The Leftover Woman
William Morrow
October 10, 2023
Hardcover
288
Purchased
Jasmine Yang arrives in New York City from her rural Chinese village without money or family support, fleeing a controlling husband, on a desperate search for the daughter who was taken from her at birth--another female casualty of China's controversial One Child Policy. But with her husband on her trail, the clock is ticking, and she's forced to make increasingly desperate decisions if she ever hopes to be reunited with her daughter.
Meanwhile, publishing executive Rebecca Whitney seems to have it all: a prestigious family name and the wealth that comes with it, a high-powered career, a beautiful home, a handsome husband, and an adopted Chinese daughter she adores. She's even hired a Chinese nanny to help her balance the demands of being a working wife and mother. But when an industry scandal threatens to jeopardize not only Rebecca's job but her marriage, this perfect world begins to crumble and her role in her own family is called into question.
The Leftover Woman finds these two unforgettable women on a shocking collision course. Twisting and suspenseful and surprisingly poignant, it's a profound exploration of identity and belonging, motherhood and family. It is a story of two women in a divided city--separated by severe economic and cultural differences yet bound by a deep emotional connection to a child.
My review:
I've read from this author before, and she always does an excellent job of creating characters that jump off the page. This novel is no different. Told from the perspectives of two women who are far apart in so many ways, yet have a common bond. It's hard to write too much in this review without spoilers, but know that there are several twists that make this a very engaging and propulsive read. Speaking as a mother of two adopted daughters from China, who were part of the one child policy, I found this part of the book so real in that I actually lived it! That same theme also made me nervous throughout the story that I was not going to like where it ultimately ends up, but I was pretty satisfied with the ending. I will say that the way the women intersect was a bit of a stretch, but because I liked the rest of the book so much, I gave this a pass. I also found it interesting that Rebecca is an editor who is trying to win a contract for a book that in many ways parallels the life of Jasmine.
Lovely writing, wonderful characters, and a story that includes the issues of class, race, immigration, economic disparity, language barriers, and human trafficking. But it is far and away a story of motherhood and the lengths a woman will go to care for her child. Definitely worth the read.
