Letitia 8.25
This was recommended by a friend and Letitia has been on a reading jag of immigration themed books including The Girl Who Smiled Beads. She thought The Leavers sounded intriguing. Liked the author's powers of description. Deming/Daniel took some getting used to what with his self destructive tendencies, but she eventually grew to like him when she saw where he was coming from. Kay and Peter made mistakes in raising Daniel but were well meaning. There was a theme of displacement and an inability to trust, understandable considering everyone he knew abandoned him at some point. It was heart breaking as he went through the motions of what he thought other people wanted from him, and as he juggled his different selves to fit situations. Didn't like Polly at all until the whole ICE story cleared up where she had been.
Pat 8.5 - 8
I liked the author's style and descriptions but it was the combination of a compelling story and different perspective that I appreciated most. One of those 'the sum is greater than its parts' type things. I was tempted to be upset with Deming/Daniel, but his mom abandons him and his 'aunt' tosses him out at age 11! That's a big hole to dig yourself out of and the author created a very real character/story out of this situation without resorting to melodrama. I was surprised to feel empathy for him despite his shortcomings. Kay and Peter were loving parents trying their best, but what a cloud to live under knowing your parents view you as something broken, and figure they must be right because well, your mom left you! Externally he was always fine. Internally there was a lot for him to deal with. I liked that we were kept in the dark as to what happened to Polly. Had I known from the beginning it would have softened the feeling of abandonment and would have turned the story into a 'will they won't they' be reunited saga, which it veered into while in China, but didn't come across as sappy to me. I wanted to be mad with Polly, but she was arrested and put in jail! I thought it was well constructed, believable and I enjoyed it.
K'Lynn 6.5
Adopt. There was a similar term in Chinese, yet Deming hadn't thought of his time with Peter and Kay to be anything but vaguely temporary, like the stay with Yi Gong had been vaguely temporary. Even the name Daniel Wilkinson seemed like an outfit he would put on for an unspecified period of time, until he returned to his real name and home planet. Where that real home was, however, was no longer certain.
Single Mom, 11-year old son doesn't come home from work one day. Living with Vivian who can no longer take care of him gives Deming up for adoption, separated from the only people that came close to being his family.
The story jumps ten years into the future (Which was a little confusing) and we witness Deming - now, Daniel Wilkinson - navigate his young adult life. Peter and Kay, his adoptive parents, are college professors and want him to follow in their footsteps. Daniel struggles with wanting to please them whilst also wanting to make and play his own music. From early on in the novel, we can see his affinity top music, how he correlates music to different feelings and colors. However, he doesn't trust himself enough to make a choice and constantly goes back and forth between the two. Who should he be? Who does he want to be? We see him wrestle with these questions throughout the book, the theme of identity and ever-present thread binding the novel together.
The book also tells us how Polly hadn't always been Polly. Growing up in Chana, she had once been Peilan Guo. Propelled by wanting much more for herself than what her father could prove her, and needing to hide her unexpected pregnancy, she migrated to US as an undocumented immigrant. Not being able to afford to put her child in care, she was forced to take him with her everyday to work for long hours to pay off thousands of dollars of debt that allowed her to make the journey to America. We learn about Polly's upbringing in rural China all the way up to the events of the day she was ripped apart from her son. It isn't difficult to predict what happened, however, the unravelling of it, the experience being told be her addressing her son directly in second person, made it that much more heart-wrenching to read.
Once I might have become this woman, free to move across the country because she heard a city was beautiful.
There is a quiet sadness that runs throughout the novel, and I appreciate the Ko kept the feeling of the story authentic and didn't put the characters through any unrealistic scenarios to gain the reader's pity; we see them navigate their suffering as it is, which made it real and hard-hitting. Both Polly and Daniel were extremely well-developed characters, and following their story since childhood helped with understanding the people they became later on in the story.
The novel does so much to educate on the immigrant experience, especially that of an illegal one in America. It is an eye-opening story that sheds light on the unfair treatment of illegal immigrants and how they are robbed of their rights if caught. Nowadays, they have become nothing more than statistics to most people. The Leavers turns those numbers into names, into real people with real lives and dreams that are no less important than anyone else's. It shows the courage it takes to leave a familiar place behind in search for something better. It shows the resilience it takes to build a new life somewhere else.
Aside from immigration being a prominent theme, it is a deeply moving story of love and family and belonging. We're shown how strong the love between a mother and her child is, and what being separated can do to them. That is something I believe everyone will be able to empathize with.
I can't imagine reading this book and not being affected by it. It is an important and timely debut that I think everyone needs to read.
Miles 7
Usually likes a sequential story. This had a haphazard timeline but the author did a fantastic job bringing it to an effortless head. There were a lot of missing pieces. Daniel was given a pass because he was the protagonist. He was a kind-hearted soul but a standard kid on the receiving end of a lot of love. Peter and Kay's characters came out on short end, portrayed as college do-gooders trying their best. They were a bit too vanilla and one dimensional. They deserved more. The self sabotage of Deming was portrayed well without being obtrusive. His faults can be found in anyone and can't necessarily be attributed to his disruptive upbringing. What you think you need as a kid isn't what you need as an adult. The entire story was told without lecturing. China is growing so fast. Society shifting so fast. Interesting read. Enjoyed it. Good pick.
