I loved it, especially as a childless urban dog owner with eccentric and disapproving parents. Her deadpan, dry style of dark humor works for me like an elder Millennial Hemingway’s.

[Bkwmlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A couple weeks ago, I had made a plan to take advantage of the vacation time I would have during the last two weeks of December to catch up on as many 2024 reads as possible. While I realize now in hindsight that this plan was a bit too ambitious given all the family obligations I had around the holidays, I’m glad I put in the effort because even though I won’t get through as much as I had planned, at least I’m making a decent dent to my TBR pile.

One of the books that I have been looking forward to reading ever since I found out about it is Rental House , Weike Wang’s third novel that she wrote during the pandemic. I loved her previous novel, Joan is Okay , which resonated with me deeply and was a 5-star read for me, so of course it’s no surprise that this new book was high on my list of must-reads. I finally got around to reading the book this week and I’m definitely glad I did. At only 213 pages, this slim novel is a quick read, but yet, one that also packs a punch.

In Rental House , Wang presents a marriage between two people from completely opposite ends of the cultural divide. Keru was born in China, but immigrated to the United States with her parents as a child and despite having completely assimilated into American culture (including becoming a citizen through naturalization), she is still viewed as “foreign” by many people, including her own in-laws. Keru’s parents, who are strict and demanding (as most immigrant Chinese parents are), expect perfection at every turn and believe that only through endless striving and struggle can immigrants such as themselves gain success in a country not of one’s origin. Nate is white and from a rural Appalachian, working-class family that distrusts intellect and striving as a means to get ahead and instead believes that those in a position of wealth (including the government) should be expected to help them out. Despite being from two disparate cultures, Keru and Nate marry after college and instead of having kids, decide to raise a sheepdog whom they name Mantou (which means “steamed bun” in Chinese). The book is divided into two parts, with part 1 being about a vacation in Cape Cod with Keru and Nate as well as both sets of in-laws (albeit separately – Keru’s parents visit first, then Nate’s parents), while part 2 takes place 5 years later, with Keru and Nate vacationing in the Catskills, this time without either set of in-laws (though their presence is still hugely felt despite not being there physically). The story essentially chronicles the culture clash that ensues as Keru and Nate navigate a life together while simultaneously having to deal with the differences between their families.

As a Chinese American woman, I always feel seen whenever I read Weike Wang’s works – more than when I read other works by Chinese/Chinese American authors – probably because of how realistically she is able to portray the Chinese American experience in a modern-day setting. I love how Wang captures the nuances of the Chinese American experience so perfectly and precisely every time – though in Rental House, the differences are more out in the open due to the juxtaposition of the two main characters who are from such disparate and opposite backgrounds. Given my own background, I especially resonated with Keru’s struggles: the pressure that her Chinese immigrant parents place on her to achieve success, with this success in turn being used as justification that her parents’ sacrifices were not in vain; the never-ending identity struggle that comes with being caught between two disparate cultures; constantly having to weigh the necessity of assimilation against the risk of losing her own cultural identity; and the nagging feeling that, even when she does everything right (works hard, gains prestige and wealth through a respected, high-paying job), it is somehow never going to be enough. Most of all though, I resonated deeply with the way Keru behaves in the presence of her parents, especially her mother. Growing up with my background, I’ve found that one of the biggest things that my non-Asian friends have the hardest time understanding is the relationship dynamic between the Chinese mother and her children (sons to a certain extent but especially daughters). In the face of relentless criticism from our Chinese mothers, the most common question that Chinese daughters such as myself get asked is why do we behave the way we do in front of our mothers and furthermore, why do we allow our mothers to treat us this way in the first place. What those who ask this question fail to understand is that, for Chinese mothers, criticism (especially toward Chinese daughters) is their love language – it’s something so ingrained and such a natural element of the Chinese parent/child relationship that, when we’re in each other’s presence, we automatically slot into our roles without even realizing it. Weike Wang is one of the few Chinese American authors I’ve read who is able to convey this dynamic so well on the page and I love her for it!

With all that said, my favorite novel of Wang’s is still Joan is Okay , but this newest one isn’t too far behind. I will pretty much read anything Wang writes at this point, and I’m hoping her next novel won’t take too long to come out.

