You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by timeywriter
The Leavers by Lisa Ko
3.0
This novel is far more than just about the people who leave us or who disappear in our lives, it was about the dynamics of ourselves when these things happen. For a mother and a son, this is exactly what happens when the mother disappears and the son is sent adrift in another life direction because of it.
Deming Guo is ten years old when his mother, Polly, disappears from their apartment in New York City, leaving him with his soon to be stepdad and his sister. When the stepdad leaves too, the sister has no choice but to give Deming to social services in order to be placed in foster care. Leaving New York City behind, Deming is adopted by a couple in update New York and given the new name of Daniel. For the next ten years Deming, now Daniel, struggles with his adoptive parents and the mystery of why his mother left. Woven in his story is the tale of Polly, who describes her struggle in her village in China, becoming impregnated by a village boy, and struggling to make her way to New York City to give birth to Deming. Both of their stories are filled with tragedy, yes, but I also felt a severe amount of selfishness in both of them. I think this is why I never really felt connected to either Deming or Polly, because both of them were so selfish about their choices. It was hard for me to believe there could ever be any love between them or with anyone else. With both of their experiences it seemed as if they had shut off themselves to anyone, including each other. Yes, there was some character development and some moving on, but in the end it also fell short.
Perhaps I've had too many people in my own life leave. And for that I commend this book for being able to illicit these strong emotions I have about people leaving. But it also means that I did not feel very strongly about it.
Deming Guo is ten years old when his mother, Polly, disappears from their apartment in New York City, leaving him with his soon to be stepdad and his sister. When the stepdad leaves too, the sister has no choice but to give Deming to social services in order to be placed in foster care. Leaving New York City behind, Deming is adopted by a couple in update New York and given the new name of Daniel. For the next ten years Deming, now Daniel, struggles with his adoptive parents and the mystery of why his mother left. Woven in his story is the tale of Polly, who describes her struggle in her village in China, becoming impregnated by a village boy, and struggling to make her way to New York City to give birth to Deming. Both of their stories are filled with tragedy, yes, but I also felt a severe amount of selfishness in both of them. I think this is why I never really felt connected to either Deming or Polly, because both of them were so selfish about their choices. It was hard for me to believe there could ever be any love between them or with anyone else. With both of their experiences it seemed as if they had shut off themselves to anyone, including each other. Yes, there was some character development and some moving on, but in the end it also fell short.
Perhaps I've had too many people in my own life leave. And for that I commend this book for being able to illicit these strong emotions I have about people leaving. But it also means that I did not feel very strongly about it.