Call number
FIC NG
Collection
Publication
Penguin Press (2022), 352 pages
Description
Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father, a former linguist who now shelves books in Harvard University's library. Bird knows to not ask too many questions, stand out too much, or stray too far. For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve "American culture" in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic-including the work of Bird's mother, Margaret, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn't know her work or what happened to her, and he knows he shouldn't wonder. But when he receives a mysterious letter containing only a cryptic drawing, he is drawn into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change. Our Missing Hearts is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It's a story about the power-and limitations-of art to create change, the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and how any of us can survive a broken world with our hearts intact"--… (more)
Media reviews
"I won’t give away the splendid conclusion of Ng’s book ... The gears in this story for the most part mesh very well. And Bird is a brave and believable character, who gives us a relatable portal into a world that seems more like our own every day."
User reviews
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Our Missing Hearts , Celeste Ng, author, Lucy Liu, and Celeste Ng, narrators
This novel takes place sometime in the future. An authoritarian government is in charge in America. The story centers around the Gardner family. Ethan Gardner was once a professor, but due to the escapades of his wife,
(Was PACT inspired by how the author feels about what some now believe is the misbegotten Patriot Act?). PACT is the acronym for The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act. As in most governments, as power is gained and its strength is determined by money and greed, it corrupts those involved. This government is no different. This government has gained complete and utter control over all of its citizens. The powers that be have made China and those of that background the enemy. Patriotism is of the utmost importance. Crime is increasing and often ignored depending on the victim’s identity.
PACT bans unpatriotic behavior, requires citizens to report each other for failure to be patriotic, bans dissent and certain types of speech. Disobeying the rules and defying the policies, brings profound retribution. Children are frequently removed from their homes if the atmosphere is deemed dangerous. If a neighbor reports a family, they are immediately investigated, and usually the children are taken. They are placed elsewhere to be raised by more model citizens. Once separated, further contact is forbidden forever. They are “replaced” children. Even children who are ill behaved are removed since the cause is considered to be poor parenting. Certain people are considered enemies and are relentlessly targeted. The charges may be true or untrue, inspired by jealousy, perhaps reported by a co-worker, a neighbor, or even by some remark or post they once made.
PACT was given credit for ending the economic crisis that brought the country to its knees. People largely approved of these draconian practices to end the crisis, but they created another situation, a situation in which they lost their freedom to think and act. There was almost zero tolerance for the accused. The citizens began to live in fear as more and more control was exerted and neighbor turned in neighbor and friend turned in friend. No one could speak out for fear of being silenced or worse. Only one lone voice was crying out for change, and she became a target. Margaret (Miu) Gardner, a poet, and the Wife of Ethan and the mother of Bird, was under investigation for her radical behavior and writings. She became the face of the resistance.
I found the timeline of the story unclear. The narrative also bounced around a bit which was confusing, and while the book’s subject was engaging, it never quite captured my full attention or further enlightened or inspired me as the author’s previous writing had done. There was no resolution or indication about whether or not the future would be able to bring change or whether or not Margaret’s efforts were worth it. Will the children, like Noah and Sadie, alter our future in a positive way or will they fail in that regard?
In the end, the author seemed a bit disingenuous, inserting her political views, trashing one President only, and not the one who brought us to the brink of war or to an economic crisis or into a cancel culture. Without her personal and what I believe was highly biased judgment, the book would have been better received by me. Her narrow approach to right and wrong is typical of the progressive authors today, and they demean their books, in my estimation, by bringing in these personal, and often dogmatic opinions that might actually point to themselves as part of the problem and not the solution. The book was indeed prescient and perhaps a warning to all of us not to allow a government to take away our freedoms under any circumstances. Once gone, they will not be returned. However, the book seemed unclear as to whom was the villain and who was the victim, in the end, even though the author tried to point that conclusion in only one direction.
This novel takes place sometime in the future. An authoritarian government is in charge in America. The story centers around the Gardner family. Ethan Gardner was once a professor, but due to the escapades of his wife,
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Margaret Miu, he now works for the University in a different and much lower capacity, maintaining order in the Library. In the world he lives in, absolute obedience is required from all citizens according to the rules of PACT and his wife Margaret has strayed. Because of her activities, defying the government’s policies, she decides to simply leave the family in order to protect them. As she is under investigation, Ethan and their son Noah, known as Bird, now must deny having anything whatsoever to do with her. They hope to escape further retribution of any kind. (Was PACT inspired by how the author feels about what some now believe is the misbegotten Patriot Act?). PACT is the acronym for The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act. As in most governments, as power is gained and its strength is determined by money and greed, it corrupts those involved. This government is no different. This government has gained complete and utter control over all of its citizens. The powers that be have made China and those of that background the enemy. Patriotism is of the utmost importance. Crime is increasing and often ignored depending on the victim’s identity.
PACT bans unpatriotic behavior, requires citizens to report each other for failure to be patriotic, bans dissent and certain types of speech. Disobeying the rules and defying the policies, brings profound retribution. Children are frequently removed from their homes if the atmosphere is deemed dangerous. If a neighbor reports a family, they are immediately investigated, and usually the children are taken. They are placed elsewhere to be raised by more model citizens. Once separated, further contact is forbidden forever. They are “replaced” children. Even children who are ill behaved are removed since the cause is considered to be poor parenting. Certain people are considered enemies and are relentlessly targeted. The charges may be true or untrue, inspired by jealousy, perhaps reported by a co-worker, a neighbor, or even by some remark or post they once made.
PACT was given credit for ending the economic crisis that brought the country to its knees. People largely approved of these draconian practices to end the crisis, but they created another situation, a situation in which they lost their freedom to think and act. There was almost zero tolerance for the accused. The citizens began to live in fear as more and more control was exerted and neighbor turned in neighbor and friend turned in friend. No one could speak out for fear of being silenced or worse. Only one lone voice was crying out for change, and she became a target. Margaret (Miu) Gardner, a poet, and the Wife of Ethan and the mother of Bird, was under investigation for her radical behavior and writings. She became the face of the resistance.
