Summary and Reviews of Nights When Nothing Happened by Simon Han

Media Reviews

Esquire [A] dazzling debut . . . . In this subtle but deeply felt story, Han elegantly takes aim at suburban racism, generational trauma, and the secrets we keep from one another in order to stay afloat.

The Millions Brings texture, nuance, and subtlety to the reductionist condescension of the 'model minority' trope.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune Han excels at depicting bright, bland Plano, a suburb of ‘sprinkler-fed grass,’ ‘vanilla-scented pine cones,’ and ‘oven mitts and motion sensors.’ Even in carefully planned, hermetically sealed Plano, there’s no controlling the cascade of events that ensue when a wild child is unleashed in a community that does not understand her family.

The New York Times Book Review This novel reminds us what it’s like navigating a foreign country. . . . Much to admire.

The San Francisco Chronicle Han writes with sublime suspense. . . . [he] has a keen ability to write of not only the subtleties of the disappointments and loneliness that can be found within families, but also of how the specific and often unsubtle threats of American oppression, especially against perceived outsiders, can seep into the immigrant’s most intimate familial relationships.

The Washington Post Entirely worth the investment. . . . Han’s expansive sympathy and twilight lyricism make Nights When Nothing Happened a poignant study of the immigrant experience. This is an author who understands on a profound level the way past trauma interacts with the pressures of assimilation to disrupt a good night’s sleep, even a life

Kirkus Reviews (starred review) [R]emarkable...Han's characters are authentic, vulnerable, and utterly convincing, delivering one dynamite novel. An astutely realized portrait of the collateral damage wrought by the pursuit of the American dream

Booklist In this exemplary debut, Han explores childhood trauma and the impact words and silence can have on both building and harming relationships. He writes with sensitivity and tenderness, allowing his fully fleshed-out characters to take on lives of their own and tell their heartbreaking perspectives directly to readers. Readers will be gripped by this beautiful debut.

Publishers Weekly [A]mbitious...Han succeeds in drawing the portrait of a new American family while demonstrating a talent for creating a sense of place through the eyes of immigrants. The premise is intriguing, but Han doesn't quite stick the landing.

 Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek Simon Han explores the desire to belong—to a marriage, a family, a community, a country. Nights When Nothing Happened is about how we use words and silences to connect and to wound, and how we make sacrifices for those we love. It broke my heart and gave me hope, all at the same time.

 Bryan Washington, author of Lot Absolutely luminous. Han weaves the transience of suburbia between the highs and lows of a family saga, illustrating what a parent owes a child, what a child owes their parents, and what simply cannot be repaid. His novel shocks, awes, and delights.

 Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang In this beautiful, unsettling novel, Simon Han captures the state of being awake and yet asleep, of belonging and yet not, of waiting for the moment when the world opens up. With the turn of a crystalline sentence, he reveals how fragile we are, and what it takes to survive. An unbelievable debut.

 Lorrie Moore, author of A Gate at the Stairs and Birds of America A tender, spiky family saga about love in all its mysterious incarnations. Simon Han is a wonderfully adventurous and sensitive writer.

Reader Reviews

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