LoveReading Says
Suspenseful and heart-wrenching as it tells the stories of two women connected by the same child, Jean Kwok’s The Leftover Woman explores motherhood, transracial adoption, immigration, class divides and cultural difference in page-turning style. From rural China to New York City, a breadth of experience is explored through compellingly-crafted characters and a slick, twisting plot.
Five years have passed since Jasmine’s controlling husband told her their child had died. In the present, having discovered he’d actually sent their daughter to America as a result of China's one-child policy, Jasmine has fled her rural Chinese village to try to find her daughter in NYC. Undocumented, and in big debt to the “snakeheads” who arranged her passage, she’s forced to work in a grim underground strip club.
Then there’s Rebecca, an esteemed New York book editor who seems to have it all — money, a smart, handsome husband, and a loveable, loving adopted daughter. Having weathered a recent career storm, a deal-of-a-lifetime is on her horizon.
As connections between the women are skilfully revealed, with both forced to face unexpected personal and professional crises, the story reaches a pulse-quickening climax that’ll leave fans of emotional, retributive thrillers thoroughly sated.
Joanne Owen
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The Leftover Woman Synopsis
'I will find my daughter. No matter the cost...'
Jasmine Yang thought her daughter was dead at birth. But five years after she was taken from her arms, she learns that her controlling husband sent the baby to America to be adopted, a casualty of China's one-child-policy. Fleeing her rural Chinese village, Jasmine arrives in New York City with nothing except a desperate need to find her daughter. But with her husband on her trail, the clock is ticking, and she's forced to make increasingly risky decisions if she ever hopes to be reunited with her child.
Meanwhile, Rebecca Whitney seems to have it all: a high-powered career, a beautiful home, a handsome husband and an adopted Chinese daughter she adores. But when an industry scandal threatens to jeopardise not only Rebecca's job but her marriage, this perfect world begins to crumble.
Two women in a divided city, separated by wealth and culture, yet bound together by their love for the same child. And when they finally meet, their lives will never be the same again...
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781805220107 |
| Publication date: |
2nd November 2023 |
| Author: |
Jean Kwok |
| Publisher: |
Viper an imprint of Profile Books Ltd |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
288 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Thriller and Suspense
|
| Other Genres: |
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Jean Kwok Press Reviews
A heart-wrenching examination of transracial adoption and its influence in the lives of a Chinese American child and the two mothers who love her... a suspenseful read, but also an introspective journey into the bonds of family, country, class, and race - Elle
A haunting, emotionally powerful story about motherhood, family, oppression, immigration, and power. Kwok is an impressive talent whose books resonate with deeply felt emotion and expertly crafted plotting -- Karin Slaughter, author of THE SILENT WIFE
At once a hugely atmospheric and suspenseful mystery and a compelling exploration of motherhood and belonging that packs a profound emotional punch. I couldn't stop thinking about this book long after I'd read the final page -- Lucy Foley, author of THE HUNTING PARTY
Jean Kwok delivers again with The Leftover Woman - a magnetic meditation on secret histories, motherhood, love and how we show up for each other in the most surprising of ways. A beautiful, propulsive story -- Laura Dave, author of THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME
A heart-tugging exploration of love, belonging and the meaning of family -- Ruth Ware, author of IN A DARK, DARK WOOD
A thriller with danger and heartbreak at its centre -- Tina Baker, author of CALL ME MUMMY
Kwok has done it again. Her newest novel will make your heart race... As gorgeous as it is thrilling, The Leftover Woman tells a story of identity, ambition, and love that makes us look again at who we are and who we're forced to be -- Julia Phillips, author of DISAPPEARING EARTH
An utterly riveting novel about two very different mothers, The Leftover Woman is not only an absolutely propulsive thriller but also a profound exploration of poverty and privilege, oppression and escape, desire and the self. This spellbinding narrative of immigration and hidden identity proves in so many ways that love has no boundaries -- Lan Samantha Chang, author of THE FAMILY CHAO
An unforgettable, beautifully written page-turner that's about so many things at once... Kwok uses an intricately layered plot to ensnare and mesmerise us with fierce, complex characters. I absolutely adored this novel, from its tantalising first pages to the poignant ending -- Angie Kim, author of MIRACLE CREEK
The Leftover Woman asks aching questions about family and love even as it hop-scotches across cultures and classes, bringing both tragedy and hope. A marvellous read -- Gish Jen, author of THE RESISTERS -