I found the timeline of the story unclear. The narrative also bounced around a bit which was confusing, and while the book’s subject was engaging, it never quite captured my full attention or further enlightened or inspired me as the author’s previous writing had done. There was no resolution or indication about whether or not the future would be able to bring change or whether or not Margaret’s efforts were worth it. Will the children, like Noah and Sadie, alter our future in a positive way or will they fail in that regard?
In the end, the author seemed a bit disingenuous, inserting her political views, trashing one President only, and not the one who brought us to the brink of war or to an economic crisis or into a cancel culture. Without her personal and what I believe was highly biased judgment, the book would have been better received by me. Her narrow approach to right and wrong is typical of the progressive authors today, and they demean their books, in my estimation, by bringing in these personal, and often dogmatic opinions that might actually point to themselves as part of the problem and not the solution. The book was indeed prescient and perhaps a warning to all of us not to allow a government to take away our freedoms under any circumstances. Once gone, they will not be returned. However, the book seemed unclear as to whom was the villain and who was the victim, in the end, even though the author tried to point that conclusion in only one direction.
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LibraryThing member ibkennedy
Another lovely story with wonderful, memorable characters. I experienced so many emotions.
LibraryThing member srms.reads
4.5⭐
“Once upon a time, there was a boy. Once upon a time there was a mother. Once upon a time, there was a boy, and his mother loved him very much.”
It has been over ten years since the “Crisis” - a period of economic decline - failing businesses, unemployment, poverty and lawlessness - a
It has been three years since twelve-year-old Noah “Bird” Gardner has seen his mother, well-known poet Chinese-American poet Margaret Miu. Over the last three years Noah and his father Ethan, former faculty in Linguistics and currently employed in the University Library, have kept their head down, avoiding attention and dissociating themselves from Margaret, whose lines from her books of poems “Our The Missing Hearts “ was adopted by anti –PACT activists as their slogan, branding her a “traitor” in the eyes of the authorities. Given the intense Anti-Asian sentiment and discrimination and increasing incidents of violence directed toward East Asians, Bird, who is biracial, is encouraged by his father to hide his Asian roots. When Bird receives a letter with drawings reminiscent of the folktales his mother used to tell him, he embarks on a search for his missing mother- a journey that provides him not only with a greater understanding of his mother and her life as well as insight into the reasons behind his mother’s disappearance but also gives him an honest unfiltered perspective on the reality of the world around him. Needless to say, Bird’s journey as he struggles with his feelings about his mother –his hurt and longing for her gradually evolves into a deeper understanding of his parents’ love for him and a shift in his worldview - is a difficult and emotional one.
Poignant, heartbreaking, disturbing and thought-provoking, Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng is a beautifully –written, powerful and timely novel that revolves around themes of family, love, sacrifice and racially motivated injustice. I finished reading this book two days ago and it’s taken me this long to gather my thoughts and pen a coherent review. This is not an easy book to read and even more difficult to review. The author paints a dark and dystopian picture of a nation where discrimination, racism and injustice are justified in the name of preservation of economic stability, culture and values. Families have been torn apart, innocent children have been forcibly taken from their homes and those working to change the narrative , build awareness and reunite families with their “missing hearts” are constantly putting their lives on the line - activists who openly protest and those who are covertly networking to trace those who been lost. The larger part of the narrative is shared from Bird’s perspective, though we do get to hear the voices of other characters as well. Unfortunately, unlike many dystopian novels, much about this book feels a bit too real at times. The author draws inspiration from past and current events which she discusses in a brilliantly penned Author’s Note. This story left me with a heavy heart.
“When are you ever done with the story of someone you love? You turn the most precious of your memories over and over, wearing their edges smooth, warming them again with your heat. You touch the curves and hollows of every detail you have, memorizing them, reciting them once more though you already know them in your bones. Who ever thinks, recalling the face of the one they loved who is gone: yes, I looked at you enough, I loved you enough, we had enough time, any of this was enough?”
“Once upon a time, there was a boy. Once upon a time there was a mother. Once upon a time, there was a boy, and his mother loved him very much.”
It has been over ten years since the “Crisis” - a period of economic decline - failing businesses, unemployment, poverty and lawlessness - a
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period of chaos that was attributed to being the result of the manipulations of an Asian country that was thriving during the same period. In the interest of boosting the economy and preserving American culture, PACT -“The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act”- has been passed allowing for reporting and arrest of those perceived to be “anti –American” and children from families perceived to be guilty of the same have been relocated to state-approved homes and foster families. Books viewed as teaching un-American values have been removed from schools and libraries (destroyed and pulped, recycled into toilet paper as opposed to being burnt!- “Much more civilized, right?”), certain websites have been blocked, web searches are censored and hate crimes are on the rise.It has been three years since twelve-year-old Noah “Bird” Gardner has seen his mother, well-known poet Chinese-American poet Margaret Miu. Over the last three years Noah and his father Ethan, former faculty in Linguistics and currently employed in the University Library, have kept their head down, avoiding attention and dissociating themselves from Margaret, whose lines from her books of poems “Our The Missing Hearts “ was adopted by anti –PACT activists as their slogan, branding her a “traitor” in the eyes of the authorities. Given the intense Anti-Asian sentiment and discrimination and increasing incidents of violence directed toward East Asians, Bird, who is biracial, is encouraged by his father to hide his Asian roots. When Bird receives a letter with drawings reminiscent of the folktales his mother used to tell him, he embarks on a search for his missing mother- a journey that provides him not only with a greater understanding of his mother and her life as well as insight into the reasons behind his mother’s disappearance but also gives him an honest unfiltered perspective on the reality of the world around him. Needless to say, Bird’s journey as he struggles with his feelings about his mother –his hurt and longing for her gradually evolves into a deeper understanding of his parents’ love for him and a shift in his worldview - is a difficult and emotional one.
Poignant, heartbreaking, disturbing and thought-provoking, Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng is a beautifully –written, powerful and timely novel that revolves around themes of family, love, sacrifice and racially motivated injustice. I finished reading this book two days ago and it’s taken me this long to gather my thoughts and pen a coherent review. This is not an easy book to read and even more difficult to review. The author paints a dark and dystopian picture of a nation where discrimination, racism and injustice are justified in the name of preservation of economic stability, culture and values. Families have been torn apart, innocent children have been forcibly taken from their homes and those working to change the narrative , build awareness and reunite families with their “missing hearts” are constantly putting their lives on the line - activists who openly protest and those who are covertly networking to trace those who been lost. The larger part of the narrative is shared from Bird’s perspective, though we do get to hear the voices of other characters as well. Unfortunately, unlike many dystopian novels, much about this book feels a bit too real at times. The author draws inspiration from past and current events which she discusses in a brilliantly penned Author’s Note. This story left me with a heavy heart.
