Happy Thursday . . . aka, Happy Almost Friday!!
It's time for Books from the Backlog, hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books. It's a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks . . . or on your eReader.
This week's neglected book is . . .
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Publisher: Algonquin Books
From Goodreads: One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, an undocumented Chinese immigrant named Polly, goes to her job at the nail salon and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her.
With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left with no one to care for him. He is eventually adopted by two white college professors who move him from the Bronx to a small town upstate. They rename him Daniel Wilkinson in their efforts to make him over into their version of an “all-American boy.” But far away from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his new life with his mother’s disappearance and the memories of the family and community he left behind.
Set in New York and China, The Leavers is a vivid and moving examination of borders and belonging. It’s the story of how one boy comes into his own when everything he’s loved has been taken away--and how a mother learns to live with the mistakes of her past.
This powerful debut is the winner of the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Prize for fiction, awarded by Barbara Kingsolver for a novel that addresses issues of social justice.
Why I selected it: I am drawn to stories about identity and the relationship between mother and child. That's why this debut novel originally caught my eye--and landed on my bookshelf--and I hope to read it soon.
This Thursday Thoughts ~ Books from the Backlog post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution. Sharing this original post on Twitter, Google+ and/or other blogs with appropriate recognition is appreciated.
I vaguely remember this one, but I'm liking the blurb and the way the story sounds. Putting it on my list. Bet my library has a copy or two.
ReplyDeleteYes, the mother/child aspect would be an element to pull me in, too. Hopefully, it will grab you when you get the chance, Catherine.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a book I would read, I may have to read it to my list. I do hope you enjoy if you decide to read it.
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this book everywhere a little bit ago. The family relationships in this one sound very interesting. I hope you enjoy it, Catherine!
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar with this one! I like books with similar themes as well and will definitely have to look into this one further. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Catherine!
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