Rental House by Weike Wang A quiet, introspective story about the marriage of a Chinese American couple living in NYC, examined through the lens of two different vacations. The first part takes place during the pandemic at a rental beach house, where the couple hosts their parents at different times. The second part shifts to an upstate New York rental, years later, where a melancholy pervades. Their relationship feels different or maybe just the same but the lack of growth feels stagnant. It’s evident in their interactions and feelings—a tiredness. And it got me thinking about when we place ourselves in a house that is not our home. Wang captures the liminality of transient living, where intimacy and routine falter in unfamiliar spaces, and the struggle to find joy becomes more apparent. More felt. It’s the unfamiliar setting that reveals how much the person you’re with defines the difference.