“When are you ever done with the story of someone you love? You turn the most precious of your memories over and over, wearing their edges smooth, warming them again with your heat. You touch the curves and hollows of every detail you have, memorizing them, reciting them once more though you already know them in your bones. Who ever thinks, recalling the face of the one they loved who is gone: yes, I looked at you enough, I loved you enough, we had enough time, any of this was enough?”
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LibraryThing member reader1009
dystopian fiction (CW/TW: anti-Asian violence, forced child/parent separation, government censorship and oppression, animal cruelty). Set in Cambridge and NYC, with guerilla art protests and a secret librarian network .
12 y.o. Bird doesn't understand why his Chinese-American mother left him and his
I liked the etymology (Bird's dad's hobby) showcasing the hidden beauty in Chinese writing, though in the Large Print edition the various symbols had all been reproduced the as the same identical symbol (cat), so the effect was lost in that printing. Skilled storytelling and depth in the characters (Bird, Sadie, Margaret, Ethan) and the world they inhabited, with positive messages of hope and resistance amidst oppression that feels all too believable.
12 y.o. Bird doesn't understand why his Chinese-American mother left him and his
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white father, who has barely been able to keep them fed because of Red-Scare like politics. When a mysterious clue from his mother arrives in the mail Bird is determined to find the woman who seems to have become a leader of the resistance.I liked the etymology (Bird's dad's hobby) showcasing the hidden beauty in Chinese writing, though in the Large Print edition the various symbols had all been reproduced the as the same identical symbol (cat), so the effect was lost in that printing. Skilled storytelling and depth in the characters (Bird, Sadie, Margaret, Ethan) and the world they inhabited, with positive messages of hope and resistance amidst oppression that feels all too believable.
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LibraryThing member viviennestrauss
Very well-written and so very relevant to our time. As someone who doesn't really like happy endings, I sure was wanting one here. Did I enjoy this book? I'm not sure if another book has ever filled me with this level of anxiety before. If anyone is going to save us from ourselves, it will be books
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and librarians. Show Less
LibraryThing member kylekatz
2022. A well- written, accessible novel about fascist creep. An economic depression is blamed on China, with the usual resulant anti-Asian sentiments and violence cropping up. Children are routinely taken away from their parents. Questioning authority becomes impossible in The U. S. Neighbors
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report each other for anything suspicious. The protagonist, Bird, is a boy whose Asian mother left to keep him safe with his white father. But where is she and is she really involved in the resistance? Show Less
LibraryThing member Narshkite
I have mentioned once or twice before that I think it is sort of douchy to quote my own reviews, and as with those other times I am going to do that here anyway. Here I am going to quote myself for an important reason. When I read Little Fires Everywhere I said:
"I had some of the same issues with
Here we are. Ng is enormously talented, and here we see it. This is a BIG book filled with commentary and truth and a really special story. Ng has an endnote where she talks about the many books and events that inspired Our Missing Hearts. All of the books were new to me, but the events were not surprising. This is dystopia that screams at us that we are already living in an early stage dystopia. As with books like The Handmaid's Tale there is no question we are already on a path where this is likely to happen. We live in a country where families are torn apart by our government and the majority of Americans do not care at all. Any natural primal feelings that might rear up at the thought of parents having their children ripped away for no reason get shoved into the background by propaganda that stokes fear and endorses racial hatred. In the book the hate is anti-Chinese, but we saw Trump and friends doubling down on messaging about the danger we were all in from undocumented Latin American people all on some giant killing spree. In fact undocumented people commit far fewer crimes than nearly any other demo in the US, but why look at facts when we can roll around in fear like pigs in shit. (I hear lots of people my age lamenting that it is not like it was when we were growing up and kids could run free. No it is not like the seventies, in fact violent crime is down exponentially from that time. We are all in less danger -- but the 24-hour news cycle and places like NextDoor and The Daily Mail website remind us that we have much to fear. Many people get off on being afraid. It gives them an excuse to sit around in their bubbles where they enjoy complete control rather than engaging with the world.)
I don't want to talk about the plot too much, because it unfolds very nicely when you go in blind (as I did.) This is a touching, intricate, engaging story of love of country, love of truth, and love of family. It is also a celebration of people who swim against the tide and a warning of what happens when people twist that love and replace facts with lies and the people follow along like sheep. It is also a story of the importance of storytelling through prose, poetry, public art and other avenues. It is not perfect. Ng hits some of her points too hard, but it is damn good.
I listened to this narrated by Lucy Liu, and she was great.
"I had some of the same issues with
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this book as with Ng's last. It is worth noting that I thought those issues were less significant in Little Fires than in the last book; Once again I came away thinking Ng is enormously talented, that she hasn't reached her peak yet, and that I really want to see what is next."Here we are. Ng is enormously talented, and here we see it. This is a BIG book filled with commentary and truth and a really special story. Ng has an endnote where she talks about the many books and events that inspired Our Missing Hearts. All of the books were new to me, but the events were not surprising. This is dystopia that screams at us that we are already living in an early stage dystopia. As with books like The Handmaid's Tale there is no question we are already on a path where this is likely to happen. We live in a country where families are torn apart by our government and the majority of Americans do not care at all. Any natural primal feelings that might rear up at the thought of parents having their children ripped away for no reason get shoved into the background by propaganda that stokes fear and endorses racial hatred. In the book the hate is anti-Chinese, but we saw Trump and friends doubling down on messaging about the danger we were all in from undocumented Latin American people all on some giant killing spree. In fact undocumented people commit far fewer crimes than nearly any other demo in the US, but why look at facts when we can roll around in fear like pigs in shit. (I hear lots of people my age lamenting that it is not like it was when we were growing up and kids could run free. No it is not like the seventies, in fact violent crime is down exponentially from that time. We are all in less danger -- but the 24-hour news cycle and places like NextDoor and The Daily Mail website remind us that we have much to fear. Many people get off on being afraid. It gives them an excuse to sit around in their bubbles where they enjoy complete control rather than engaging with the world.)