Also, one last thing I want to put out there: as those who are familiar with Weike Wang’s works probably know, her style is not for everyone. She writes with a wry, ironic wit in a snarky, dead-pan style that is oftentimes misunderstood, perhaps because she is unapologetic about portraying her main protagonists in all their quirky, eccentric, realistically flawed glory, which may not work for all audiences. Her books also tend to be heavily character-driven and not only lack a coherent plot, but also lean more toward “slice-of-life vignette” territory where parts of the story may feel abrupt or incomplete. This kind of style may not work for all readers, so it’s important to keep this in mind when deciding whether to pick this one up.

[Christopher Febles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the success of the pandemic-era Joan Is Okay, Weike Wang returns with a short, existential novel about an accomplished but troubled couple approaching middle age.

Nate, a science professor from a rural white household, and Keru, a financial consultant with a Chinese-American immigrant background, are a married Manhattan couple. They’re intelligent, accomplished, and hard-driving: so focused, in fact, that they have no time for kids. Several years into their marriage, they rent a cottage in Cape Cod (Part One), inviting both their parents to visit (at separate times). Then, in Part Two (five years later), they reserve a bungalow in the hills of upstate New York. There they befriend a Brooklyn couple with Eastern European roots, and later, Nate’s ne’er-do-well brother drops in.



This is about as brilliant a character-driven novel as it gets. Wang’s conceptualization of these very specific people shows itself to be almost boundless. Nate and Keru don’t need to be liked, but they’re very easily and deeply understood.

What’s more, Wang does this with stage-like drama and action. She could’ve easily plodded along with “He thought” and “She thought” sentences, straining to explain their feelings. But instead, she does the Tolstoy thing: plops them in cringey, difficult situations and conversations. The conflict, trouble, and even mild violence erupts from the tension behind the words. It’s hard to tell sometimes if Nate and Keru cause confrontations, or if they just follow from their attitudes and passive-aggressive slights.

I’ve criticized past novels for trying to do too much, for attempting to cover or introduce too many social ideas and themes. Rental House does the same, but somehow delivers strong, interesting, and powerful messages on a range of topics. What does it mean to be a DINK? Why do people have children? Is there a pattern of behavior or norms for Asian immigrants? Who’s the breadwinner? What does it mean to have money, or not? And what’s the meaning of family? I was impressed with how well Wang touched on each of these questions, again not through monologue (mostly), but sharp words and axe-throwing (both metaphorical AND physical).



But even the monologue was easy to read and meaningful.

It's not your typical novel, where you love and root for those adorable MCs. But it’ll make you think and feel like an authentic person in this situation, at this stage of life. Quite the philosopher is this author, and she does it in an accessible, real-world way.

[Bonnie G. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this. A lot. I like self-indulgent books, but holy shit woman! Your pain is less profound and relatable than you think. Regardless of the theory hinted at in this book you can manage or even repress rage rather than throwing rocks at the heads of rude strangers or quietly giving away money to shyster inlaws. These characters' actions made no sense and held no interest at least for me. Angry repressed confused Chinese 1st gens, stupid Trumpian White trash relatives, traumatized Cultural Revolution fleeing relatives on the other side, and smart White guy husband who has the "privilege" of being mellow. Everything the main character does is irrational and selfish (even her generosity is selfish since all she cares about when generous is what people will think of her.) Either she is inauthentic or deranged (or sometimes both.) Despite this messaging, you can change your course without lashing out for years and suddenly rolling over to ask for belly rubs. You can understand your (terrible) parents without becoming your (terrible) parents. And your husband can acknowledge his (terrible) family and draw healthy boundaries beyond which he will cut off contact without you acting like your (terrible) parents and spouting about filial piety and the need to make Chinese people look good in front of the White people. It was so over the top. Maybe it was intended as satire? If it was it did not work for me.

I liked Wang's first book, Chemistry, her second book was and remains on my tbr, but the pain of succeeding professionally and financially through hard work where you have given up many other things is not interesting enogh in and of itself to support this book 3. The lens of the first gen Chinese American on the ignorant-by-choice White family she married into had some interesting moments but could have been so much better if she had focused on that issue, and tried to not disdain her subjects. I get it, they are people worthy of disdain, but you can't write a good character unless you identify in them something worthy of love and care and communicate that to the reader. Wang did not do that. It was short so I finished it, but in the end, all I felt was relief.

