In a future dystopia, laws allowing book removal and family separation are enforced to preserve "American culture" and root out dissidents, particularly those of Asian origin. Living under this oppressive regime for a decade, 12-year-old Bird Gardner and his linguist-turn-librarian father keep their heads down to not draw any attention. Since Bird's mother, a Chinese-American poet whose work inspired the resistance movement, fled three years ago, the Gardners have severed their ties with her. But when Bird receives a mysterious letter only with a drawing, he vows to find his missing mother and must now reexamine his complicity in the oppression.

Our Missing Hearts is a masterful investigation of xenophobia, injustice, and "patriotism" that parallels many real-life events in American politics. Ng's portrayal of removing books that don't reflect American values, separating children from "un-American" parents, and anti-Asian sentiments during a financial crisis, are all incidents that hit extremely close to home, especially during the past two years. I am immediately mesmerised by her brilliant world-building and find myself unable to put down the book. I actually had trouble falling asleep the first night I read this book because of how eerily similar the events in the book are to recent incidents in real life.

The first half of Our Missing Hearts is fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat as Bird navigates the surveillance state to find banned books to decode the mysterious letter. While the middle moves slower, the plot quickly picks up steam as the readers head toward the end. At its core, Our Missing Hearts examines the unbreakable bond between a mother and a child, what a parent will do to free their kids from any burden, and how art can inspire resistance in the face of injustice. For those who enjoy The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan, Our Missing Hearts will be a fantastic companion read.