Maggie 5
As a white, English-speaking immigrant herself, Maggie found adapting to America extremely difficult. She can't believe how much more difficult it must be for someone to not speak English and look different from everyone else. Then when he went to China he didn't fit there either. The gambling/drinking/music scene can't be blamed on his upbringing. Everyone goes through something like that. Wondered if it was a very good fit with Kay and Peter. His friend Angel, being adopted as a small child, adapted much better. Vivian did what was best for Daniel. Polly's story in ICE detention: this was the real story! This was the book. It would've been a much better story had her arrest and detention been worked in earlier. When Deming goes to China and finds Leon and mom it was far too pat. She had no sympathy for Deming or Polly finding them both to be selfish characters.
Becky 4
Didn't care for Daniel or Polly. Peter and Kay were not well developed enough to care about one way or another. Leon she liked. Found it interesting not only that Polly kept taking on more debt, but that she was able to do so. Didn't become invested in the story until the ICE raid and Polly's detention in Texas, which she found fascinating. The judge writes her off. The news helicopter showing the prisoners HELP spelled out in the compound rang a slight bell. Wondered why Leon and Vivian didn't search for her. Wrote off Daniel when he told the Chinese woman at the mall that he didn't speak Chinese. Wondered how Angel was able to loan Daniel ten grand. Once Polly was deported she didn't put much effort into finding Deming who always feel like he wasn't living up to the expectations of those around him. Good that it ended with him back in NYC amidst the music and noise.
Carolyn 6
Didn't really like the book but made her think. Was irritated and angry with everyone until Polly's story. Thought it was good writing to keep us in the dark about Polly in order to put us through the emotions of how we feel about her. Loved the title which described just about everyone. Daniel was detached from just about everyone he knew. Mom, Grandpa, Mom, Vivian, Leon, Michael, Kay, Roland. The characters had likable qualities but she found herself angry with most of them. Daniel didn't know what he wanted. Kept waiting for Polly's debt to have serious consequences, but it never really did. She felt as though the creditors were always out there, waiting. Glad Daniel found his mom while wandering about China looking at balconies. Liked they didn't move in together. Hockinson remains a fairly white community and many families adopt kids from other countries. She wonders how it feels for how these kids.
Sandy 4.5
Parents weren't a good fit with Daniel and she felt sorry for them. She would have felt more sorry for Deming if he weren't so whiny. Decided Leon was a bad guy, especially after he gambled away Polly's money. Didn't trust him even when they reunited in China. Didn't see Polly as a mother who loved her son above all else. Daniel held on to the band for so long. Where did he get all this money to fly? Thinks what with his gambling and all he would have been a screw up either way.
Artie 6
Very interesting pick. Hard to get into at the beginning.
Good writing and characters were well developed even the minor characters added to the story. Daniel/Deming was very believable. Polly a most interesting lady and a survivor.
There was a lot of Leaving in this story - not just the mom. Daniel for instance leaves (involuntarily) the US, leaves China, leaves emotionally his friend Angel, bails on the band and Roland, leaves his adoptive parents, leaves China again. Polly leaves home for factory leaving dad, comes home gets knocked up (sorry for the slang), leaves the father and dad again for America, at the end leaves her husband- what was that even about?
Many parts described how brutal it is to be an illegal immigrant, female, minority ( with limited language skills and a 4th grade education) living in New York City. To me the best parts of the book and writing gave the reader a view of that brutal life!!!
The book is fiction and that’s ok with me. The author tells a moving and in many ways an accurate story of immigrants and interracial adoption. My bones to pick are four:
1) The adoptive parents seemed too stereotyped. As a parent of an adopted child — how about having an honest discussion with your child? Taking his name away and changing it.... I’m sure it happens but then don’t try to cook Chinese food and send him to cultural summer camp. The author also had both Kay and Peter say some really horrible things. Author driving home her narrative but overplayed and disingenuous.
2) The characters too often seemed to see themselves as victims. Often they were but some of it is just life and some of it was a result of decisions they made. We all (at some point) have to play the cards that are in our hands.
3) Polly was great except she did not do enough to find her kid. In today’s world it is not that hard to find someone. Especially since she had some money, status and access to resources that would have made it possible.
4) Ardleysville- church folks tying to help, journalists, helicopters overhead - to be real this is a CNN lead story. As said, it is fiction, author driving home a valid point and I get it. Only thought Polly could have done more in 400 plus days. How about a letter back home at least?
Net: book made me think, mostly the narrative is much more true than false, ending with Deming and Michael in New York....priceless
Up and down for me. I give it a 6 for being a book that deserved to be written and read.
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