Strenner writes a heartbreaking story of a mother who loses her child in the Philadelphia airport, but is unable to communicate with the authorities due to language difficulties. Ignoring her pleas for help, she is sedated and deported. The story is intertwined with a coming of age story of two young girls who befriend each other due to their “otherness” in an affluent suburb in the Philadelphia area. Sabrina and her single, Chinese immigrant mother, struggle to make ends meet, but Sabrina is getting a great education in the suburb even though she feels invisible to the world. On the other hand, Kit, an Asian child, is adopted by an affluent white family and enjoys a very comfortable life, but questions her identity at times throughout the novel.
Strenner creates a story that has twists and turns, but also discusses the concepts of money, race, and immigration. Sabrina often acquiesces to Kit because she doesn’t want to call attention to her situation in life. Strenner creates empathy from the reader for Sabrina as she is an observer in her own life. On the other hand, Kit is portrayed as an indulged child, but it becomes apparent that her insecurity about her parentage drives most of her behaviors. She doesn’t even know what country her parents are from; she has just been told they were Asian. The normal teenage growing pains are exacerbated by concepts of race that are often overlooked in the affluent world of the Chestnut Hill.
Additionally, Strenner goes all in when she creates the character of Eva, the lawyer who is running Sabrina’s internship. Eva helps Sabrina understand the injustice that is felt by many Asians in America, as well as illuminating the plight of the immigrant. Sabrina realizes that her mother’s mentally of “just work hard” to make her life better doesn’t address the realities of being an immigrant in America. The situations that Eva discusses with Sabrina are sadly not fictional.
Finally, Strenner presents a variety of mothers within the story. This juxtaposition allows the girls to questions their mothers’ love. None of the mothers are demonstrative in their love, but they do fiercely what to protect their daughters. The author uses the lengths that each mother is willing to go as a way to illuminate the love they feel for their daughters. Each girl is embarrassed of her mother at one point in the story and ironically wishes for a different mother. Strenner uses these moments to test the bonds of motherhood, which makes Mimi’s search for her daughter all the more heart-breaking.
As a mother, this book will tear your heart in two and leave it on the floor. I can’t fathom being Mimi and losing the only thing that matters in this world. The fact that she perseveres through her loss is a testament to hope. If you pick this book up, be ready for the torrent of emotions that will overwhelm you. This is a great book, but make sure that you are in the right headspace for the tale of love and loss.
bound and noted 
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