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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I really liked this one! There were a few moments where I thought to myself "is this a typo or an intentional breadcrumb." It was kind of easy to connect the dots along the way, however it all played out pretty well. The end went a little off the rails to some degree, though.
What I liked: Less than 300 pages. Alternating POVs. Sweet little Fiona, even though I don't understand how Fifi is a nickname. The interconnectivity.
What needed a little help: More explanation in Brandon's background and his past friendships. Maybe less work drama for Rebecca. Maybe not the Anthony side story, though it served its purpose.
A woman is China gives birth to a girl, only to find out years later the baby didn't die during delivery. She was actually adopted by an affluent white family by the hands of the baby's father. Once Jasmine discovers this information, she heads to America with the help of snakeheads, who she's severely indebted to, and starts to plan how to reunite with her daughter.
A woman in NY is trying to revive her career as editor in chief of a publishing house after an embarrassing and almost career-killing experience with an author the year prior. She's married to a Columbia professor who impresses everyone they meet and they have a sweet adopted daughter who Rebecca only wants the best for. Now is it what's best for her daughter or for society? Who can say.
Secrets. Identity. Freedom.
What I liked: Less than 300 pages. Alternating POVs. Sweet little Fiona, even though I don't understand how Fifi is a nickname. The interconnectivity.
What needed a little help: More explanation in Brandon's background and his past friendships. Maybe less work drama for Rebecca. Maybe not the Anthony side story, though it served its purpose.
A woman is China gives birth to a girl, only to find out years later the baby didn't die during delivery. She was actually adopted by an affluent white family by the hands of the baby's father. Once Jasmine discovers this information, she heads to America with the help of snakeheads, who she's severely indebted to, and starts to plan how to reunite with her daughter.
A woman in NY is trying to revive her career as editor in chief of a publishing house after an embarrassing and almost career-killing experience with an author the year prior. She's married to a Columbia professor who impresses everyone they meet and they have a sweet adopted daughter who Rebecca only wants the best for. Now is it what's best for her daughter or for society? Who can say.
Secrets. Identity. Freedom.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
DNF
Slow and boring. Can’t understand why it’s getting highs marks.
Slow and boring. Can’t understand why it’s getting highs marks.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had high hopes for The Leftover Woman since I loved Jean Kwok’s Searching for Sylvie Lee, but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.
The story follows Jasmine Yang, who flees her controlling husband in rural China to New York City. She’s on a desperate mission to find her daughter, taken from her at birth. At the same time, we meet Rebecca Whitney, a high-powered publishing executive with an adopted Chinese daughter, Fiona.
Jasmine’s character had depth, and her struggles felt real. Her journey from a small village to NYC, working as a nanny by day and a cocktail waitress by night, was enthralling. However, some of her decisions were frustrating.
Rebecca’s side of the story was less engaging. While her challenges at work and at home added some suspense, the plot twists felt predictable and too convenient. The book’s themes of identity, motherhood, and belonging were poignant but not well executed.
The narrative alternates between Jasmine and Rebecca, which kept the story moving but also made it confusing. The timelines and plot points sometimes felt jumbled, detracting from the overall impact. While intense, the ending was too neatly tied up.
One thing that stood out was the audiobook performance, which was excellent. However, the writing in the eBook version didn’t quite match up. At least it was a quick read at 288 pages. 3 stars.
** I voluntarily reviewed a comp of this title. The opinions are my own.
The story follows Jasmine Yang, who flees her controlling husband in rural China to New York City. She’s on a desperate mission to find her daughter, taken from her at birth. At the same time, we meet Rebecca Whitney, a high-powered publishing executive with an adopted Chinese daughter, Fiona.
Jasmine’s character had depth, and her struggles felt real. Her journey from a small village to NYC, working as a nanny by day and a cocktail waitress by night, was enthralling. However, some of her decisions were frustrating.
Rebecca’s side of the story was less engaging. While her challenges at work and at home added some suspense, the plot twists felt predictable and too convenient. The book’s themes of identity, motherhood, and belonging were poignant but not well executed.
The narrative alternates between Jasmine and Rebecca, which kept the story moving but also made it confusing. The timelines and plot points sometimes felt jumbled, detracting from the overall impact. While intense, the ending was too neatly tied up.
One thing that stood out was the audiobook performance, which was excellent. However, the writing in the eBook version didn’t quite match up. At least it was a quick read at 288 pages. 3 stars.
** I voluntarily reviewed a comp of this title. The opinions are my own.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated