Literary Fiction by People of Color discussion

If anyone would like to lead the December discussion for OUR MISSING HEARTS, please let me know. You can respond here or dm me directly. Thanks.

Happy December 1st!

- Has anyone started reading OUR MISSING HEARTS?
-Have you read anything by Celeste Ng before Little Fires Everywhere or Everything I Never Told You?
-What’s your impression of this author?

Just finished the book—loved it. First book of the author’s that I’ve read. Small and tightly controlled cast of characters that gives the book the sort of grounding you need to inhabit the sweep of a dystopian world that feels too much like our own.

Picked it up today...will start this weekend.

I should receive it by tomorrow. Can't wait to get started!

Our Missing Hearts is, hands down, my favorite of our group's choices since I've been a member. While clearly focused on a dystopian situation in an unknown (but near) future, the applications to many 2023 currents abound. Deftly handling the suspenseful questions around who will be reunited with whom, what form the activist revolt will take, Celeste Ng lets the personal stories lead and the philosophical/political questions follow seamlessly. There's no sermonizing, just powerful narrative uncovering a society's moral cowardice. I look forward to discovering more of Celeste Ng.

My physical copy of the book is still in route and I’m next in line for the ebook. Hopefully, one or both will be in soon.

In the meantime, can someone tell me how the book is set up so I can prepare a schedule? Chapters, parts, acts etc… thanks

ColumbusReads wrote: "My physical copy of the book is still in route and I’m next in line for the ebook. Hopefully, one or both will be in soon.

In the meantime, can someone tell me how the book is set up so I can prep..."

My printed library loan has 325 pages, three parts, and no numbered chapters. the parts are unequal. the 2nd starting on page 145 and three on page 275.

William wrote: "ColumbusReads wrote: "My physical copy of the book is still in route and I’m next in line for the ebook. Hopefully, one or both will be in soon.

In the meantime, can someone tell me how the book i..."

Thanks, William! My library said the book had arrived and when I got there today, they said 5 people were ahead of me.

Discussion schedule:

Discuss Part 1 now thru Dec 9th
Discuss Part 1 & 2 thru Dec 16th

Entire book open Dec 17th

*Both Anita & Susan have given the book positive reviews. It’s Anita’s first book by the author. Susan, is this your first book as well? I absolutely loved Little Fires Everywhere (the miniseries with Kerry Washington & Reese Witherspoon as well) and I also liked Everything I Never Told You, not quite as much as her debut.

*Any thoughts on the book cover?

*What about the epigraphs to open the book? Any thoughts on how it may relate to the book description, the first part of the book or our current situation?

Let’s discuss.

ColumbusReads wrote: "*Both Anita & Susan have given the book positive reviews. It’s Anita’s first book by the author. Susan, is this your first book as well? I absolutely loved Little Fires Everywhere (..."

The cover doesn't make much sense until you find out that the protagonist's name is Bird..

I have read this previously but will reread with the physical and audiobook to participate in this discussion

I read the Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You before. I love them. I especially enjoyed the Everythin I Never Told You. I will start Our Missing Hearts soon.

As an Asian American, this book--like Ng's other books--the perspective felt familiar and told in a way that was fearless and clever. Especially as an Asian adoptee, hidden identify or discovering identity is powerful. In this book, the father was a complicated character. His "protection" of Bird and his mother also is the source of loss as dictated by the society. I'm eager to hear others thoughts on this book.

Even though I'm just a bit into this book, my heartstrings are pulled for Bird & other children in the same situation when I read the phrase 'our missing hearts'. (I'm a sap.) Then, when I look at the politics in this country today & who is running for election, I can't help but think that this might be us in the near future. Am I wrong? I hope so!

The first stand out idea for me is that the absence of Bird's mother is the first domino in a chain of things being different. Name. School. Home. Dad's job. Everything that could be externally stripped.

Tricia wrote: "The first stand out idea for me is that the absence of Bird's mother is the first domino in a chain of things being different. Name. School. Home. Dad's job. Everything that could be externally str..."

I agree Tricia. That is a lot of loss. I can't even imagine how this would feel at such a young age. Such emotional confusion for Bird. Also, such loss for his dad, plus his needing to keep things as stable as posible for Bird.

All separation of a child from parent causes trauma. Folks stay married to avoid foisting that trauma on their kids..until they must end an untenable situation. Imagine that situation forced on a family by the government.
I've volunteered as a CASA (court appointed special advocate) for children in the "system". Cutting through the myriad rules and regulations to guarantee rights and reunite kids with families is the goal. The need is Americas dirty little secret. Almost as quiet as the actual policy, since slavery, and of indigenous peoples, of "officially' , snatching children from families.

Just finished part 1. From the lack of phones, dorm living, forced patriotism and treatment of Asian people, I kept thinking of Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment

I'm interested to keep going to learn how Bird's mother left and what became of his father's parents and their relationship to the family.

I found the book difficult to get into and the world-building fell flat for me. I'm a great lover of dystopian and post-apocalyptic media but Ng's descriptions did not draw the usual emotional response that this genre usually generates.

In contrast, I enjoyed Ng's Everything I Never Told You and gave it four stars, although I frustratingly never left a review.

I'm glad that I came back to the book after initially DNF it and I've finished part one, finally.

A lot of readers have commented on the pain of children being separated from parents but I don't think the author conveys that pain well. She conveys the confusion, guilt and burden of not knowing why, but I didn't feel Bird's pain from the writing. (This might be my own experience colouring my response though - my brother and I were removed from home but ultimately reconciled with our mum).

