Ng’s third novel takes place somewhere in the near future. Our country is run by a group called PACT which, among other things, stresses allegiance to the United States while at the same time promoting anti-Asian feelings. Twelve year old Bird lives with his father in a Harvard dorm. His father used to be an etymologist, but due to the way the country is heading, he now shelves books at the school library. Bird’s mother left the family three years ago because her parents were from China, and she felt Bird and her husband were safer if she disappeared. Recently, Bird has discovered scraps of paper that he thinks if he is able to decipher their meaning, will help him find his mother.

At first glance, all of Celeste Ng’s novels seem very different, but all three have the theme of prejudice running throughout them. Like Little Fires Everywhere and Everything I Never Told You, Our Missing Hearts is very well written with characters readers will empathize with.