I don't want to talk about the plot too much, because it unfolds very nicely when you go in blind (as I did.) This is a touching, intricate, engaging story of love of country, love of truth, and love of family. It is also a celebration of people who swim against the tide and a warning of what happens when people twist that love and replace facts with lies and the people follow along like sheep. It is also a story of the importance of storytelling through prose, poetry, public art and other avenues. It is not perfect. Ng hits some of her points too hard, but it is damn good.
I listened to this narrated by Lucy Liu, and she was great.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
The title could also be "Our Missing Souls", as Ng envisions a near-future America where a right wing government has installed PACT - a set of laws repressing all individual rights, including the rights of free speech and the right to protest - with a secret police for enforcement. A family -
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Asian-American mom and poet Margaret, whose works have been banned; dad Ethan, a former Harvard professor demoted to library aide; and their small son Bird, deals with the consequences of Margaret's words. She flees to avoid the confiscation of Bird from his loving family, as has been done many time in countries under authoritarian regimes, and with Native American parents in our own country. The story is told from the perspectives of all three, with the fearful background of official repression of and violence against Asians, just like we see here. So is the scenario unimaginable? No, as it wasn't with Margaret Atwood's handmaids - it's a plausible outcome of contempt for citizen rights by right wing politicians and their obedient minions. It's a very chilling reminder and a heartfelt tale of tattered love and repression and of the bravery that accompanies it and provides a tiny sliver of hope. Show Less
LibraryThing member Romonko
I am not sure how to explain this book, I’m not even sure I know whether I liked it or not. What I am sure of is that it’s beautifully written. I’m also sure that the realism and beautiful language made this book extremely terrifying. The story predicts a dystopian future for America and
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maybe the entire world. It also illustrates the power of a mother’s love and how that love can maybe mend a totally broken and dysfunctional world. The story is told from the viewpoint of a 12- year-old boy called Bird. Up until the age of 9, Bird led a perfectly normal life with a loving family. Then a global crisis occurs and somehow Bird’s mom is caught in the crosshairs. She becomes a wanted woman and goes on the run leaving her family behind. For three long years Bird and his father lead a quiet life, but then it becomes too much for Bird and he has to find his mother. His quest takes him to New York City and to a mansion on Park Avenue and then to a derelict brownstone on the outskirts of the city. The story is heartbreaking with the message it delivers and with the eeriness of recognition throughout which alludes to our world today. It is quite a story that Celeste Ng delivers! If you decide to read it you will fall in love with Bird too. Expect to be shocked and saddened, but also be prepared for the story to touch your heart too. Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng is a 2022 Penguin Press publication.
I had such trust in Ng that I downloaded this book without hesitation… and without reading the synopsis. My faith was tested when I finally settled in to read this book. I don’t like dystopian novels. I don’t read much
The story is set in a time after a ‘The Crisis’- after certain laws have been passed to protect America from those being blamed for said crisis. In this world, Margaret, a Chinese American poet, is blamed for stirring up protestors – so for the sake of her son, Bird, she goes into hiding, before they can take him away.
Bird is being raised by his father, who goes along with everything the government requires. He’s lost his position, and his home, and works at a library now. He keeps his head down and does his best to protect his son, by disavowing all his wife stood for.
They shuffle along day in and day out, avoiding conflict or trouble, flying under the radar, until one day Bird gets a message from his mother, one that stirs up memories and longing, and creates an urgent need to find her. His quest is a dangerous one, but it may be the journey that finally sets him free…
My concerns about the categorization of this book were unwarranted. This is an incredible novel- heartbreaking, terrifying, but ultimately empowering. There are silences and complicity- but there is also great strength and courage in these passages.
In a year when every social issue under the sun is crammed inside of every single book- from cozies to romance, to historical fiction, horror, and all points in between, I feared this book might be padded a bit too heavily, and at times Ng did overplay her hand. But the story still serves as a cautionary tale, as a reminder to be vigilant, to be on your guard, to rise to the occasion, though it is not the easiest path to take.
The book is so well-written, with much thought behind it, I could literally feel the oppression leaping off the pages, the fear palpable, but I also felt it ease, as hope eventually settles in, despite the bleakness of the moment.
That said, after reading so many ‘message books’ this year- not by choice for the most part, I don’t think I felt the full impact of this novel as I might have if I’d read it at the end of 2021, or earlier this year. It’s a dark, reflective novel, and one I might revisit someday, after my head is relieved of such weighty topics for a while.
Overall, I can’t say this is my favorite novel by this author- at least not right now- but I appreciate what she was going for, and thought she did a brilliant job at creating the world in which the story transpires and the truths behind the dystopian style fantasy. Ng is a great writer, and once again I walk away deeply impressed with her talents.
4 stars
I had such trust in Ng that I downloaded this book without hesitation… and without reading the synopsis. My faith was tested when I finally settled in to read this book. I don’t like dystopian novels. I don’t read much
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science fiction- which is the way this book is categorized. I cringed, uncertain of how this was going to work out for me. But, I already had the book and this is Celeste Ng, after all, so I soldiered on and hoped for the best... The story is set in a time after a ‘The Crisis’- after certain laws have been passed to protect America from those being blamed for said crisis. In this world, Margaret, a Chinese American poet, is blamed for stirring up protestors – so for the sake of her son, Bird, she goes into hiding, before they can take him away.
Bird is being raised by his father, who goes along with everything the government requires. He’s lost his position, and his home, and works at a library now. He keeps his head down and does his best to protect his son, by disavowing all his wife stood for.
They shuffle along day in and day out, avoiding conflict or trouble, flying under the radar, until one day Bird gets a message from his mother, one that stirs up memories and longing, and creates an urgent need to find her. His quest is a dangerous one, but it may be the journey that finally sets him free…
My concerns about the categorization of this book were unwarranted. This is an incredible novel- heartbreaking, terrifying, but ultimately empowering. There are silences and complicity- but there is also great strength and courage in these passages.
