Foreigners

by E.L. Shen

This propulsive, tender novel follows an immigrant family across generations as they navigate love, belonging, and the great fictions we must weave to preserve a legacy.

For centuries, the Chin family has kept its secrets.

In 1878, Duanfang knows he’s destined for greatness. He’ll do anything to uphold and protect the legacy of his Manchu family—even if it means hiding his past.

In 1966, Zheng Yi flies from Taiwan to New York City to have a shot at attending an American college. Thrown into a world of parties, prejudice, and a tumultuous romance, Yi worries that New York may be more than she can handle. But just as she is beginning to adjust, she must make a shocking decision that will irrevocably change her life and her future forever.

Today, Dawn Chin’s family is opaque at best, with heavy expectations and heavier silences. But an assignment to interview her grandmother is about to crack open her real family a legacy hundreds of years old, and a lie decades in the making...

Genres: Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction

448 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 22, 2026

About the author

E. L. Shen is a writer and editor. Her debut middle grade novel, The Comeback (Macmillan) is a Junior Library Guild Selection, received two starred reviews, and was praised for its “fast-paced prose, big emotions, and authentic dialogue” in The New York Times. Her young adult debut, The Queens of New York (HarperCollins) is an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a Common Sense Media Selection. Her most recent novel, Maybe It’s a Sign (Macmillan), published on January 23, 2024 and is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. Her next novel. Foreigners, is set to publish from HarperCollins in Fall 2026.

Reviews

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books

[Nour (FREE PALESTINE) Books]

omg I got the arc... I already know this will be 5 stars
I was gonna have to wait like 6 months for this 😭🙏

[Shay J · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️ 5 ✨ ❤️

How do generational lies shape our lives? What happens when we're brave enough to uncover them? What if we choose courage and live into who we really are? What is the cost of assimilation, and what will we do to fit in? How far will we go to leave a legacy and protect our family?

Format: 🎧 + 📚

Favorite 💭

"Dawn can't help but think of her grandmother pooping while God calls her to find eternal glory in Christ"

"Now she thinks she should have paid more attention to her studies than to boys. She is becoming too American for her own good"

"This hot librarian is probably just another straight girl who absent-mindedly flirts with other girls"

"She has always thought of Samuel as unbearably moral, but maybe morality and the law are not one and the same"

"In some way, isn't this true of all of them? Hadn't they come to America for a life that could not be offered in their homelands? For the tantalizing promise of freedom and success, unbound by the threat of war, or dictatorship, or imprisonment. Although, of course, there is a war going on here too. Sometimes the best and only choice is to leave."

"Justice, she thinks, is subjective and perverse."

"What is the cost of our lies? Both big and small."

✍🏼 The short-and-sweet story

E.L. Shen tells a beautiful story that intertwines the difficulties of oppression, desire for a better life, the struggles of coming of age, the dark side of family secrets, and how we move forward when we've made morally grey decisions for the ones we love. This story is a mix of historical fiction, coming of age/young adult, and romance told from the perspective of POV''s that span generations. My curiosity was piqued the entire time, trying to fit the moving pieces together, and ultimately was shocked, but satisfied, with the ending and its twists.

The story follows three timelines (mostly two, there's a short interlude third story in the background), Zheng Yi and Dawn Chin. Yi, in the 60's, flies to the U.S. from Taipei for boarding school and arrives in NYC to a shocking reality made up of parties, challenging romantic relationships, and American friendships with nuances she doesn't quite understand. Simultaneously, you learn of Dawn Chin, who is a modern student in high school who's tasked in a history class to interview a family member about a monumental time in history in their life. When Dawn reaches out to her grandmother, Yi, she uncovers family secrets that shaped her family's legacy. While both stories unfold, the reader is introduced to their inner monologue (though close third-person storytelling) on how they navigate coming of age, romantic relationships, identity, and the burden of fitting in. In the end, the reader is taken on a journey as the truths come to light and is left pondering important ethical questions that, at some point, impact us all.

😍 What I loved 😍

--the dual POV was a masterpiece and kept me engaged the whole time!
--I love how the author pushes the envelope on allll things related to coming of age/identity, like sexuality, peer pressure, parties/alcohol, and fitting in. These challenges, though they differ, are super relatable to all readers!
--the journey the reader is taken on and moral challenges with Asian immigration (both in the 60s and modern), assimilation, racism, and the challenges of starting over
--I was on the EDGE of my seat at the end, and I LOVED that the author wrapped everything up! I hate when I read stories, and I feel like there are missing pieces--you won't feel that way with this read!
--the author's transparency! The author has a touching author's note right before the epilogue, where she shares a little about her own story, which is a nice personal touch.

