High Hopes, Mixed Results: A Review of The Leftover Woman

I had high hopes for The Leftover Woman since I loved Jean Kwok’s Searching for Sylvie Lee, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

The story follows Jasmine Yang, who flees her controlling husband in rural China to New York City. She’s on a desperate mission to find her daughter, taken from her at birth. At the same time, we meet Rebecca Whitney, a high-powered publishing executive with an adopted Chinese daughter, Fiona.

Jasmine’s character had depth, and her struggles felt real. Her journey from a small village to NYC, working as a nanny by day and a cocktail waitress by night, was enthralling. However, some of her decisions were frustrating.

Rebecca’s side of the story was less engaging. While her challenges at work and at home added some suspense, the plot twists felt predictable and too convenient. The book’s themes of identity, motherhood, and belonging were poignant but not well executed.

The narrative alternates between Jasmine and Rebecca, which kept the story moving but also made it confusing. The timelines and plot points sometimes felt jumbled, detracting from the overall impact. While intense, the ending was too neatly tied up.

One thing that stood out was the audiobook performance, which was excellent. However, the writing in the eBook version didn’t quite match up. At least it was a quick read at 288 pages. 3 stars.

** I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions are my own.

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