In a year when every social issue under the sun is crammed inside of every single book- from cozies to romance, to historical fiction, horror, and all points in between, I feared this book might be padded a bit too heavily, and at times Ng did overplay her hand. But the story still serves as a cautionary tale, as a reminder to be vigilant, to be on your guard, to rise to the occasion, though it is not the easiest path to take.
The book is so well-written, with much thought behind it, I could literally feel the oppression leaping off the pages, the fear palpable, but I also felt it ease, as hope eventually settles in, despite the bleakness of the moment.
That said, after reading so many ‘message books’ this year- not by choice for the most part, I don’t think I felt the full impact of this novel as I might have if I’d read it at the end of 2021, or earlier this year. It’s a dark, reflective novel, and one I might revisit someday, after my head is relieved of such weighty topics for a while.
Overall, I can’t say this is my favorite novel by this author- at least not right now- but I appreciate what she was going for, and thought she did a brilliant job at creating the world in which the story transpires and the truths behind the dystopian style fantasy. Ng is a great writer, and once again I walk away deeply impressed with her talents.
4 stars
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LibraryThing member brianinbuffalo
As a fan of dystopian fiction, I found Ng’s work enthralling and thought-provoking. The tale of a 12-year-old boy and his mom who is a revolutionary poet on-the-run moves at an impressive clip. The themes that are explored in “Our Missing Hearts”, including censorship, government overreach
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and racism, couldn’t be more timely. Show Less
LibraryThing member SallyElizabethMurphy
Depressing and very disappointing
LibraryThing member nancyadair
Most of the events and occurrences in this book do not have direct analogues, but I drew inspiration from many real-life events, both past and current–and in some cases, things I’d imagined had become realities by the time the novel was done.
Author’s Note in Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
I
Ng’s story is set in a near dystopian future after the breakdown of the country and the rise of an authoritarian state. Protests are no longer tolerated. A strict pro-government law is in place that proscribes curriculum in the schools and social interactions. If a family displays a lack of patriotism, their children will be removed and placed in approved households. Everyone is a spy.
Bird’s poet-activist mother was forced to disappear and his father had to disavow any connection to her, or approval of her acts. Ostracized and attacked, they left their house to live in a campus dorm; his father left his position as a linguist at university and took a job shelving books in the library. The need to be careful never stops. Especially since Bird’s mother was Chinese, and Bird’s very appearance marks him as his country’s stated enemy, China being identified as the source of all America’s economic troubles.
The first section of the novel takes us through Bird’s life and how he comes to make a secret trip to the city to find his mother. Part two is where I became less engaged, as his mother’s life in hiding is told in one long backstory. Not shown, or even told in his mother’s voice. Frankly, it was less engaging. And perhaps this is why some readers said the novel wasn’t their favorite Ng.
What Ng addresses is important and her passion is evident. I liked how she used Chinese folk tales and focused on the importance of poetry to move people. And what can be more important than the issue of child removal from the family home? The way we took Native Americans from their homes to destroy their way of life and traditions. It is chilling to consider. The title “Our Missing Hearts” references these separations.
I expect the novel would be a good book club read. And even if not Ng’s best presentation, her warning is of upmost importance.
Author’s Note in Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
I
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had enjoyed Celeste Ng’s novels Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You. I was pleased to have won Our Missing Hearts from Bookreporter.com. I had seen reviewers state that the book wasn’t their favorite, that it was too close to home, too reflective of our current social and political situation. Never fear, I thought, that won’t bother me.Ng’s story is set in a near dystopian future after the breakdown of the country and the rise of an authoritarian state. Protests are no longer tolerated. A strict pro-government law is in place that proscribes curriculum in the schools and social interactions. If a family displays a lack of patriotism, their children will be removed and placed in approved households. Everyone is a spy.
Bird’s poet-activist mother was forced to disappear and his father had to disavow any connection to her, or approval of her acts. Ostracized and attacked, they left their house to live in a campus dorm; his father left his position as a linguist at university and took a job shelving books in the library. The need to be careful never stops. Especially since Bird’s mother was Chinese, and Bird’s very appearance marks him as his country’s stated enemy, China being identified as the source of all America’s economic troubles.
The first section of the novel takes us through Bird’s life and how he comes to make a secret trip to the city to find his mother. Part two is where I became less engaged, as his mother’s life in hiding is told in one long backstory. Not shown, or even told in his mother’s voice. Frankly, it was less engaging. And perhaps this is why some readers said the novel wasn’t their favorite Ng.
What Ng addresses is important and her passion is evident. I liked how she used Chinese folk tales and focused on the importance of poetry to move people. And what can be more important than the issue of child removal from the family home? The way we took Native Americans from their homes to destroy their way of life and traditions. It is chilling to consider. The title “Our Missing Hearts” references these separations.
I expect the novel would be a good book club read. And even if not Ng’s best presentation, her warning is of upmost importance.
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LibraryThing member DrApple
I loved this book! Ng creates a dystopian future that seems all too possible. The main character, Bird, learns about his mother and the world before the PACT.
LibraryThing member Dianekeenoy
This is a book you have to decide on your own to read or not read. It seems that people either love it or hate it. I have loved Celeste Ng's books. I certainly liked this book but I read it super fast since it's due back to the library and really just couldn't connect to this book like her others.
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Still, I think it's an important book and I'm not sorry that I read it. Show Less
LibraryThing member DougJ110
Disappointing, disappointing because her first two books were so original. This is 1984, Bladerunner, The Circle, etc., all over again.
LibraryThing member alanteder
A PACT of Suppression
Review of the Penguin Audio audiobook edition narrated by Lucy Liu released simultaneously with the Penguin Books hardcover (October 4, 2022)
This is America. We don't burn books, we pulp them.
Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts imagines a not-too-distant future dystopian America
The story centres on 12-year old Noah "Bird" Gardner the son of etymologist Ethan Gardner and poet Margaret Miu. The story begins in a flash forward from the Crisis in the midst of PACT America where Miu has been separated from her family and son. We gradually learn that she has become a symbol of the anti-PACT movement through her book of poetry "Our Missing Hearts", although we don't know if she has been imprisoned, executed or is on the run and underground. Bird receives clues to his mother's possible continued existence and sets out in an attempt to find her. Further discussion of the plot would get into spoiler territory.
