The Leavers

Deported. Lisa Ko’s debut novel titled, The Leavers, packs a wallop. Set in New York City and China, the novel tells the story of a mother, Polly, and her son, Deming, from both their perspectives. Polly became an undocumented immigrant who was deported to China, leaving Deming behind in New York where he is adopted and renamed Daniel. Ko presents the stories of Polly and Deming, their separation and reunion, with finely written prose and astute insight into the immigrant experience, especially the travail of the detention of undocumented workers. The emotional depth of the shared loss of years of separation for Polly and Deming is one of the strengths of this finely written novel. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Leavers from amazon.com.