‼️ Critique? Feedback? ‼️
--honestly, the only thing I had feedback on was a trigger warning. There are a few scenes, though not graphic, are non-consensual sexual acts that would have been nice to know about going into it.

💃🏼 Oddly specific vibes throughout 💃🏼

1. That moment you realize your parents were your age once



2. Those awkward high school moments you wish you could forget



3. Overexplaining to your parents that, yes, you're still bisexual, even if you've kissed a boy

[Sena · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5 stars. a dual-pov story with some flashbacks in a third pov, telling the story of a taiwanese immigrant family across generations. i couldn't put this down and loved every moment of this - there's a bit of mystery threaded through the narrative as it explores history, generational trauma, and interpersonal relationships.

i didn't get the feeling that this was young adult, honestly, and probably wouldn't have noticed if i hadn't seen it on the goodreads description. not that this isn't suited for that age group - but the maturity in the characters that was conveyed was realistic and lacked the immaturity that i often have gripes with in typical YA fiction, so this was excellently done in that regard.

next, the characters. this is probably my favorite part.
- yi's POV had me hooked, and i loved seeing her grow and develop as she found her roots in america. she was an amazing protagonist who was just the right blend of hesitant, hopeful innocence when she landed, and then a secretive matriarch in her old age when seen through dawn's eyes.
- dawn, oh dawn - she reminded me painfully of myself as an 18-year-old navigating one of my first relationships. she was so real, and i loved that. although i found her POV slow to begin with, it picked up near the end (and this was also likely due to how excited i was to hear more of yi's story).
- finally, duanfang. this felt a bit disconnected from the main narrative for me, and i honestly think that his part could have been omitted without losing anything from the experience, but perhaps this was my own personal disinterest with his story. too much history, not enough action or mention of any memorable characters or events.
- in terms of the supporting cast, samuel in particular deserves the world and i wish we could've seen him and yi interacting more in their old age. i honestly didn't hate calvin either - his flaws made him human and were believable, just like dawn's, as opposed to simply being a very flat villain.

in terms of the overall flow, the author kept me guessing until the end, leaving just enough clues here and there to tell the reader that something was going on, and making me want to keep reading to find out what. i was engaged with yi's story from start to finish, and even wish i could've seen more of her adult life.

overall, this is probably one of my favorite immigrant family stories i've read to date, and i recommend it! i received an arc of the audiobook edition in exchange for an honest review.

[Pujashree · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA stories, especially ones about Chinese immigrants and their families, are rarely ever YA, so I was curious about this one. I ended up really enjoying the author's voice and how each of the POV characters broke the mold of what Chinese immigrant stories should be. The premise is that each generation has built a life on a big lie and how that affected the future generations. It begins with a very real historical figure, Duanfang, a Viceroy in Imperial China, of Ham descent but passing for Manchu to rise to high political office from where he reformed education and banned foot binding of Chinese women. He is also known for his collection of antiques that now reside in the Met Museum in New York. His fictional decendant from Taiwan, moves to the US as a teenager in the 60s and begins her journey towards assimilation. Her granddaughter in turn is a teenager in the present day, in a boarding school, where she is navigating parental neglect and new romance in light of traumatic assault. The story largely focuses on the two teenage girls in two time periods, one trying to find her place in a new land and the other looking for answers in her family's history which doesn't quite add up. Between them the story in Foreigners shines brightly and distinctly in their two individual voices but also in a coming together as formative untruths are revealed and acknowledged. The cast of people around them, especially Audrey's in New York, and Dawn's budding relationship with Penn, paints a vivid and personable story about family and found family and reclaiming what is denied by accident of circumstances. The narrator did a brilliant job in bringing the characters and the distinct time periods alive. Thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook ARC.

[Jada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Chin family secrets are spread across generations. From Duanfang the Manchu politician in 1878 to Zheng Yi the Taiwanese exchange student in NYC in 1965 to Dawn Chin in the present, they all are hiding something that holds power over them and the people they love.

For me, a mark of a truly great literary work is when it causes me to pause and reflect on my own life, seeing myself in the characters, untangling my own identity and experiences alongside them. That's what it felt like reading Foreigners. The story shifts perspective from Zheng Yi and Dawn during their respective times in high school with short chapters about Duanfang sprinkled in.

I loved reading about Zheng Yi's experience as an exchange student during the civil rights movement, how she was welcomed into a host family in NYC's Chinatown, and everything she got up to with her friends. Her determination and hard work shone through. I really enjoyed Dawn's journey to get to know her grandmother, which also led to many more friendships and experiences. The prose was beautiful and impactful. It was truly some of the most beautiful prose I’ve read in years, giving each story its own special filter.

