(3 / 5)
This book was the Goodreads 2017 Contemporary Fiction winner and my expectations were high. So much of it was masterfully done, the author did a fabulous job with creating a sense of place, an impossible problem, and a pointed conclusion. I admired the way Celeste Ng navigated the story and effortlessly pulled the reader along. It was both easy to put down and pick up; which is something I find rare, curious, and I appreciate. I can’t deny Celeste Ng’s talent and the moral questions raised left my book club with hours of discussion, but at then end of it all and particularly after letting it rest for a few weeks I can’t say I was all that crazy about this book.
This book follows the interactions of two families from Shaker Heights OH. One is a wealthy picture-perfect middle-class family with four high school aged children. The second is a single mother and her daughter who decide to settle in Shaker after being on the road for sixteen years. The two families are drawn to each other but with their increased intimacy secrets have a hard time staying secret and everyone is affected. Add to all this a sticky legal battle over the custody of a Chinese baby and you’ve got yourself a page turner.
I cannot stress enough how well executed this book was, really, it so carefully and deliberately done I have to give Celeste Ng all the applause. The only problem is at the end of the day I just couldn’t get on board with what it felt like she was trying to say. She poses a lot of tough questions and really makes the reader examine their feelings (a wonderful thing!) but the way the story unraveled was difficult. I think part of it may have been how (with a few major exceptions) I can more readily relate to the character I felt the author was trying to vilify which colored the experience for me. I was also confused by Ng’s message that a mother (more than anyone else) has a right to raise her biological child, but also a right to end that same life she creates. I’m not here to have a pro-life v. pro-choice discussion but the two messages were a big part of the story and they seemed inconsistent. Other complaints are that no one was very likable (perhaps this was intentionally done to illustrate human nature) and there were so many characters and storylines I didn’t feel I got a full grasp on any one person’s true character.
I obviously had some personal issues with this book but it did make for a fabulous book club discussion. It really makes you think and dig into the ethics of morally gray areas and what to do when there is no right answer. I wouldn’t turn anyone away from this book and I’m very glad to have read it.
Violence: Low Language: Medium Adult Content: Medium/High