Super Short Summary

In Waiting, Ha Jin tells the story of Lin Kong, a man who, out of duty to his parents, agrees to an arranged marriage with Shuyu despite finding her unattractive. His emotional detachment from Shuyu persists for years, and he falls in love with Manna Wu. Despite many attempts to divorce Shuyu, Lin struggles within the bounds of societal expectations and personal desires before finally remarrying Manna. The novel deals with themes of arranged marriage, infidelity, emotional detachment, and cultural conflict.