The way Zheng Yi and Dawn's stories were woven together was so beautiful, and it made me reflect on how important family history is. There's a reason why some people spend decades meticulously tracing their family history. It's something to be proud of, something that bonds families together. As a Chinese adoptee, it's something that I think about a lot, the invisible bonds I have with my birth family that I may ever know, and the tangible bonds that I have with my adoptive family. How the bonds have shaped me into the person I am today.

[Wildrose Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Foreigners” by E.L. Shen
🎧 Format: Audiobook
🎙️ Narrator: Eunice Wong; Katharine Chin; Kenneth Lee
📚 Pub Date: 09.22.26
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

“Foreigners” by E.L. Shen is a sweeping generational novel of monumental proportions.

“Foreigners” is told in multiple storylines, and multiple POV’s, and moves back and forth from the past to the present.

The novel unfolds with a hint of intrigue and mystery about the circumstances surrounding one of the main character’s history around immigrating to the United States of America. I refuse to spoil anything, and I strongly encourage everyone to read this book!

The story slowly builds with masterful suspense and by the time I was 85% done I literally could not put the book down until I finished it: I simply had to know the answers and the truth! And the truth was something I could never have imagined.

Families almost all have some secrets or parts of their history that they don’t willingly share. Over the span of generations, those secrets can become so hidden that it seems almost impossible for them to be exposed. At the end of the novel, the author poses the question: “What is the cost of our lies?”. What a thought provoking question!

“Foreigners” is an incredible novel and I highly recommend it. I listened to “Foreigners” by audiobook, and I really enjoyed the narration.

Thank you to E.L. Shen, NetGalley & HarperAudio Children’s for the Listener Review Copy. All opinions are my own.

#Foreigners
#ELShen
#EuniceWong
#Katharine Chin
#Kenneth Lee
#NetGalley
#HarperAudioChildrens

[Christy Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foreigners is a moving story about love, family, identity, and what it means to truly belong. This is the kind of book you’ll want to sit with after finishing because it makes you reflect on the choices we inherit, the mistakes we repeat, and the ways we grow beyond the generations that came before us.

The pacing was a little slow at times, but I stayed invested because I cared about the characters and wanted to see where their journeys would take them. I think the right reader will really appreciate the level of research and attention to detail that Shen brings to the story. The historical details and careful world-building create a vivid picture of each character’s experiences and the worlds they inhabit.

One of the reasons this story stayed with me is that I can already see how much it could resonate with my multilingual learners. So many of my students are navigating questions of identity, culture, family expectations, and what it means to find a place where they belong. I would love to recommend this book to them as they continue developing their own stories and understanding the experiences that shape who they are.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. I’m grateful to have discovered this story and look forward to reading more of Shen’s work in the future.

[Apennyforjthoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows the story of the Chin family across three generations, and how three different people move through their lives, each shaped by their own lies.

From Duanfang, a Manchu official, to Zheng Yi, a Taiwanese exchange student in New York City in the 1960s, to Dawn Chin in the present day.

Although it’s multi-POV, the story leans more heavily on Zheng Yi’s life in NYC as she navigates the difficulties of learning English and trying to fit into American society. We not only get to see her growing friendship with her 2 besties in school, but also her relationships with Calvin Chin, the boy she had always been betrothed to since childhood, and Samuel, whom Calvin sees as dangerous.

Through Dawn Chin (Zheng Yi’s granddaughter), we follow her through heartbreak, her discovery of her queerness, and the uncovering of deeply buried family secrets.

The book started off a little slow for me, and I was slightly bored by Dawn’s POV at first. But that didn’t last long because I became very invested in Zheng Yi’s life in NYC. I enjoyed the twists in the story (!!!!!), and although I do not agree with all the decisions made, my heart ached for everyone.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy!

I was blown away by E.L. Shen’s ability to integrate the 3 perspectives/point of views in a way that was intentional and entertaining. The book was perfectly paced and it felt like I was a part of the family too.

Duanfang’s chapters were a fascinating look into China’s history. Zheng Yi’s chapters provided a glimpse into New York in the 1950’s from a unique perspective that you don’t often hear about. Dawn’s perspective felt relatable and interesting as a young Asian American Adoptee who is also always interested in learning more about my culture and past.

I also love that there was a huge mystery the entire time surrounding her grandmother’s past which kept me second guessing the entire time. I truly did not know how things would end and what the secret actually was until the very end where everything artfully came together.

Overall, I love and appreciate Asian representation in media and I’m really excited for this book to be released. I’ve been telling all my friends about it and hope it gets the recognition it deserves!

