I really admire Chang-Rae Lee as an author and was very excited to read "The Surrendered." The book just fell flat for me. I felt like it had too much going on and I kept waiting for the pay-off with the various storylines. When the pay-off finally came, it was weak and predictable.

The primary problem is the book is uneven in it's storytelling. Lee writes beautifully, often poetic. There is no question that he is talented and often a pleasure to read. However, this book has multiple story arcs that are not equally interesting. I really liked the parts with Sylvie, who was by far the most mysterious and complex character in the story. I didn't care at all for June's search for her son or Hector's present day storyline. I really felt like those parts bogged down the story. The story would have been more powerful if the scope had been narrowed. About half of this book felt like a chore to read.