This was a powerful and compelling story which I listened to in only a few days mostly during travel to seasonal gatherings and events. It felt completely plausible due to its many historical and recent parallels whether from slavery to indigenous residence schools to immigrant family separation to the anti-Asian racism which was inflamed by the COVID Pandemic. It leads to a dramatic conclusion in which the individual stories of tragedy and suppression can still be a message of hope, endurance and inspiration to others.
Trivia and Links
Author Celeste Ng reads the Author's Note afterword in this audiobook edition and recommends the following additional reading:
On the history of American political control of families by the forced separation of children:
Taking Children: A History of American Terror (2020) by Laura Briggs.
On anti-Asian discrimination:
The Making of Asian America: A History (2015) by Erika Lee.
Yellow Peril!: An Archive of Anti-Asian Fear (2014) edited by John Kuo Wei Tchen & Dylan Yates.
Infamy: The Shocking Story of the Japanese American Internment in World War II (2015) by Richard Reeves.
From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement (2021) by Paula Yoo.
While Ng acknowledges that the version of the folk story of "The Boy Who Drew Cats" is her own variation, the classic version is The Boy Who Drew Cats (1898) translated by Lafcadio Hearn from the original Japanese language series "Japanese Fairy Tales" by Hasegawa Takejirō.
Review of the Penguin Audio audiobook edition narrated by Lucy Liu released simultaneously with the Penguin Books hardcover (October 4, 2022)
This is America. We don't burn books, we pulp them.
Celeste Ng's Our Missing Hearts imagines a not-too-distant future dystopian America
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which goes through an economic crisis in which China and by extension all Asian countries are scapegoated. This results in nationalist elements enacting a so-called PACT (Preserving American Culture and Tradtions) Act which is consequently used to control the population through ever looser interpretation. One aspect becomes the removal of children from families who have been identified as having dissident views.The story centres on 12-year old Noah "Bird" Gardner the son of etymologist Ethan Gardner and poet Margaret Miu. The story begins in a flash forward from the Crisis in the midst of PACT America where Miu has been separated from her family and son. We gradually learn that she has become a symbol of the anti-PACT movement through her book of poetry "Our Missing Hearts", although we don't know if she has been imprisoned, executed or is on the run and underground. Bird receives clues to his mother's possible continued existence and sets out in an attempt to find her. Further discussion of the plot would get into spoiler territory.
This was a powerful and compelling story which I listened to in only a few days mostly during travel to seasonal gatherings and events. It felt completely plausible due to its many historical and recent parallels whether from slavery to indigenous residence schools to immigrant family separation to the anti-Asian racism which was inflamed by the COVID Pandemic. It leads to a dramatic conclusion in which the individual stories of tragedy and suppression can still be a message of hope, endurance and inspiration to others.
Trivia and Links
Author Celeste Ng reads the Author's Note afterword in this audiobook edition and recommends the following additional reading:
On the history of American political control of families by the forced separation of children:
Taking Children: A History of American Terror (2020) by Laura Briggs.
On anti-Asian discrimination:
The Making of Asian America: A History (2015) by Erika Lee.
Yellow Peril!: An Archive of Anti-Asian Fear (2014) edited by John Kuo Wei Tchen & Dylan Yates.
Infamy: The Shocking Story of the Japanese American Internment in World War II (2015) by Richard Reeves.
From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement (2021) by Paula Yoo.
While Ng acknowledges that the version of the folk story of "The Boy Who Drew Cats" is her own variation, the classic version is The Boy Who Drew Cats (1898) translated by Lafcadio Hearn from the original Japanese language series "Japanese Fairy Tales" by Hasegawa Takejirō.
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LibraryThing member kakadoo202
Well written Good flow. Scary story that ring way too close to the truth.
LibraryThing member LukeS
Celeste Ng imagines a present-day—or near present-day—dystopia in Our Missing Hearts, where a wrenching economic depression in the U.S. has revved up government surveillance of its own citizens to a fever of paranoia. Ng’s portrayal of this America recalls Stalin’s Soviet Union where
As we meet Bird, he’s just entering junior high in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He lives in a high-rise dormitory on the campus of a famous university with his father, Ethan Gardner. Ethan shelves books at the library, but used to be a lecturer in linguistics. He has plummeted in the workplace and in society’s esteem, because an innocuous nature poem published by his wife Margaret Miu becomes the focus of resistance to the government’s institutionalized ethnic hatred.
With strong curiosity and a growing sense of his mother’s soul, Bird runs away to New York to find her, following clues as well as any detective. This quest shows courage and resourcefulness, and is told in fairy tale terms, complete with a beautiful, enchanted queen, and a counterbalancing shocking violence. The climax, with its pervasive and stunning act of resistance, ranks as one of the most powerful fictional episodes in my memory. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and memory, particularly when the story being told carries moral weight. Oh, take up this book for its ultra-worthy and reverberant climax.
Needless to say, you won’t pick up this book for a neat-and-tidy ending; there’s no pretty bow to untie and store away. For this is a book that hits modern society hard, and highlights in bright relief the need, the desperate requirement, for connection and understanding.
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citizens are rewarded for informing on neighbors. And for good measure she overlays that chilling memory with the contemporaneous and sinister ethnic hatred which infected Nazi Germany. This is the ghastly backdrop for Ng’s powerful novel, in which courage, the power of words, and the importance of memory provide their countervailing force. This book is gritty, hauntingly effective, and beautiful.As we meet Bird, he’s just entering junior high in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He lives in a high-rise dormitory on the campus of a famous university with his father, Ethan Gardner. Ethan shelves books at the library, but used to be a lecturer in linguistics. He has plummeted in the workplace and in society’s esteem, because an innocuous nature poem published by his wife Margaret Miu becomes the focus of resistance to the government’s institutionalized ethnic hatred.
With strong curiosity and a growing sense of his mother’s soul, Bird runs away to New York to find her, following clues as well as any detective. This quest shows courage and resourcefulness, and is told in fairy tale terms, complete with a beautiful, enchanted queen, and a counterbalancing shocking violence. The climax, with its pervasive and stunning act of resistance, ranks as one of the most powerful fictional episodes in my memory. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and memory, particularly when the story being told carries moral weight. Oh, take up this book for its ultra-worthy and reverberant climax.
