FromthemassivelytalentedGishJencomesabarbed,moving,andstylisticallydazzlingnewnovelabouttheelusivenatureofkinship.TheWongsdescribethemselvesasa“halfhalf“family,buttheactualfractionsaremorecomplicated,givenCarnegie’sChineseheritage,hiswifeBlondie’sWASPbackground,andthevariousethnicpermutationsoftheiradoptedandbiologicalchildren.IntothisnewAmericanfamilycomesavolatilenewmember.HernameisLanlan.SheisCarnegie’sMainlandChineserelative,atough,surprisinglylovelysurvivoroftheCulturalRevolution,whocomescourtesyofCarnegie’smother’swill.IsLanlanaverygoodnanny,aheartlessclimber,oraposthumousgiftfromaformidablemotherwhoneverstoppedwantinghersontomarryaniceChinesegirl?Richininsight,buoyedbyhumor,TheLoveWifeisahugelysatisfyingwork.