[Michael Burke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Weike Wang's "Joan is Okay" and looked forward to this audiobook. A number of people really enjoyed this-- I just never connected to its humor or insight.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

She and her parents had a finite amount of time left together, and from now until one of their deaths, that time would be cut up and concentrated into these tiny bursts. She wanted these bursts to be laced with happy memories, yet the three of them seemed unable to pull it off. Possibly because none of them really believed in happiness. They believed in unhappiness because they had lived it. To be unhappy together was a comfort.

I've often felt that if a marriage can survive the in-laws it can survive anything. Parents provide overwhelming pressure with their constant nudging: "Be more like us. Why can't you get a better job? Why don't you visit more often? When are you going to have children? Everyone else my age is a grandparent."

I enjoyed this slyly humorous novel, though I still don't understand what the "happy" couple saw in one another. What on earth kept them together all those years? Ennui? I didn't really like ANY of the characters (even, truth be told, the dog), but I DID find them interesting, and that's what matters. Wang provides a fascinating look at a modern marriage.

Thanks to Riverhead Books and NetGalley for the read.

[Holly R W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella by Weike Wang features a married couple and gives a snapshot of their lives together. Keru is a Chinese-American woman, who was raised as an only child by parents emigrating to the U.S. She is super-bright, ambitious and works as a highly paid business consultant. Nathan was raised in a small, Appalachaian town by working-class parents. He is estranged from his brother, who has gotten into trouble with the law. Nathan likes his work as a biology professor at a small college and is not ambitious. The couple has decided against having children and instead, dote on their large sheepdog.

Wang seems to enjoy writing about quirky people. The characters in her new book are no exception. Keru, for example, has a problem with rage. She releases it periodically, by throwing random objects (whatever is handy will do). She threw a big rock at a woman on the beach, who offended her.

Wang's characters are utterly believable. She has written a portrait of a dysfunctional yet functioning family. I read the book quickly, enjoying it. My only quibble is about how unhappy the characters are.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story of a couple from different backgrounds, the daughter of Chinese immigrants and the son of rural working class caucasians, while they vacation at two different rental homes was fairly depressing. I suspect this post-pandemic tale will resonate most with the gen-xers as the issues this couple grapple with align best with that group. While I loved the author's first two books, this one, not so much. The writing and character development are well-done but everyone but the dog was unlikeable. If you haven't read this author yet, start with one of her other 2 books instead of this one.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

BOTM

I was interested in this book based on a couple of things- I usually enjoy books in the literary fiction genera and the description of the book on Book of the Month's quick take, drew me in.
It said, "During two family vacations, a married couple of different cultural backgrounds must reckon with each other’s in-laws." I think that the book delivered on this description.
It is a fairly short book that is set into two parts. During the course of the story, you see a broad view of a couples relationship spanning from when the couple meets all the way to when they've been married for around 10 years.

There were several reasons that I didn't particularly enjoy this book. First, the main character had a strange habit of randomly throwing things throughout the book- but this was never explained or really addressed. Second, the general tone and outlook the characters had was negative and they didn't seem to grow or develop. Finally, the ending of the book was very abrupt and felt like the author just decided to stop writing. I left the book feeling like it was a bit of waste of time overall.

I'm sure that others will have a completely different experience with this book, but it wasn't for me.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wang has written a perceptive book about the baggage in our identities and our own peculiarities. Her dry-wit humor shows the simmering tension in Keru and Nate's marriage that even affect the family dog, Mantou. The couple are trying to understand their individual values while striving to relate to their spouse's experience with immigration and culture. The writing may seem a little dry, but I think the directness worked great for this story.

[Liz Hein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rental House is the story of a biracial couple told through two different vacations set five years apart. Keru comes from a strict set of Chinese immigrant parents and Nate comes from a rural working class white couple and both sets of parents visit them at some point while they are staying at vacation rental #1. Vacation #2 brings about two other sets of guests and we get to see all the idiosyncrasies emerge due to this brilliant set up.

The role of an expat v an immigrant. The role of a daughter v a wife. Navigating an Ivy League as a white male v Asian woman. Joining a family v that person joining yours. Aggrevation v amazement at the same behavior. The push to assimilate v the pull of not. To drink or not to drink the "kool aid". And what happens when you are forced to grapple with all of this on "vacation". What is owed inherently vs what needs to be earned. There is so much being explored here, but not once did this ever feel like I was reading about these specific issues. I was reading a poignant, sometimes funny, sometimes piercing family story of two people navigating life with all that it brings with it.