Needless to say, you won’t pick up this book for a neat-and-tidy ending; there’s no pretty bow to untie and store away. For this is a book that hits modern society hard, and highlights in bright relief the need, the desperate requirement, for connection and understanding.
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LibraryThing member japaul22
This was one of those books that started out slow and uninteresting to me, but I stuck with it and by the end, it really packs a punch.
[Our Missing Hearts] is different than [[Ng]]'s other books, though it still has a focus on being a mother. But the setting - a near-future dystopian America that
At the heart of this story is Margaret Miu, whose book of poetry is adopted by those who protest PACT. This forces her to open up her eyes to what is happening and she has to choose between being a present mother and standing up for what is right.
I tried really hard not to like this book after being pretty unimpressed at the beginning. But in the end I found it emotional and all too realistic.
[Our Missing Hearts] is different than [[Ng]]'s other books, though it still has a focus on being a mother. But the setting - a near-future dystopian America that
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is all too easy to believe in - is the driving element of the book. There is an economic Crisis that wracks the country, and in the aftermath, the country passes the PACT act, an attempt to preserve our country's culture and traditions. The enemy that is set up is China, and all Americans of Asian descent end up being persecuted. They, and those who choose to help them or speak out, have their children taken away to be raised in "better" "American" families.At the heart of this story is Margaret Miu, whose book of poetry is adopted by those who protest PACT. This forces her to open up her eyes to what is happening and she has to choose between being a present mother and standing up for what is right.
I tried really hard not to like this book after being pretty unimpressed at the beginning. But in the end I found it emotional and all too realistic.
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LibraryThing member Castlelass
Set in a dystopian near-future, twelve-year-old Noah “Bird” Gardner must navigate a world in which children are removed from their families, the Chinese are held responsible for a recent “crisis,” and Americans are living under a new law intended to Protect American Culture and Traditions
The novel is divided into three parts. The first and strongest is the introduction of Bird, his present life with his fearful father, and his decision to seek out the whereabouts of his mother. Bird is a sympathetic character, and it is easy to root for him. Bird’s father is a linguist who now works at a library. Bird’s father wants to avoid calling any attention to himself or his son in order to protect him. “Unpatriotic” books are being banned and people are encouraged to inform on one another. Children are taken from families for falling afoul of PACT.
The second part shifts perspective to Bird’s mother, Margaret Miu, who tells her story. She is a leader in the underground movement against the status quo and represents the political stances expressed in the narrative. This section gets into lots of exposition. The third part brings all the pieces together. There are some beautifully written passages in this book. I think it is relevant to today’s social issues, taking on racial prejudice, injustice, and censorship. It is quite different from her previous books.
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(PACT). Bird’s mother disappeared from his life three years ago. She is a poet whose verse is being used as a slogan for the protest movement. He misses her and decides to find her. The novel is divided into three parts. The first and strongest is the introduction of Bird, his present life with his fearful father, and his decision to seek out the whereabouts of his mother. Bird is a sympathetic character, and it is easy to root for him. Bird’s father is a linguist who now works at a library. Bird’s father wants to avoid calling any attention to himself or his son in order to protect him. “Unpatriotic” books are being banned and people are encouraged to inform on one another. Children are taken from families for falling afoul of PACT.
The second part shifts perspective to Bird’s mother, Margaret Miu, who tells her story. She is a leader in the underground movement against the status quo and represents the political stances expressed in the narrative. This section gets into lots of exposition. The third part brings all the pieces together. There are some beautifully written passages in this book. I think it is relevant to today’s social issues, taking on racial prejudice, injustice, and censorship. It is quite different from her previous books.
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LibraryThing member bumblybee
Our Missing Hearts is set in a United States not too far removed from our own, when an "anti-anti-patriotism" act called PACT has been enacted, stirring anti-Asian sentiment and separating parents from their children. Bird, an eleven-year-old whose poet mother left the family, is determined to find
Ng is skilled at descriptions and evoking emotions, and these skills shine here. The subject material alone is enough to tug at one's heartstrings, but this is not overdone in a melodramatic way; the grief of parents who have lost their children is powerful but not overplayed to an extent that it feels gratuitous. The main characters themselves are interesting and feel like they have lived full lives, even the child characters, and the way Ng weaves folklore into the story gives it some added depth.
That being said, at least half the novel is summarized - to reveal which part might be considered a spoiler, but I do wonder if there might have been another way for the same information to have been relayed without having to rely on summary so much. Considering the size of the period of time these sections had to cover, it might have been difficult, but it always bothers me a little when so much of a book is devoted to getting the reader up to speed rather than actually showing what happened.
I've read Ng's other work when they came out, and from what I can remember of my impressions of them, this was my favorite. The story itself allows for a lot of poignancy, and the United States shown in the novel feels eerily realistic. This is a must-read for any Ng fan, or for those looking for an impactful read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing a copy for review.
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her and discover the truth about her leaving - and her work. Ng is skilled at descriptions and evoking emotions, and these skills shine here. The subject material alone is enough to tug at one's heartstrings, but this is not overdone in a melodramatic way; the grief of parents who have lost their children is powerful but not overplayed to an extent that it feels gratuitous. The main characters themselves are interesting and feel like they have lived full lives, even the child characters, and the way Ng weaves folklore into the story gives it some added depth.
That being said, at least half the novel is summarized - to reveal which part might be considered a spoiler, but I do wonder if there might have been another way for the same information to have been relayed without having to rely on summary so much. Considering the size of the period of time these sections had to cover, it might have been difficult, but it always bothers me a little when so much of a book is devoted to getting the reader up to speed rather than actually showing what happened.
I've read Ng's other work when they came out, and from what I can remember of my impressions of them, this was my favorite. The story itself allows for a lot of poignancy, and the United States shown in the novel feels eerily realistic. This is a must-read for any Ng fan, or for those looking for an impactful read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing a copy for review.
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LibraryThing member Gingersnap000
I believe in America that every individual born in America is an American. This novel is set in an era that may or may not happen. The culprit in this novel is China and the heroes are the backers of PACT. America is living in a police state where Asians and PACT protesters are the enemy.
