Our Missing Hearts by Celeste NgMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'm so thankful to my #backlistbooks challenge, because it introduced me to this lovely book. HEARTS is insanely good. It's a beautifully written dystopian tale that seems like its story could happen tomorrow. The plot focuses on patriotism, racism, and a scared nation. The country is divided by hatred and turning against each other, especially Asians, whom they are blaming for America's economic downfall. When citizens start to fight back, the Government's response is to take books from the shelves and children from their families. It really doesn't sound so far-fetched, does it?
Through the eyes of twelve-year-old Bird, we learn about the power of PACT, a series of laws to root out anti-American elements after a time of deep instability. When a group of dissidents uses the words of Bird's mother, a poet, to fight back, she has to go on the run, and Bird and his father must disavow all knowledge of her. But when Bird receives a coded message from his mother, he begins to question PACT and everything's he's been told. As he searches for his mom, Ng weaves a gorgeous story about the love of a mother, the power of stories and folktales, and the lengths we go to fight for what we believe in.
This is a lovely yet terrifying story, as we see Bird finding his way through the prism of his parents, and we see how much his parents want to protect their child--but at what cost? The greater backdrop of society looms large, and it's impossible not to compare our present society to Ng's. This is a thoughtful story, a touching story, and a scary one. I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.
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