[Mary C · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story follows three timelines, Duanfang in 1878, Zheng Yi in 1966 and Dawn Chin in the present day. Duanfang has risen to power posing as a Manchu only to lose everything when the Han takeover. Zheng Yi arrives from Taiwan as a high school senior attending a New York prep school. While her host family is supportive, assimilation and racism make for a difficult journey. As she navigates her senior year, an incident will change her life forever.
Dawn is given the history assignment of interviewing a family member, she chooses her grandmother, Zheng (Audrey). However, she realizes that she is not being told the truth about her grandmother's past and uncover what her grandmother is hiding. What she uncovers gives her a better understanding of the compromises her grandparents made to give their children a better life. With the information gained, Dawn realizes the path she wants her life to take. Story of assimilation, choices made and regrets.
#Foreigners #HarperCollinsChildrensBooks #QuillTreeBooks #NetGalley

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

A deeply moving story about love, family, and what it means to belong. Foreigners is the kind of book you’ll want to sit and ruminate on once you finish. It tugs at all the right heartstrings, from first love to last heartbreak. Following Dawn and Audrey’s stories as both women find their places was a delightful journey, and the parallels and connections that form between grandmother and granddaughter are too powerful to ignore. The final act of the book was one of the most perfect I’ve read in a while. It’s all about Dawn learning from her grandmother’s mistakes and taking to heart her triumphs, becoming a better woman. And isn’t that what we all want for our kids: to be a better person than the ones that came before?

I’ve added Shen’s other books to my TBR already - I can’t get enough of her storytelling. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

[Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book as an Arc from HarperCollins Children's Books & NetGalley*

I decided to check this book out because of a video the author made on Tiktok — about the insane lore behind her grandma’s love story, which inspired she wrote this book. I also enjoyed the book Pachinko, so I wanted to give the book a shot.

The book follows the Chin family spanning across three vastly different generations. I was intrigued by the author’s decision to choose these different eras and was curious how she was going to make them intersect. Notably, the book primarily was focused on Zheng Yi and Dawn — which I think was a good decision as we saw how one lie caused by one individual became a domino effect onto others.

I can tell the book is well researched and weaves in cultural context into the narrative whenever we explore the past. I also liked that the author’s writing was engaging and kept me on my toes trying to figure out what was each character’s secret.

[jo ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

huge thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own

this book was equal parts hilarious and also tragically depressing. but isn't life both? oftentimes life feels as if one minute you will be laughing at how you got stuck in traffic taking a shortcut and the next crying because someone close to you passed away.

both of those examples are not in anyway shape or form related to the plot of this novel but I thought I would use them. foreigners was a novel I probably won't stop thinking about because both povs, dawn and her grandmother were incredibly strong and rich. the plot twist genuinely had me gagged because I thought it was going a different way and then boom, twist. five stars, utterly an amazing novel.

[Renae Reji · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley + the publisher for this ARC!!

Before I picked up *Foreigners*, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying the overall story. The plot kept me engaged from beginning to end, and I especially loved how the story was told through three different points of view. Each narrator brought something unique to the story, and it was fun seeing how their perspectives intertwined. The multiple POVs added depth to both the characters and the unfolding mystery, making it easy to stay invested.

That said, one aspect of the book made it difficult for me to fully enjoy. As a reader, the transgender relationships and themes was somthing that almost led me to DNF the book.

Overall, I thought the plot was compelling, the pacing kept me turning the pages, and the three POV structure was one of the book's greatest strengths!!

[Kels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foreigners by E. L. Shen is an immersive, multi-POV story following an immigrant family across generations, and I was completely drawn into each perspective. The pacing kept me invested throughout, giving characters the space to feel fully developed while still moving the story forward.

Once I reached the halfway point, I couldn’t put it down. I especially loved uncovering the family’s history alongside Dawn and seeing how each thread connected over time. The way the story explores legacy, identity, and the ripple effects of the past felt both thoughtful and deeply engaging.

This is a beautifully written, character-driven novel that stayed with me after I finished. It was such a lovely read, and one I’d highly recommend.

I received an advance reader copy through NetGalley.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and sweeping tale about family, love, legacy, immigration, and secrets!

I loved the dual POV switching between Yi in 1960s NYC and Dawn in present-day boarding school, trying to learn more about her grandmother. The story pulled me in as I got to know and root for both girls trying to fit in their various "foreign" worlds. I really enjoyed the female friendships Yi/Audrey found, and the romances both of the girls tumultuously navigated. I loved seeing their stories collide, and the way that the historical story of their ancestor, Duanfang, wove into the narrative as well.

