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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was immediately drawn into the story of Deming Guo and his mother Polly (Peilan, originally), an undocumented immigrant who came to have her son in the United States.
The narrative starts differently from other books in this genre; not only are Polly and Deming speaking Fouzhounese and living with other Asian immigrants, but they are doing so in the Bronx, a collection of neighborhoods that are historically Hispanic. For them, the Bronx and NYC, as a larger entity, are totally foreign, and Polly begins to tire of her job in the local nail salon, where her hands are scabbed and peeling from working with so many chemicals. Just after she decides to move her family, however, Peilan is deported while at work and no one is aware; her fiance, her son, and her fiance's sister (whom she was living with) are all left in the dark when she suddenly disappears.
Many years later, adult Daniel Wilkinson is a small-scene musician who was adopted by two white parents and retains distant memories of a mother and family that he loved, a mother that disappeared without an explanation. He abuses substances, mishandles what is clearly a gambling addiction, and worries those who around him while he struggles with his identity. Is he Deming Guo, or is he Daniel Wilkinson? Why did his mother leave him? How is it that he does not look American, but he no longer sounds Fouzhounese? What do these two places and cultures mean to him? Will he ever belong to one over the other, or one at all?
The rest of the story is for you to unfold, but I will tell you this: there are very few books as literary and insightful as this one is. This isn't every story about immigrants that you have read before. I highly recommend it.
The narrative starts differently from other books in this genre; not only are Polly and Deming speaking Fouzhounese and living with other Asian immigrants, but they are doing so in the Bronx, a collection of neighborhoods that are historically Hispanic. For them, the Bronx and NYC, as a larger entity, are totally foreign, and Polly begins to tire of her job in the local nail salon, where her hands are scabbed and peeling from working with so many chemicals. Just after she decides to move her family, however, Peilan is deported while at work and no one is aware; her fiance, her son, and her fiance's sister (whom she was living with) are all left in the dark when she suddenly disappears.
Many years later, adult Daniel Wilkinson is a small-scene musician who was adopted by two white parents and retains distant memories of a mother and family that he loved, a mother that disappeared without an explanation. He abuses substances, mishandles what is clearly a gambling addiction, and worries those who around him while he struggles with his identity. Is he Deming Guo, or is he Daniel Wilkinson? Why did his mother leave him? How is it that he does not look American, but he no longer sounds Fouzhounese? What do these two places and cultures mean to him? Will he ever belong to one over the other, or one at all?
The rest of the story is for you to unfold, but I will tell you this: there are very few books as literary and insightful as this one is. This isn't every story about immigrants that you have read before. I highly recommend it.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is such a tender, loving, and at times, heartbreaking story, that I wanted to hug the two main characters in the story and tell them that it would be alright. I won't give things away and tell you whether or not that turns out to be the case. You'll need to find out for yourself. And, I strongly recommend that you do! At the end of the day, this is the story about a mother and a son who face extraordinary circumstances. It's also about cultural identity and the harsh realities of the uncaring and absolutely inhumane policies of the US Immigration system and how it separates U.S. born children from their undocumented parents.
Slow moving, touching on the emotions and fragility of the protagonists. Surprised how much I enjoyed this novel.
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated
Reading 2020
Book 177: The Leavers by Lisa Ko
I purchased this book probably a year ago. It is a National Book Award Finalist, and based on the reviews and such I was excited to read it. Then it got lost on my shelf, and forgotten about
Book 177: The Leavers by Lisa Ko
I purchased this book probably a year ago. It is a National Book Award Finalist, and based on the reviews and such I was excited to read it. Then it got lost on my shelf, and forgotten about
WHAT. A. JOURNEY.
Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book! Not every single SECOND, because many parts are so uncomfortable, so hard, so akin to real life — incredibly difficult to stare in the face.
When Deming Guo’s mother goes to work one day and never returns, a chain of events leads to his being adopted by a white couple. They change his name to Daniel Wilkinson and move him from New York City to a small, predominantly white town.
Deming’s life is forever changed by his mother’s abrupt departure from his life. It affects his self-worth, identity and ability to move on with his life. THE LEAVERS follows his and his mother’s lives before and after the traumatic event.
I LOVED the writing in this book. Ko wields words like no other. Her sentences are absolutely breathtaking. Yet, Deming Guo is an unbelievably frustrating character for the first fifty percent, so please be patient with him. I found myself being alternately infuriated at and sorry for his adoptive parents, his mother and Deming himself.
This novel breaks you apart and puts you back together. An excellent coming of age story which deftly examines identity, immigration and transracial adoption. So POWERFUL. Highly recommended!
Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book! Not every single SECOND, because many parts are so uncomfortable, so hard, so akin to real life — incredibly difficult to stare in the face.
When Deming Guo’s mother goes to work one day and never returns, a chain of events leads to his being adopted by a white couple. They change his name to Daniel Wilkinson and move him from New York City to a small, predominantly white town.
Deming’s life is forever changed by his mother’s abrupt departure from his life. It affects his self-worth, identity and ability to move on with his life. THE LEAVERS follows his and his mother’s lives before and after the traumatic event.
I LOVED the writing in this book. Ko wields words like no other. Her sentences are absolutely breathtaking. Yet, Deming Guo is an unbelievably frustrating character for the first fifty percent, so please be patient with him. I found myself being alternately infuriated at and sorry for his adoptive parents, his mother and Deming himself.
This novel breaks you apart and puts you back together. An excellent coming of age story which deftly examines identity, immigration and transracial adoption. So POWERFUL. Highly recommended!