The Leavers

Deming Guo loves his mother dearly, but one day she goes to work and never comes back. Shuffled into foster care, he is eventually adopted by a white family who renames him Daniel Wilkinson. He tries to fit in, but doesn't really trust he's lovable. Set in New York and China, this character-driven novel explores topics of immigration, deportation, addiction, self-actualization, parenting and so much more with detailed descriptions. Emily Woo Zeller's emotional narration aptly evokes the spirit of the story.