This was so sharp. It is fairly quiet as this DINK couple navigates life while reckoning with what they need their future to be. Despite its quiet, I couldn't stop flipping these pages because Wang's format so brilliantly brings out so much to marvel at. Her acute observations on so many layers of identity cemented this as a huge win for me. Highly recommend fitting this short book in before the end of 2024!

[Taury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rental House by Weike Wang started off promising. This character driven novel is based on themes of culture, identity and family relationships. The novel is based around Keru and Nate, a mixed race couple who show some of the difficulties blending into different cultures. Both individuals struggle to find ways to identify with their in-laws. Later as Keru’s professional life soars, Nate struggles with his own identity. The first half pulled me in with promise and expectations of a strong character driven novel. The second half lost me. I wondered exactly what was the point. The second section lacked connection and just became bored.

[Jerrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish Part II had continued the ideas from Part I. I found the set up for the book had great potential-the immigrant experience juxtaposed with the middle class Midwestern experience is relevant to our current times. The couples’ development didn’t really seem to go anywhere in the second part of the book.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keru und Nate lernen sich zufällig während ihrer Studienzeit auf einer Party kennen und später lieben. Sie heiraten, arbeiten in ihren jeweiligen Traumberufen - sie Unternehmensberaterin, er Forscher - und legen sich einen Hund zu. Ihr Leben scheint perfekt - zumindest für Keru und Nate selbst. Denn ihre Eltern haben ganz andere Erwartungen an das Paar, vor allem wünschen sie sich Enkelkinder. Um die Gemüter zu besänftigen, mieten Keru und Nate ein Ferienhaus auf den Cape Cods und laden nacheinander Kerus und Nates Eltern ein.

Was folgt ist ein absoluter Culture Clash: Während für Kerus Eltern Menschen mit einer Spülmaschine die Kontrolle über ihr Leben verloren haben und Ausflüge aufgrund von Keimgefahr nicht in Frage kommen, reisen Nates Eltern und bekennende Trump-Fans mit Klappstühlen und Sensationsgier an. Beide Urlaubsbesuche stehen für sich kurz vor der Eskalation, verlassen kann sich das Paar eigentlich nur aufeinander. Wäre Weike Wangs Schreibstil in "Die Ferien" nicht so humorvoll und bissig, hätten der unterschwellige und manchmal auch ganz offene Klassismus und Rassismus fast schmerzhaft sein können.

Nach etwa der Hälfte des Buches macht die Autorin noch einmal einen Cut, sie springt fünf Jahre weiter zu einem Urlaub der Beiden in den Catskills. Kinder haben sie immernoch nicht, der Beruf hat sie ganz eingenommen, die Beziehung zeigt viele Risse. Eigentlich soll der Paarurlaub helfen - doch dann taucht Nates Bruder überraschend auf und wirbelt erneut die eigentlich schönste Zeit des Jahres durcheinander. In diesem zweiten Teil hat mich Weike Wang leider ein bisschen verloren, ich fand ihn wenig zielführend für die Geschichte und fast ein bisschen random. Für mich hätte das Buch entweder nach dem ersten Teil enden, oder sich etwas näher daran anschließen können.

Insgesamt war "Die Ferien" aber ein kurzweiliger Lesegenuss für mich, der trotz seiner wenigen Seiten viel Tiefgang besitzt. Mit einer ordentlichen Prise Humor beleuchtet Weike Wang die Themen Zugehörigkeit, Liebe und gesellschaftliche sowie familiäre Erwartungen. Falls ihr noch keine Urlaubslektüre habt, lohnt es sich hier zuzugreifen!

Übersetzt von Andrea O'Brien.

[Derek Driggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Wang’s first two novels, and I liked the premise of this one, but I am getting a little weary of the emotionally detached, bored-with-life narrator trend (which tends to come from hot new young MFA writers—no shade to them, but it’s a pattern). Give me someone quirky, give me someone earnest, give me someone depraved, whatever—just write something with a voice that doesn’t read as dissociating from life; I do enough of that in reality.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third Weike Wang book and I just love her snark, humor, sarcasm and general millennial observations on all things. Whether you're reading or listening, it's something you feel smarter for afterward. I can't decide if Joan Is Okay or Rental House is my favorite, but no matter what book you choose, you can't go wrong.

