If you enjoy reading books by Janice Y. K. Lee then you might also like the following authors:
Paula McLain is known for writing historical fiction that often focuses on complex relationships and women finding their place in the world. Her novel “The Paris Wife” tells the story of Hadley Richardson, the first wife of Ernest Hemingway.
Set in 1920s Paris, the book explores their marriage during Hemingway’s early years as a writer, filled with moments of love, ambition, and betrayal.
McLain captures the alluring yet difficult world of the Lost Generation without romanticizing it, making readers feel the weight of Hadley’s choices and sacrifices.
Helen Simonson writes stories that explore relationships, culture clashes, and personal growth against rich settings.
Her novel “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” tells the story of a retired Englishman named Major Pettigrew, who forms a bond with Mrs. Ali, a shopkeeper in his village.
Their connection grows despite prejudices and family conflicts, all in a quaint English village with a lot of unspoken rules. The story touches on themes of tradition, love, and standing up for what feels right.
Lisa See is an author who explores family, culture, and relationships in her stories. Her book, “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan,” is set in 19th-century China.
It follows the lives of two women, Lily and Snow Flower, bound together by a secret form of communication written on a silk fan. Through their friendship, the book reveals the struggles and sacrifices women faced during that time.
The story gives a glimpse into women’s roles and traditions, shaping their world in both heartwarming and heartbreaking ways.
Tan Twan Eng is a writer whose work beautifully captures personal struggles against the backdrop of historical events in Asia. His novel, “The Garden of Evening Mists,” is set in post-World War II Malaya.
It tells the story of Yun Ling Teoh, who survived a brutal Japanese war camp and seeks solace in creating a garden to honor her late sister. She turns to Aritomo, the former gardener to the Emperor of Japan, for help.
Their relationship unfolds alongside themes of memory, loss, and cultural tension during a time of political unrest. The book offers both an intimate and sweeping view of a complex period in history.
Amy Tan is an author known for exploring family dynamics and cultural identity. Her book “The Joy Luck Club” tells the story of four Chinese-American women and their mothers. They come together regularly to play mahjong and share stories.
The book weaves between the mothers’ pasts in China and the daughters’ lives in America, showing how their experiences shape their relationships and the challenges they face in connecting across generations.
It’s a deeply emotional story with moments that reveal the struggles and bonds within families.
Yaa Gyasi is an author known for crafting stories that explore deep family ties and generational struggles. Her debut novel, “Homegoing,” begins with two half-sisters in 18th-century Ghana. One is married to a British colonizer, while the other is captured and sold into slavery.
The book follows their descendants across continents, showing how their lives unfold over hundreds of years. Each chapter focuses on a new generation, weaving together personal and historical moments in ways that feel vivid and human.
It’s a story full of heartbreak, resilience, and the lasting impact of the past.
Gail Tsukiyama writes stories that often explore family, culture, and resilience. Her novel “The Samurai’s Garden” is set in Japan before World War II. It follows Stephen, a young man recovering from tuberculosis, who spends a year in a quiet village.
There, he builds connections with a kind caretaker, Matsu, and learns about Matsu’s own past tied to a woman named Sachi. The story weaves themes of love and healing through the backdrop of a calm yet deeply emotional setting.
Readers are drawn into the quiet strength of her characters and the way their lives intersect.
Jhumpa Lahiri is an author who explores themes of identity, family, and cultural ties. Her book “The Namesake” follows Gogol Ganguli, the son of Indian immigrants, as he grapples with his unusual name and the weight of his heritage while growing up in America.
The story spans years, showing his relationships with his parents, his struggles with love, and his attempts to find where he fits between two worlds.
The way she writes makes these characters feel deeply real, and their lives are rich with details about both the challenges and beauty of familial bonds.
Min Jin Lee writes stories that explore family, identity, and cultural history. Her novel “Pachinko” follows multiple generations of a Korean family in Japan.
Starting with Sunja, a young woman who faces a life-changing decision, the story moves through her descendants as they struggle with discrimination, hardships, and ambition. The book captures the emotional weight of personal sacrifices and the ties that hold families together.
Readers who enjoy rich family narratives and characters shaped by history may find her work captivating.
Mira T. Lee is an author who writes stories about family, identity, and the fragile nature of human relationships.
Her novel, “Everything Here Is Beautiful,” tells the story of two sisters, Lucia and Miranda, whose bond is tested when Lucia begins struggling with her mental health.
The book shifts between their voices and those of the people closest to them, showing how Lucia’s illness affects not only her but everyone around her. It explores love, sacrifice, and the way people try to stay connected even when life pulls them apart.
Celeste Ng is an author who writes heartfelt stories about families and the complexities that shape their lives. Her book “Everything I Never Told You” focuses on a Chinese American family in the 1970s grappling with the sudden loss of their eldest daughter, Lydia.
Through the family’s grief, secrets from their lives come to light, revealing struggles with cultural identity, parental expectations, and the silent pressures each family member faces.
Ng creates vivid characters whose emotions feel incredibly real, drawing readers into their world.
Ann Patchett is a storyteller known for creating rich and emotional narratives that explore human connections.
One of her well-loved books, “The Dutch House,” follows siblings Danny and Maeve over the course of their lives after being forced out of their family home by their stepmother.
The story revolves around their bond, the house that haunts their memories, and the ways family shapes who they become. The characters are vivid, and the story pulls you into their struggles and longings as they grapple with loss, forgiveness, and loyalty.
Kazuo Ishiguro is a novelist known for exploring memory, identity, and the passage of time in his stories. His book, “The Remains of the Day,” follows Stevens, a devoted English butler, as he reflects on his years of service to a grand estate.
Through his journey to reconnect with a former housekeeper, Miss Kenton, the story captures the quiet regrets and sacrifices Stevens made in the name of duty. Ishiguro creates a world that feels both personal and reflective, layered with moments that sneak up on you emotionally.
Nicole Krauss is a writer known for creating thoughtful and deeply personal stories. Her book, “The History of Love,” weaves together the lives of several characters connected through a mysterious manuscript.
At its heart is an elderly man, Leo Gursky, who once wrote a book about his great love before war and time pulled them apart. The story moves between his lonely life in New York and the journey of a young girl named Alma, who sets out to learn more about the book’s origins.
It’s a story about love, loss, and the ties that span generations. Fans of Janice Y. K. Lee might enjoy how Krauss builds emotional depth through tangled relationships and the passage of time.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author known for her rich storytelling and vivid characters. One of her books, “Half of a Yellow Sun,” unfolds during the Nigerian Civil War.
It follows the lives of three main characters: a young boy working as a houseboy, a professor, and a woman navigating love and loyalty. Their lives are interwoven as they experience the impact of war on their relationships and personal beliefs.
Adichie explores themes like identity and resilience, offering a powerful look at a turbulent time in Nigeria’s history.