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Our Missing Hearts depicts a dystopian world worth being concerned about: With a plot that’s driven by a mother's struggle to choose between protecting her family and doing what’s best for her son, best-selling author Celeste Ng’s new dystopian novel is a complex read. Set in a place where bigotry, paranoia, and suspicion reign supreme, and where government oversight is excessive in the name of safety — so much so that children are taken away from their families for security reasons — the first half of the book follows a son’s search for his mother, who abandoned his family years before. In a dramatic shift, the story of his mother is told in the second half, however, it serves as an important prelude to the novel’s main purpose.

Ng writes with exceptional skill, but a word of caution — the book does not mince words. The novel is thought-provoking, and while several passages may tear at your stomach, it sparks many discussions due to the realistic nature of its fictional world.