I was kindly sent a review copy of Lisa Ko’s sensation novel, ‘The Leavers’ — and agreed to join a huge blog tour to promote the release of the book. I like joining-in with these things, as not only do I get to read excellent works of fiction, but I get to help out a fellow author, which is something I am always more than happy to do. If my little blog post can help spread the word about this terrific novel, and bring it to the attention of more readers, then that is no bad thing.
The book’s main character, Deming, has a dysfunctional beginning, which is only made more complicated when his mother Polly goes missing. With no parents, Deming is taken in by Kay and Peter–two professors–and lives with them in their upstate New York home. They give him a new name, Daniel Wilkinson, and Deming’s life begins to run a different course than perhaps it might have, had his mother Polly not disappeared, along with her boyfriend Leon.
Then, one day, Deming hears from Leon’s son, Michael. Following that, Deming heads for China, to get answers . . .
I don’t want to spoil the plot of this novel any further, but suffice to say it is a beautifully written novel concerned with the movement of people, of free-will, of wanting a life unconstrained by the expectation imposed on Chinese women by long-standing tradition, among many other things. I read a novel a few years ago, on a similar theme, called ‘The First Excellence,’ by Donna Carrick, and I encourage you to read both of these works.
Congratulations to Lisa Ko on this great, timely novel. I can’t wait to see what she conjures up next.
Tony Healey 