Repeat After Me

This is not an easy review to write, because I am still somewhat inside this book. A committed fan of Foreign Babes in Beijing, I was eager to see what author Rachel DeWoskin would do in fiction. Repeat After Me is a brilliant book, one of the most compelling novels I have read in years. I am still inside the book because in reading I became so engaged with the central relationship that I have not fully digested the outcome. Not only could I not put the book down until I finished it, having finished it, I cannot quite put the story out of my mind. Aysha, the young New York teacher of English as a Second Language tells her story in three different languages, her narrator's voice, broken but very expressive letters from her favorite Chinese student with whom she becomes involved. and subtle dialogs that cross linguistic, generational, and gender lines, not to mention boundaries of "normal" discourse. A complex and deeply moving story unfolds in the development and intersections of these narratives. Although this book is about words, language, and communication, it is not at all a wordy book. DeWoskin is also a published poet, and the text reflects a poet's precision, economy, and depth. Precise language is natural for the narrator. Aysha is somewhat obsessive about words, obsessive beyond the normal occupational hazard of an English language teacher. I barely finished reading the book when I found myself randomly rereading pages, discovering some of the foreshadowing that drives the story forward. A lot happens in Repeat After Me that is both inevitable and surprising. Each chapter is layered, telling stories in three different decades. It is clear that we are moving in and around the 1980s, 1990s, and current decade, but I felt the pieces fit together tightly like an embroidery. I never felt lost. I never looked for a map. I never lacked a clear view of where we were and why we were there. And I never lacked an ominous feeling of where we might be going. This is a story of two, or maybe three key people, three generations, two cultures and two countries, a story for the world we live in now. It is one of those rare works of fiction that abounds in crucial truths for our own lives. (Equally rare is that I will probably read it again, sooner rather than later. I guess that's my own kind of "repeat.")

Rachel Dewoskin brings the same eye for detail and ear for language to Repeat After Me that was on display in her fabulous memoir, Foreign Babes in Beijing. I tore through it in a day. I'll have to go back and re-read, but in the mean time I'm recommending it to all of my friends.

I love Rachel DeWoskin! Her memoir about living in China (FOREIGN BABES IN BEIJING) and becoming a soap opera star there is one of my favorite books to give as a gift because I know I can't go wrong with it. When I found out that she had a novel, I was thrilled and pre-ordered it right away. This book was definitely worth the wait. It was funny and beautifully written. I loved the intercultural romance story and that it takes place in both China and New York. I couldn't put this book down, and even though I tried to savor it as I got to the end, I read it in practically one sitting. I already gave away my copy to share the love, so now I'm going to have to order another one!

"Repeat After Me" is so insightful and original - the characters are both funny and heartbreaking. I couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards.

I've been eagerly awaiting this book since I read DeWoskin's memoir about the years she lived in China, and Repeat After Me did not disappoint. The writing, comedic timing, and poignancy are exquisite. I can't remember reading any other book that could make me laugh so hard and just as quickly bring me to tears. Anyone who is even vaguely interested in China or intercultural romance should read this.