Bird (Noah) Gardner - The 12-year-old protagonist whose Chinese American mother, Margaret Miu, went missing when he was 9 years old. He lives with his father Ethan in Cambridge, Massachusetts under the oppressive PACT laws that have taken away many freedoms.

Margaret Miu - Bird's mother, a Chinese American poet whose book of poems "Our Missing Hearts" became a symbol of resistance against PACT, leading to her being vilified and going into hiding.

Ethan Gardner - Bird's father, a former linguist who now works as a librarian. He has disavowed Margaret to protect Bird from the authorities.

Sadie - Bird's classmate and friend whose parents protested PACT, leading to her being taken from them and placed in foster care. She runs away to find her parents.

Domi - A wealthy friend of Margaret's who funds an underground network helping families separated by PACT.

Developed by Perplexity AI

Authoritarian Regimes and Loss of Freedom
The novel is set in a near-future dystopian United States where an authoritarian regime has taken power under the guise of preserving "American culture and traditions." Citizens have lost basic freedoms like freedom of speech and assembly, with books being banned and children forcibly removed from families deemed "un-American." This explores how easily democratic societies can slip into oppression when fueled by fear and scapegoating of minorities.

Racism and Discrimination Against Asian Americans
People of Asian origin (PAOs) face intense racism, discrimination, and suspicion in this dystopia, with China being blamed for the nation's economic woes. The protagonist Bird and his Chinese American mother Margaret are targeted for their ethnicity. The novel highlights the disturbing rise in anti-Asian racism and xenophobia seen during events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Power of Art and Storytelling as Resistance
Margaret is a poet whose work inadvertently becomes a symbol of resistance against the regime. Bird's quest to find her missing mother shows how art and storytelling can preserve humanity, memory, and dissent in the face of authoritarian censorship. The novel celebrates the subversive power of creative expression.

Motherhood and Family Bonds
At its core, the novel is about the unbreakable bond between Bird and his mother Margaret, separated by the regime's crackdown. It explores the lengths a mother will go to protect her child and the sacrifices made for family. Parental love persists even under the most oppressive circumstances.

In tackling these heavy topics through the lens of a young protagonist, Our Missing Hearts serves as a poignant and timely warning about the fragility of freedom and human rights.

Developed by Perplexity AI