Plot Summary

The Foreign Student

Susan Choi
Guide cover placeholder

The Foreign Student

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1998

Book Brief

Susan Choi

The Foreign Student

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1998
Book Details
Pages

325

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Tennessee • 1950s

Publication Year

1998

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In The Foreign Student by Susan Choi, a Korean student named Chuck Anh and Katherine Monroe, a wealthy Southern Belle from a troubled family, develop a deep connection on the Sewanee campus in the mid-1950s as they share and confront their past traumas and personal struggles, ultimately leading to a profound romance. The narrative includes experiences of abuse and war trauma.

Contemplative

Mysterious

Melancholic

Bittersweet

Romantic

Reviews & Readership

3.7

918 ratings

50%

Loved it

35%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Susan Choi's The Foreign Student offers a nuanced portrayal of cross-cultural experiences and emotional depths. Readers commend its rich character development and lyrical prose. However, some find its pacing uneven, which could detract from the overall narrative engagement. The novel successfully captures the complexities of immigrant identity and post-war trauma.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Foreign Student?

Readers who appreciate intricate character studies, historical backdrops, and themes of cultural identity will enjoy Susan Choi's The Foreign Student. Fans of Min Jin Lee's Pachinko and Chang-rae Lee's Aloft will find similar resonance in this exploration of love, trauma, and the immigrant experience.

3.7

918 ratings

50%

Loved it

35%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

325

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Tennessee • 1950s

Publication Year

1998

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!