There is also something off about how Ng represents both Black and white people as holders of power in this new America. I understand that she is writing from her own experience and as a response to increasing anti-Asian sentiments over the past four years, but I imagine that a future America such as this would happily persecute anyone who is non-white.

Still, this is a work of speculative fiction, written about an author featuring her own demographic, and I'm happy to see where the story goes.

Mandy wrote: "I found the book difficult to get into and the world-building fell flat for me. I'm a great lover of dystopian and post-apocalyptic media but Ng's descriptions did not draw the usual emotional resp..."

Thank you for sharing these points. I agree that Bird's separation from his mother did not read as pain, but confusion. I took that to mean that his father had sacrificed so much to mitigate this pain, which to me was complicated. Because when we feel the loss, we recognize the value of the original connection.

I also agree with you about the way the US has treated Black people. This relationship is based on a denial of humanity and will not be repaired without major social change--which the book did not reference or address.

While we seem to be discussing Ng's lack of 'showing' the emotions that Bird must have been experiencing, I'd like to mention one more area. Abandonment.

I worked as a mental health therapist on a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) for adolescents ages 11-17 for a few years. Upon talking about their parents' divorce or split, so many shared they felt physically and/or emotionally abandoned. This is true for those who had one parent suddenly leave, as well as those whose parent died unexpectedly. Then, there were the foster kids, and what so many of them had been through was horrible. I won't even get into that. My heart broke daily for them.

That's an interesting comment Barb. Do you find that your experience allows you to fill in where perhaps the author has not done so?

Some of you may be interested in this nonfiction account of current government sanctioned child kidnapping. "We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America".

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

William wrote: "Some of you may be interested in this nonfiction account of current government sanctioned child kidnapping. "We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America".

https://..."

Thank you for sharing this. I have followed this case and heard it from the perspectives of nearly everyone ACCEPT the biological families of the children who were killed. I would imagine they are the people suffering the most and need to be heard.

The entire book is now open for discussion.

just started the book last night and plan on having it finished in the next couple days. loving it so far. excited to join in this convo!

Mandy wrote: "That's an interesting comment Barb. Do you find that your experience allows you to fill in where perhaps the author has not done so?"

Only to a degree. I can imagine how Bird must have felt, as well as how his father must have felt. The emotions are palpable to say the least. Plus, there are a mix of different emotions.

-Did anyone read The School for Good Mothers? Someone compared Margaret to the protagonist in that book. Not paying attention to laws until it impacts them.

-Several people have made note - and surprised at the fact, that Covid-19 is not mentioned in the novel? Were you?

-Where does this book fall in comparison to Ng’s earlier novels? Were you impressed with this one? Will you read more by her?

-Your thoughts on the ending?

grateful for this read. it's my first ng.

i didnt do much research beforehand and paused to research the pact act early on, thinking this was real and active! it doesnt seem too far off from where we're at.

i loved the ways various activism roles were displayed throughout the story -- some ppl w direct action through nonviolent art, some through financially supporting in the background, some parenting to avoid having a child removed (at least that's what i made of the father's role). really grateful for those varied depictions.

i was very surprised at the omission of the covid19 pandemic! felt its absence, but perhaps ng had been working on this text before the pandemic began and didnt feel a natural place for it to get looped in?

i guess i totally missed the part where black and white ppl were in socially empowered roles. could anyone share where you got that part from?

oo, and the ending really worked for me. im down with something being open ended and not having all the loose ends tied up.

ColumbusReads wrote: "-Did anyone read The School for Good Mothers? Someone compared Margaret to the protagonist in that book. Not paying attention to laws until it impacts them.

-Several people have ma..."

No, I haven't read the School for Good Mothers.

Yes, I was surprised that covid-19 wasn't mentioned at all in the book.

I haven't read any other books by Ng, but look forward to reading more of hers. I really enjoy her writing style and can see why so many people like her books.

As the ending goes, books & movies that kind of leave things up in the air at the end typically bothers me a bit. I want to know how things work out. Still, I really liked this book and am giving it ****4 stars.

Just finished the book. I had bought 'Everything I Never Told You, before this month's selection but have not read it yet. This book moved that book up on my To Be Read list. I take some of the criticisms I see in the discussion however I do not find many faults with this book personally. I found, once I understood the writers style, I was able to take the story in fluidly. Part III brought on a lot of tears and pain. Enjoyed the little times she took us to future reflections on current happenings. Definitely pulled on my heart strings, hitting so close to home with current and historic events that have happened in the U.S. I am looking forward to reading some of the books Celeste Ng references in the Author Note as well. Solid read that I am very happy was picked for this month.

ColumbusReads wrote: "-Did anyone read The School for Good Mothers? Someone compared Margaret to the protagonist in that book. Not paying attention to laws until it impacts them.

-Several people have ma..."

I have read all of Ng's works. They rate for me: 1--Everything I never told you 2--Little Fires Everywhere and 3-Our Missing Hearts.

I was very surprised COVID was not mentioned. What exactly caused The Crisis was very vague. A pandemic caused by a virus that is thought to have originated from China that ACTUALLY happened? It's like the Universe handed it to her as a spring board, and she said no thanks.

I did not necessarily like the ending, but I feel like that is the only way it could have ended so I accept it even though I'm not a fan.

Much of PACT was dependent on people having children. With birth rates falling and many people opting to be childless, what is in place to keep them from speaking out? What do they have to lose?

I know I'm tying present reality to fiction, but if the fiction is going to be based in present reality, I would think that is something the author would consider.