Our Missing Hearts

Reese's Book Club (A Novel)

By: Celeste Ng

Narrated by: Lucy Liu, Celeste Ng

Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

An instant New York Times bestseller • A New York Times Notable Book • Named a Best Book of 2022 by People, TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, NPR, Los Angeles Times, and Oprah Daily, and more • A Reese's Book Club Pick • New York Times Paperback Row Selection

From the #1 bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere, comes the inspiring new novel about a mother’s unshakeable love.

“Riveting, tender, and timely.” —People, Book of the Week

"Remarkable . . . An unflinching yet life-affirming drama about the power of art and love to push back in dangerous times." —Oprah Daily

“Thought-provoking, heart-wrenching . . . I was so invested in the future of this mother and son.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Pick)

Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving father, a former linguist who now shelves books in a university library. His mother, Margaret, a Chinese American poet, left without a trace when he was nine years old. He doesn’t know what happened to her—only that her books have been banned—and he resents that she cared more about her work than about him.

Then one day Bird receives a mysterious letter containing only a cryptic drawing, and soon he is pulled 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 heroic librarians, and finally to New York City, where he will learn the truth about what happened to his mother and what the future holds for them both.

Our Missing Hearts is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It’s about the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children and the power of art to create change.

©2022 Celeste Ng (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Ng writes a cautionary tale

This is the second dystopian novel I’ve read this year that is alarmingly close to reality. Celeste Ng’s “Our Missing Hearts” is a story centered around children who have been separated from their parent for political reasons. In Ng’s world, the government can seize children from parents if alleged “subversive” behavior is exposed to children in the home. Ng also adds a xenophobic element of anti-Asian sentiments, especially regarding China. We all know how real that became during the pandemic.

In Ng’s world, “The Crisis” occurred from a worldwide economic breakdown caused by the Chinese, as opposed to the pandemic. Bird Gardner is a twelve-year-old boy, being raised by his father. His mother disappeared after her poetry was deemed provocative against the State. Bird has a best friend, Sadie, who also was removed from her family. Bird’s father does not permit Bird to even mention his mother. All Bird remembers is that his mother loved cats.

PACT (The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act) is a code of conduct aimed at protecting America. What happens is censorship. Ng shows the slippery slope of government over-reach. She shows how when racism is allowed unchecked, our lives ultimately end in fear for all.

Earlier this year, 2022, Jessamine Chan wrote “The School for Good Mothers” which had a similar theme of government over-reach. Chan’s novel focused on the mothers, how the mothers coped once their children were taken away. In Ng’s story, the focus is on the children, how confusing the world is to children who have their family stability ripped away in the name of politics.

At the end of the novel, Ng wrote that children have been removed from parents throughout history in the name of politics. We are separating children from their parents at our boarders. Social Services can take children away. Indigenous children across the world were taken away and placed in state-run boarding schools. During war, children are separated from their parents.

While there is good reason in many cases when children need protection, especially from physical violence, we as a society must remain vigilant. Ng’s story also shows the impact of racism and bigotry and the danger in allowing those ideals to settle in politics.

A very clever ending involving performance art provided a powerful statement in nonviolent protests. I love Ng’s prose. She uses her voice/pen to improve humanity.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Lucy Liu who was perfect!

Amazing book

This book brought me to tears..many times. Every mother and most fathers should read it. Her epilogue is also so spot on. I always enjoyed her books but this one is in a different category altogether.

beautiful!!

I usually don't consider novels, as I typically gravitate towards memoirs and other nonfiction, but I'm so thankful I deviated this time! After hearing the author interviewed recently on Glennon Doyle's podcast I thought I'd check it out.
The story is so rich and layered, so beautifully written it brought me to tears. The narration by Lucy Liu was masterfully performed.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who has ever lost something of the highest value, anyone who's been marginalized, all woman, particularly all the mothers out there.
This story will stick with me for a long time!

Prophetic

At first I didn’t like this book but, as it went on it drew me in because I could see how we could end up living in a similar repressive, controlled world. Margaret will always be there in our hearts and minds! Enjoy!!

Read this!

Celeste Ng outdid herself. Thought provoking. Devastating. Hopeful. Beautifully written. And the narration by Lucy Liu was wonderful.

Very Powerful!

I found this book so moving that I listened to it twice so that I didn’t miss a word. Having read many books about the WWII and the Nazi occupation of Europe, I was amazed by the similarity of the way people with different political views just vanished. And of course I was amused by the satire of the more refined way of “burning books”. I also appreciate the reference list at the end of the book because it just pointed out how much I don’t know. Sadly

beautiful

a timely and beautifully written story rooted in history and the possibility of what could be

Scarily realistic

I thought this book was excellent. I went back and reread the description because I couldn’t tell if it was real or fiction at first, and I didn’t know when it took place. Sure enough it was fiction but so close to modern day that regardless of which side of the political aisle we stand, it hits home. It causes us, or me anyway, to reflect on our personal beliefs of what is right and wrong and how far we will go to defend that belief. Without feeling politicized at all, Ng wrote a great story that ties in fairytales (some that you may or may not know) and touches on various cultures with expert skill. As reader, I felt like I was walking the streets of New York City, and felt the dichotomy between standing up for what is right and not standing out lest you yourself become victim. In fact, while writing this review, I just changed my overall story from 4 stars to 5. Usually, I reserve 5 stars for books that make me both laugh AND cry. This one didn’t really make me laugh, but parts were definitely light and whimsy, and I did cry. So 5 stars from me. I hope you enjoy it. Also, I listened to the authors notes afterwards. Celeste Ng speaks of the research she did in preparation for the book and the real-life examples she pulled from for the story. Wow! Celeste thank you for that, no wonder your writing felt so real! Excellent job.

One of the best of 2022!

This is a beautifully written book with a fabulous performance by Lucy Lui. A must listen!

Story, at times, hard to follow

Super interesting topic. Love Lucy, but it was hard to differentiate who was narrating the story at times. This made it hard, often, to follow along.