Released at the beginning of October, Celeste Ng’s newest book Our Missing Hearts, is an extremely riveting and topical story. 

  In an alternate America, there is an act passed known as PACT (The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act). The government controls the information Americans see, and only allows for patriotic messages to be taught in schools. There was especially discrimination against Asian culture, which is unfortunate for main character Bird, because he is half Asian. 

  His mother, where he gets his Asian heritage from, left him and his father a few years ago, and Bird has been trying to mend the hole in his heart since. However, when he receives a cryptic message that may be from his Mom, he begins questioning his world and the institutions created. As Bird goes on a journey to uncover his Mom’s past and present missions, he learns more than he ever thought possible. 

  The parallels from the treatment of Asian Americans to the rising attacks in 2020  on the Asian community due to Covid-19 are astounding.

  I googled when PACT was enacted, because the patriotic views seemed completely realistic a few decades ago. Much to my relief, the act was made up by the author, but the views of many Americans in the novel are certainly present today.   

  A big part of the act is replacing children whose parents hold opposing views to the government, and that is still applicable to today. 

  Many indigenous children have been taken from their homes and either taken in by white American families, or sent to boarding schools in hopes of assimilating them to American culture. Despite the Indian Child Welfare Act being placed in 1978, which banned this practice, it has not fully stopped the removal of these children from their innocent families. 

  The book is medium paced, so it’s not one that you can fly through. It took me about a week to read, which is slower than normal. I’m not complaining though; the pacing of the story makes you reflect on every action, and immerses you more into the story. 

  Bird is such a sweet boy, and I wanted him to reconnect with his mother so badly. 

Our Missing Hearts is a very engaging story that is also very applicable to today. Ng is an extremely talented writer, and her two other novels are Little Fires Everywhere and Everything You Never Told Me. The latter is my favorite out of her three, and it may be my favorite read of this year. 

  Many of the books we read in English tend to be white washed, but this novel critiques many aspects of American culture and delivers a beautiful story.