Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I love author Celeste Ng's writing, but in this current political climate, I could not read this book because it felt slightly too real or could have happened.

Twelve-year old Bird/Noah travels from Cambridge to New York City to find answers to why his mother left him and his father three years ago and cut off all communication. We follow Bird on his journey as he gradually gets the answers he is seeking, along with discovering realities about the world he lives in.

This is a very unsettling dystopic book, all of which could very easily happen in our country today. The government is very controlling and it views Asian Americans as the cause of the economic downturn, the protests and the extensive violence happening nationwide. I absolutely love the fact that the public librarians are represented as the heroes -- passing along forbidden information, helping Bird find the books and information that he needs, and hiding banned books. The chapter on his first visit to his local library (at age 12!) is incredible.

A surprising thing about the book is that there are no quotation marks to indicate dialog. However, it is fairly easy to determine who is speaking.

I would highly recommend this incredible book, along with the other two books written by this author. Looking forward to more by this wonderful author!

Read more of my reviews at https://thegoodreader13.blogspot.com/.

A dystopian tale about a boy who is forced to publicly reject association with his mother for his own safety, but is determined to find her and hear her side of the story.

Celeste Ng has again written another story that is satisfying despite the lack of a happy ending.

Eine Dystopie, die es in sich hat. Celeste Ng hat einen großartigen Schreibstil und mir haben von ihr auch bereits "everything I never told you" und "kleine Feuer überall" sehr gut gefallen. Hier greift sie ein Thema auf, das seit dem Beginn der Corona Pandemie nicht nur in Amerika zu spüren war: Asiatische und asiatisch gelesene Menschen erfahren täglich Diskriminierung und Rassismus. In dieser Geschichte geht aber sogar der Staat noch einige Schritte weiter. Erschreckend schildert Ng hier eine Zukunft, die nicht unmöglich ist.

Celeste Ng's third novel is set in a close, dystopian future. After an economic crises, people blame China and Asia as the whole continent. The perfect basis for PACE. "Our missing heart" is told from the PoV of a young son, Bird Gardner, whose Chinese mother had to escape and live in the underground. He is missing her so badly. His mother is Margaret Mia, a poet whose poem "our missing heart" became famous because it was quoted by rebels. These rebel say that kids are taken from their parents whenever they critic the government (PACT). It was a dark, sad story. Still, sometimes the pacing was really slow. I loved how Bird developed from being naive to a young person who thinks for himself and is ready to build his own opinion. The end was open and a bit disappointing. On the other hand, it made me think a lot. Was it a good or bad ending? Why did Margaret act the way she did? Will the world ever change?

I recommend this book to readers who like to read dystopian novels.

It was ok. very sad about a child's existence without knowing his mother in a dystopian world. The writing is wonderful, but not the story for me.

100% agree with other readers that the execution of this is lacking. while the idea is a good one, its missing the necessary depth to make it effective.

Thank you NetGalley.

this was a bit of a let down for me, I've really enjoyed Ng's other books and thier messages but these conclusions and ideas are way off, I don't agree with the ultimate messages.

'Our Missing Hearts' by Celeste Ng is a thought-provoking exploration of a dystopian world of discrimination and societal rejection. Ng's skillful storytelling, across three parts, and poignant narrative shed light on themes of identity, racism, and resilience.

I had a really hard time with this one. I think it’s the way the story was told it just felt so slow. The wrist was good but it took forever to get there and I felt like there was no resolution at all. Depressing.

I have been anxiously awaiting Celeste Ng's latest and Our Missing Hearts did not disappoint. Unexpectedly discomfiting and dystopian, Our Missing Hearts is a reminder of how important our parents' influence can be on the core of who we are and how we move about the world.

This is hands down my favorite Celeste Ng book. The dystopia, the McCarthyism, the absolute tragedy of the removal of children from their families---- Ng writes, "Bird and Margaret’s world isn’t exactly our world, but it isn’t not ours either." And she's right.

We meet Bird, a 12-year-old boy living with only his father in a small Cambridge dorm. His father works as a book shelver in a library, and we very quickly notice that all mention of his mother is not only absent but vehemently shot down when any whisper of her is uttered.

Ng takes us on a true ride. She reimagines the McCarthy era but specifically against those of Asian origin. With tragedies inspired by true events and legitimately terrifying eras, Ng weaves a tale of family, hope, and the question of inaction, action, and the consequences that follow either choice.

4.5 stars.

I have read Celeste Ng’s books in the past and looked forward to reading this one. The book is divided into three parts and in my opinion the first was best. The character, Bird, was well done and I truly cared about him and his circumstances. I did not want to put the book down. The second part, mostly about Bird’s mother was a let-down. As other readers have stated it is more a compilation of facts to describe her life, with little emotional depth.
The book in general is a cautionary tale, which I appreciate. Because incidents in the book have happened in the past they could happen again and we should all be vigilant.
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest opinion by Penguin Random House and the author. I wish I could have given this book a higher rating.

This beautifully written, chilling novel recounts the story of 12 year old Bird Gardner who lives quietly with his father. After violence and economic stability their lives are governed by oppressive rules to preserve “American character.” Authorities are relocating children of dissidents, especially Asians, and banning books. His Chinese mother, a poet, abandoned the family when he was nine. Bird goes on a quest to find his mother, aided by an underground network of librarians. This work strikes a bit too close to home in describing the racial injustice, cruelty, and intolerance of others. It does illuminate the power of love and sacrifice.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

I don’t usually read dystopian stories but as this one had a librarian in it I figured I’d give it a try. I thought Birdie came across as younger than 12 and in the second part he seemed older. I thought it dragged at times and his mother seemed rather more concerned as to what was happening to others than her son. A lot of the topics in this fictional story come out of what is currently happening today. 3.5 stars

I was looking forward for enjoyable read by Miss Ng. Sadly, I do not like nor enjoy Our Missing Hearts.

Yes there is such powerful political message from the book, but not for me. I could not connect with the writing nor the plot.

Our Missing Hearts is the journey of a boy to find his mother. A dystopian tale, which I typically love, but this one left me wanting more. Parts were confusing for me and seemed irrelevant and the ending fell completely flat for me. I so wanted to love this story.

Thank You to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

I was thrilled to receive this free e-ARC. I have loved Celeste Ng every since she wrote Little Fires Everywhere. The book is well written and I loved the character Bird, his dad who works in a library, and his mom, Margaret. After Bird's mother abandons the family, Bird sets out to find her. What a quest! The setting, environment, or background could be current times and events. It definitely is one of those books that made me think long after it was finished. This is a book that could be reread and reread and you would find something new, a new bit of information or something else to think about.