Thank you to Riverhead Books for the gifted copy and prhaudio for the gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: 12/03/2024
Review Date: 12/06/2024

[el · Rating 4 out of 5]

“But in truth, immigration was a zero-sum game in which the alternative could never be known.”

asian lit fic always delivers <3

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5: I typically really love how this author writes quirky, brilliant characters, but this book wasn't like that. This book lacked the humor of the previous ones, the characters weren't very likable and the story seemed pretty stagnant.

[Becca Gilbert · Rating 1 out of 5]

.5 ✯ ummmm so deadpan, serious, depressing, grave. I guess that is family? Enjoyed some of the themes explored like marrying outside your culture and what commitment to family means. But did not enjoy any bit of this book.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soft DNF. I’ll come back to this sometime when I’m ready to read it.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Their interactions with family and strangers alike on two vacations - Cape Cod and the Catskills, five years apart - put interracial couple Keru and Nate's choices into perspective as they near age 40. Although some might find their situation (childfree, with a "fur baby") stereotypical, it does reflect that of a growing number of aging millennials. Wang portrays them sympathetically, but there is also a note of gentle satire. The way that identity politics comes into the novel is not exactly subtle, but it does feel true to life. And it is very clever how the novel examines the matters of race, class, ambition, and parenthood through the lens of vacations. Like a two-act play, the framework is simple and concise, yet so revealing about contemporary American society. (More of a 3.5, really.)

See my full review at BookBrowse. (See also my reading list on Novels Set on Vacation.)

[Lisa Kusel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened. Jen Zhao's sardonic performance was spot-on.

After finishing this book I decided I liked it a whole lot better than Ms. Wang's previous book, CHEMISTRY, and would give it 4 stars. Then I saw that I'd given that book 4 stars. So, what to do? Change Chemistry to 3 stars? That would be petty, no?

They are pretty much the exact same book with the same exact characters but this one was a bit smarter and funnier. Okay, just assume I'm giving it 4.5 stars, rounded down.

Will I read another book by Weike Wang? Nah. Two was enough.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nicely done portrait of a couple and their parents. The couple consists of Keru, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and her husband, Nate, the son of parents who have lived for generations in Appalachia. Of course, Keru and Nate hail from extremely different backgrounds and this difference and the way in which they deal with it is what drives the novel.
Keru and Nate meet at Yale, and the reader meets them as a young married couple. They have rented a vacation home where they will entertain first, Keru’s parents and then Nate’s parents. Keru’s parents are (in my opinion) stereotype Chinese parents. They raised their daughter to succeed – which she did. But the novel delves deeper and portrays the personality of Keru’s mother, who often complains and for whom nothing is perfect. On the other hand, Nate’s parents are Appalachian Americans, who were shocked when Nate went to college. Nate’s mother is also well portrayed, and although she generally is outwardly quite genial, her deep beliefs and prejudices often show through.
The most fully portrayed characters are Keru and Nate, who bring the weight of their extremely different backgrounds into their marriage. The heart of the novel is their interaction – in daily life, in their professional lives, in their nuclear family (which consists only of their dog) and in their relationships with their parents. I enjoyed the storyline; however, there were a few places where I thought the writing needed a little more editing.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: RENTAL HOUSE
AUTHOR: Weike Wang
PUB DATE: 12.03.2024

DAKOTA JOHNSON’S TEATIME PICTURES DECEMBER BOOK CLUB PICK 

ONE OF NPR’S “BOOKS WE LOVE” 2024

Weike Wang has done it again. Rental House is subtle, sharp, and emotionally resonant in the most unexpected ways. It’s the kind of novel that doesn’t shout—it hums. Quietly. Persistently. And then suddenly, you realize it’s gotten under your skin.

The story revolves around themes of inheritance, displacement, caretaking, and identity—told with Wang’s signature wit and emotional precision. The protagonist is perfectly drawn: observant, guarded, and quietly unraveling in a way that feels so human. The rental house itself becomes a metaphor, a container of both memory and responsibility, and Wang explores this without ever being heavy-handed.

Her prose is clean and restrained, but every line holds weight. The silences are just as powerful as the dialogue. It reminded me a bit of Yiyun Li or Rachel Cusk—writers who do so much with so little.

If you’re looking for a novel that’s emotionally intelligent, darkly funny, and quietly devastating, Rental House is it. It’s a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

Highly, highly recommended.