Our Missing Hearts: A Novel

This book's "heart," which is missing, is a futuristic American law called PACT, Preserving American Culture and Traditions. It is dubbed a solemn promise to root out any anti-American elements undermining the nation. Some see the law as anti-Asian, but many consider it essential to preserve the country. PACT mandates that schools must ensure that children do not learn bad ideas. Libraries are strictly controlled and must destroy books that proliferate undesirable concepts. Part of the title's significance derives from a poem titled "All Our Missing Hearts," written by Margaret Mu, a Chinese-American woman. Although Margaret did not have subversive intent when publishing the poem, she is forced into hiding since too many people are suspicious of her motives and view her as dangerous.Noah Gardner, a twelve-year-old Chinese-American son of Margaret, is on a quest to find his mother. He conducts some research and realizes there is a network of librarians who preserve some of the banned books and act as liaisons between children and parents who are "in hiding." The novel's plot follows his adventures as he journeys to find his mother. His world and his encounters are scary and dystopian. So much of the world Celeste Ng created in this story relates scarily to recent and current events in the USA. It was disconcerting to read about her plausible extrapolations.

I had trouble getting started. I think it reminded me about the current state of affairs, which is so sad, us against them. I loved the librarians role in this world, an underground network to reunite families. Noble work and one Bird will use as his example in his future to restore his mothers poetry.

Scary in many ways with what the far right wants to take away in our own country. Banning books, going after different cultures, changing history etc.Hopefully we are not headed for an authoritarian government, as shown in this story. Could this happen? Yes! Right before our eyes!you can

I initially did not the the apocalyptic feel of the story. As I read on it captured me. Because it wasn’t violent and it was an understandable environment I started to relate it to today’s anger and unrest in our country. Changing laws and banning books. Hatred of a particular population and blaming them for everything wrong in our society. It can happen here in the near future… it is chilling!

Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father, a former linguist who now shelves books in a university library. Bird knows to not ask too many questions, stand out too much, or stray too far. For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve “American culture” in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, Margaret, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old.Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her, and he knows he shouldn’t wonder. But when he receives a mysterious letter containing only a cryptic drawing, 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 librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.Our Missing Hearts is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It’s a story about the power—and limitations—of art to create change, the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and how any of us can survive a broken world with our hearts intact.My Thoughts:There is something hollow and fearful about Our Missing Hearts as we begin the story of what life was like during the times after the “Crisis.” A time after a stringent law is passed (PACT) that focuses on people supposedly “Anti-American,” but who are mostly Asian. People whose ideas don’t jive with those who are more “in line” with American culture.Primarily we learn more about a family with a child named Bird, a mother who writes poetry but who incidentally is Asian, and a father who works in a library. What happens to this family hurts my heart, and I am feeling the angst of what can happen to families and people because of a law. An unjust law, in my opinion.Fearful of what might lie ahead for any of us kept me reading about these characters and how their lives were torn apart. And how dismantled shelves were the reminders of the books that some considered anti-American. My heart went out to what had become of these characters and what might become of any of us. 4.5 stars.***

A few courageous people in an underground network, push back against governmental sponsored anti-Asian racism and the insidious creep of rules for mind control, from the personal point of view of the victims.

What an incredible read. I loved it and highly recommend it. Very frightening imaging a world of burning books and yet here we are.

A page Turner I hated to put down— eager to pick up next day and introduced me to many lovable and forgivable characters. The narrator solved the problem of remaining an activist while facing Being a physically challenged elder. Intriguing plot.

Beautiful, heartbreaking, incredible. Highly recommend.

So weit entfernt von unserer Realität ist die Geschichte gar nicht, im Gegenteil, so oder ähnlich hat sich alles schon abgespielt. Die Gangart ist etwas gar langsam, aber das ist der einzige Kritikpunkt, denn die Geschichte ist sehr eindringlich und berührend. 4.8 Sterne.

Was a good story but didn’t like it as much as her other 2 previous books. Still recommend if you are a fan though.

Die Aktion am Ende des Buches ist einerseits eine erfrischende und sympathische Überraschung. Dann aber wird total offen gelassen, was die Wirkung ist. Vielleicht gibt es ja eine Fortsetzung...

Una storia complicata, di un mondo che non vogliamo raggiungere. Le parole arrivano al punto che vuoi solo aiutare.Bellissimo!