This
This
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novel is extremely distressing especially because it involves the separation of parents and children. If the main protagonist, Bird, was not as sympathetic young boy I would not have finished the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member DonnaMarieMerritt
This is how it begins. One group is targeted and we turn away. Another group falls victim and we pretend we don't see. Then the hate comes for us and we act surprised.
LibraryThing member novelcommentary
Another standout novel by Celeste Ng, Our Missing Hearts is a bit different from her first two novels that explore relationships in suburbia and highlight current issues, this one is a bit of speculative fiction.
We meet Bird, officially named Noah Gardner. He is a seventh grader at the beginning
This book is an interesting companion piece to A School for Good Mothers in that they both paint a picture of a world not ours but very believable if certain right wing trends gained ground. Recommend reading all her novels.
Good lines from Nytimes : "suffice it to say, the climax deals with the power of words, the power of stories and the persistence of memory. "
In that sense, the book is a classic tale of the hero’s journey, said hero young enough to make the trip from innocence to experience with surprisingly little bitterness directed toward the parent who has abandoned him.
…I won’t give away the splendid conclusion of Ng’s book; suffice it to say, the climax deals with the power of words, the power of stories and the persistence of memory. It’s impossible not to be moved by Margaret Miu’s courage, or to applaud her craftiness. Is her final word to the world a kind of propaganda? Yes, but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.
Npr
Our Missing Hearts is saddled by grief. But it is also propelled by hope, less a grim prognosis of the future than an impassioned call for a full reckoning with the past.
Ng's clever juxtaposition of the Orpheus myth (a beloved's eternal absence transformed into art) with the Japanese cat myth (an artist's triumph over evil) sums up the tragedy/hope duality at the heart of Our Missing Hearts.
Lines
His brain is like a big dog penned in his skull, restless and pacing, aching for a run.
Blending in, they decided, was their best option. So after she was born, they dressed her in pink corduroy overalls and Mary Janes, tied ribbons in her pigtailed hair. When she got older, they would buy her the clothes off the headless mannequin at the department store; anything it wore, she wore.
Chic and worldly Domi, perfect streaks of eyeliner winging their way toward the sky. Rhymes with show me, she’d said, one brow arched. Now, without makeup, her eyes looked bigger, younger. More rabbit than hawk.
In the quiet of Ethan’s apartment, poems came to her like timid animals emerging after a storm.
Can’t rock the boat, one commenter wrote online, and be surprised when your kid gets washed overboard.
Maybe sometimes, she thought, the bird with its head held high took flight. Maybe sometimes, the nail that stuck up pierced the foot that stomped down.
But in the end every story I want to tell you is the same. Once upon a time, there was a boy. Once upon a time there was a mother. Once upon a time, there was a boy, and his mother loved him very much.
We meet Bird, officially named Noah Gardner. He is a seventh grader at the beginning
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of the narrative and his mother has disappeared, has left the family. We come to learn that in this world everything is ruled by pack PACT. (Preserving American Culture and Traditions. A solemn promise to root out any anti-American elements undermining the nation.) it turns out his mother's book of poetry entitled Our Missing Hearts becomes a rallying cry against the government's policy of removing children from their parents if they are anything less that what is deemed patriotic. Bird's friend Sadie is one such child and she wants Bird to run away with her to find their parents. He doesn't. He continues to live with his dad in a one bedroom apartment owned by the college. His dad, a former professor now shelves books in the college library and lives by mantra of laying low and tries to convince his son to do the same. However when Bird receives a enigmatic postcard filled with drawings of cats,he knows it's from his mom and begins his search for understanding why she left. This book is an interesting companion piece to A School for Good Mothers in that they both paint a picture of a world not ours but very believable if certain right wing trends gained ground. Recommend reading all her novels.
Good lines from Nytimes : "suffice it to say, the climax deals with the power of words, the power of stories and the persistence of memory. "
In that sense, the book is a classic tale of the hero’s journey, said hero young enough to make the trip from innocence to experience with surprisingly little bitterness directed toward the parent who has abandoned him.
…I won’t give away the splendid conclusion of Ng’s book; suffice it to say, the climax deals with the power of words, the power of stories and the persistence of memory. It’s impossible not to be moved by Margaret Miu’s courage, or to applaud her craftiness. Is her final word to the world a kind of propaganda? Yes, but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.
Npr
Our Missing Hearts is saddled by grief. But it is also propelled by hope, less a grim prognosis of the future than an impassioned call for a full reckoning with the past.
Ng's clever juxtaposition of the Orpheus myth (a beloved's eternal absence transformed into art) with the Japanese cat myth (an artist's triumph over evil) sums up the tragedy/hope duality at the heart of Our Missing Hearts.
Lines
His brain is like a big dog penned in his skull, restless and pacing, aching for a run.
Blending in, they decided, was their best option. So after she was born, they dressed her in pink corduroy overalls and Mary Janes, tied ribbons in her pigtailed hair. When she got older, they would buy her the clothes off the headless mannequin at the department store; anything it wore, she wore.
Chic and worldly Domi, perfect streaks of eyeliner winging their way toward the sky. Rhymes with show me, she’d said, one brow arched. Now, without makeup, her eyes looked bigger, younger. More rabbit than hawk.
In the quiet of Ethan’s apartment, poems came to her like timid animals emerging after a storm.
Can’t rock the boat, one commenter wrote online, and be surprised when your kid gets washed overboard.
Maybe sometimes, she thought, the bird with its head held high took flight. Maybe sometimes, the nail that stuck up pierced the foot that stomped down.
But in the end every story I want to tell you is the same. Once upon a time, there was a boy. Once upon a time there was a mother. Once upon a time, there was a boy, and his mother loved him very much.
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Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2024)
Ohioana Book Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2023)
Massachusetts Book Award (Honor Book — Fiction — 2023)
BookTube Prize (Octofinalist — Fiction — 2023)
Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award (Winner — 2023)
Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Fiction — 2022)
NPR: Books We Love (2022)
Boston Globe Best Book (Fiction — 2022)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Fiction/Poetry — 2022)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (2022)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — October 2022)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2022)
BBC 50 Best Books of 2022 (2022)
Pages
352
ISBN
0593492544 / 9780593492543
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