PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Set just a little into the future, this searing novel explores what happens when a society is ruled by hatred and fear and condemns others for not being white… Three years prior to the opening of the story, Bird's mother disappeared. His father, once a respected academic, shelves books in Harvard library, and is teaching his son to conform, keep quiet, draw no attention to himself and above all, follow the rules - all things Bird dutifully does, while harbouring a natural desire to find out what happened to his mother, a noted poet of Asian origins. The America he lives in is dangerous for such people, and any perceived defiance is harshly punished, despite the president assuring the populace otherwise. When Bird finds a mysterious letter, he sets out on a dangerous journey by himself in an attempt to trace her, and finds that help comes from unexpected places and people, and that resistance can take many forms. A powerful novel indeed. Lindy
THE REESE WITHERSPOON OCTOBER BOOK CLUB PICK
Celeste Ng is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You and Little Fires Everywhere. She is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation, and her work has been published in over thirty languages.
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Set just a little into the future, this searing novel explores what happens when a society is ruled by hatred and fear and condemns others for not being white… Three years prior to the opening of the story, Bird's mother disappeared. His father, once a respected academic, shelves books in Harvard library, and is teaching his son to conform, keep quiet, draw no attention to himself and above all, follow the rules - all things Bird dutifully does, while harbouring a natural desire to find out what happened to his mother, a noted poet of Asian origins. The America he lives in is dangerous for such people, and any perceived defiance is harshly punished, despite the president assuring the populace otherwise. When Bird finds a mysterious letter, he sets out on a dangerous journey by himself in an attempt to trace her, and finds that help comes from unexpected places and people, and that resistance can take many forms. A powerful novel indeed. Lindy
A stunning story of injustice and resistance...Lyrical, intricate, unsparing: this novel will break your heart and fire up your courage * Mail on Sunday * A lyrical and touching testimony to maternal love, it's also a salutary reminder of how easily freedoms can be lost and of the power of words to change lives * Daily Mail * One of the biggest books of the year...deeply moving * Stylist * Beautifully stirring and heart-wrenching, this powerful novel from the author of Little Fires Everywhere is a homage to love and will tug at your heartstrings * Heat, Book of the Month * A beautiful, thoughtful book...Brilliant and moving * Hello magazine * Ng's compelling writing paints a picture of a world so real you can almost touch it. Despite the darkness of the story, the love of a family stands out. * Independent * [A] feat of meaty storytelling...Ng effortlessly combines a character-led family story with a detective tale, a tribute to books and storytelling and a confrontation with history...a story that is exceptionally powerful and scaldingly relevant * Observer * Remarkable and deeply moving... as moving as it is gripping. [Ng] is an astute writer...her writing feels gorgeously supple * The i * Thought-provoking, heart-wrenching...I was so invested in the future of this mother and son, and I can't wait to hear what you think of this deeply suspenseful story! * Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club October ’22 Pick) * On another level, Our Missing Hearts is a meditation on the sometimes accidental power of words... I won't give away the splendid conclusion of Ng's book; suffice it to say the climax deals with the power of words, the power of stories and the persistence of memory. It's impossible not to be moved by Margaret Miu's courage, or to applaud her craftiness * Stephen King, New York Times * Powerful and brilliant * Vogue * Thought-provoking... My heart broke and was remade several times over by this book * Good Housekeeping * Ng, whose previous novels subtly probed tensions surrounding race,class, and gender, boldly tackles anti-Asian racism head-on * Time magazine, 100 Must-Read Books of 2022 * Shot through with vivid color and rising hope, an unflinching yet life-affirming drama about the power of art and love to push back in dangerous times...Ng's brilliance lies in leaving the reader with an unshakable belief that against all odds, people will find the courage to resist, revolt, and defend . . . remarkable * Oprah Daily * [Ng] has really hit her authorial stride in her eagerly anticipated third novel, Our Missing Hearts... It's her masterful weaving huge themes of race, class, privilege and identity with the simplicity of everyday lives that has made her a deserved international phenomenon * Daily Mirror * Ng's third novel is eagerly awaited and does not disappoint...Our Missing Hearts deftly weaves together a coming-of-age story with a threatening vision of a heavily censored future * Daily Express * Little Fires Everywhere became a global phenomenon and now author Celeste Ng is back with another gripping tale * Irish Mail on Sunday * Tense, poignant and chilling * Grazia *
