The first success of the book is Ng’s decision to land the reader into the dystopia, without giving context. Ng creates this new world order with restraint and ingenuity. In this novel, both mother and son are called upon to look within themselves and connect with their deepest reserves of strength. The notion of the accidental warrior is one of the many generous and compassionate aspects of Ng’s story - the idea that there is something brave in everyone - if only it can be reached. An intriguing and multifaceted character, Margaret writes poetry, which inadvertently becomes a touchstone for the resistance movement. Within Margaret’s section is an especially beautiful tribute to the Russian poet Anna Akhmatova whose work was censored and who serves as a source of inspiration to those who never expected to resist. The writing tightens with suspense as new questions arise about who he’ll encounter and what he’ll learn about his missing mother. Bird embarks on an epic adventure to hunt for Margaret. But this is a function of its oracular style - the broad, slightly abstracted tone of a truth-teller - depicting the workings of control and domination throughout a culture and a nation. Painted with broad strokes with its elevated, mythic quality - and it can seem a little message-driven at times.
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