These girls and their story will stick with you for a long time!

[Sydnopses · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley & HarperCollin’s Children’s books for this ARC of Foreigners.
This is my favorite book of 2026. It weaves in and out of history seamlessly. The secrets the Chin family carried throughout generations, and the way it unraveled was absolutely shocking. The whole time I was reading I was trying to predict where the story was going, and to my pleasant surprise I couldn’t!
This was absolutely magnificent. The plot twists were incredible, the pacing was excellent, it felt like I was watching a movie as my brain absorbed every word. I was so excited to read it as soon as I applied for the ARC. And I was so happy that I enjoyed it as much as I anticipated.

[Claire (readwithgzxklair) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and it was a very easy 5-stars, including my favourite book read in May! E.L.Shen has created a beautiful generational story that really brings up so many emotions, especially if you're a person/family who has ever moved abroad or, I imagine, has lived with family secrets.

The three main characters are Duanfang (1878), Zheng Yi/Audrey (1965) and Dawn (today) and the narratives move fluidly between their stories, from protecting a family legacy in Manchuria to emigrating from Taiwan to New York, and finally, to Dawn who is dealing with a generations of secrets, mistaken identity and her own teenage life.

It's so well written. It's emotive, intelligent, sneaky and also has moments of humour. I think this book would be perfect for anyone interested in immigrant stories, Taiwanese/American families and culture, and coming-of-age stories.

Honestly, I loved it so much. Thank you SO MUCH to E.L.Shen, the publisher and to Netgalley for this ARC <3

[Ellie Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to enjoy this one as I love multi-generational family stories and Asian literature in general, but it ultimately just wasn’t for me. Perhaps part of the reason is because this is very much a YA novel, and while there are some YA books I love, I’m admittedly picky with them. I found the characters to be a bit one dimensional and the story drags in the middle.

I do appreciate how the author weaved in her own family history and thoughtfully created this story with surprising details and twists.

[Alice.thereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

I absolutely loved Foreigners! 🤍 This was one of those books that completely pulled me in, and before I knew it, I was flying through the pages because I just had to know what happened next.

The characters felt so real, and I loved watching their stories unfold. There was so much heart packed into this book, and it had me feeling all the emotions. It really makes you think about identity, belonging, and the connections we make with the people around us.

This was such a beautiful, memorable read, and it’s definitely one I’ll be recommending. If you’re looking for a story that’s emotional, thought-provoking, and impossible to put down, add this one to your TBR!

[Mari Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!
It's an immersive story with amazing world-building. The characters are so well-written that I experience all of their emotions. From the beginning to the end, I was deeply invested and intrigued by the plot. Additionally, I loved the dual-POV. It's well-crafted, and the pacing was perfect, neither too fast nor too slow. It's about an immigrant family through different generations. The book encompasses different perspectives and depicts Asian representation amazingly.
I highly recommend this!

[Raine Dedominici · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for intergenerational YA with alternating POVs, so it shouldn't be a surprise that I enjoyed this. I found myself equally interested in both main stories, which can be an issue with these types of books. The story is well-crafted and ties up loose ends nicely. It was interesting to read about 1960s Chinatown, and I loved that the people in both Audrey and Dawn's lives always support them, even when they aren't supporting themselves.

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I read this as an eARC, so a huge thank you to Claire and E.L. Shen for this honor! My life feels absolutely changed after reading this book. Reading the different POV's and watching the story progress truly was the best experience. Everything intertwined in such a beautiful way, and I admire E. L. Shen's writing style and how she crafted each and every chapter. I would read this over and over if I could, and I plan on doing a reread at some point again.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every person, and family, has its secrets, and three generations of the Chin family are no different. While the first, Duanfang is upfront with the reader about what his secret is, and the most modern of the family, Dawn’s, is fairly easy to guess, it’s the middle generation of 1960’s Zheng (Audrey) Yi that will keep you, and her family, guessing.

[Irina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I found it to be an empowering depiction of being an immigrant and having to be brave, leaving everything previously known behind and doing it to cherish everyone else who is sacrificing at home. The descriptions are beautifully crafted and immersive. Cannot recommend enough

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader's Edition from Epic Reads. Foreigners was a page turner! I could not put it down. The mystery and secrets kept me on the edge of my seat. I very much enjoyed this book.

[E.L. Shen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope you all enjoy FOREIGNERS! It’s the novel I’ve been wanting to write for so long. ❤️

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - family saga told over two times periods with a satisfying conclusion from the author of Queens of New York.

[Carol Youssif · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this multiple POV story, but I felt that some sections of the plot were unnecessarily long.
Reading about a family through three generations was my favorite part.