Invisible Orphans

by Jade Moon Le

A young kindergarten teacher from Hong Kong and an American expat meet serendipitously on China’s southernmost island of Hainan, a paradise where the boundless sea meets the wide sky. Soon after, young Vivi and Matthew marry and set off to live out their dreams on an organic farm in Indiana. Then, an unexpected tragedy leaves Vivi devastated.

Struggling to maintain the farm as well as the bonds she has formed with Matthew’s family, Vivi wrestles with Matthew’s sudden absence from her life in this emotional investigation via a series of remembered conversations, letters, inner monologues, and journal entries that span over twenty years.

Invisible Orphans delves into the universal feelings of love and loss, capitulation and perseverance, and as the dust settles, an appreciation for the strange mystery of being alive.

Genres: Fiction

232 pages, Hardcover

Published October 25, 2022

Reviews

[Birrell Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was up to 3 AM reading this book. Anyone who has dealt with the consequences of mental illness will recognize the sadness, guilt, anger and love that echo through it. It is the family and lovers who become the "invisible orphans."

And they will admire Ms Le for telling the story.

[Jennie Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately drawn into this story's flow as it transported me on the adventure of this great love's arc. This tale is beautifully written, moving and powerful. There is truth and much wisdom in these pages. While this work tackles some of the most challenging of life experiences, it does so with compassion and grace. I was left in awe of the resilience many of the characters display in the face of the most arduous of intergenerational trials. The organic timeline, which is akin to memory, was, for me, easy to follow. The descriptions of the main character/narrator's cooking made me want to prepare each dish as described. I didn't want the story to end and will likely read it again soon.

[Vikie Stoltz]

The story is about two wandering people looking for something different and fulfilling. The writingis good and the story engages the reader's interest early on. Initial interest will be enhanced if one is familiar with living and working in Hong Kong and mainland China in the early to mid 1980's. The couple meet in southern China, court, and get married. From there they begin developing the life together they want. After working for a short time in China the couple move to the U.S. All goes fairly well util the untimely, tragic death of the husband. The rest of the book explores the woman's (Vivi) reactions experiences, and feelings both before and after her husbands death.
The story also delves into many human factors involved in relationships both individually and with family. At a couple points there is some redundancy, or, perhaps dwellinga bit too long on a couple of subjects, but these are short lived and do not detract from the overall goal of the author. At the end of the book the wife, Vivi,bgins to undertstand the factors the led to her husband's death but perhaps not fully accepting them. You be the judge!

[Thomas Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the start of the book a little bewildering but as you continue on the picture starts to come clear as it focuses on Vivi and Matthew who meet while they are on a trip to Hainan China. The story takes place in the 80's and fate brings them together when the ex-boyfriend of Vivi goes off the deep end. Circumstances bring these two together and eventually they get married a move back to Indiana were Matthews family lives and he owns property that they intend to run an organic farm. As you will see an event takes place that changes this relationship and leaves Vivi looking back on the relationship wondering how she could have changed the outcome. This book right from the start deals with mental health situations and does discuss suicide so be aware if that is something that you choose to not read. In my opinion this story gets better as it moves along all though at times it can be emotional. Overall it is a good read about understanding the ability to let go and understand that we can only control so much.

[Dorothy Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful novel written with poetic language and insight into the variety of human effort to deal with the reality of being alive and the vagaries of memory. The author has deep knowledge and experience with her subjects. A reader is drawn in effortlessly by her characters and story to empathize, question one's own behavior, and ponder the universal feelings that the story reveals. The tale is cosmopolitan in location, suffused with love of gardening, improvisational cooking and recipes, and a bright, abiding curiosity illuminates the plot.

[Mimi Kuo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invisible Orphans is the complex voice of the narrator Vivi, a woman born/raised in Hong Kong and Macau who leaps into marriage with Matthew, a Midwesterner teaching English in China. Her inner thoughts, the voice of her doppelganger who speaks truth to grief, and her deepening relationships with Matthew's extended family reveal how she makes sense of terrible tragedy. This chorus of voices pulls the curtain back from mental illness and suicide. In the end, I felt haunted--and hopeful--by Vivi's journey.

[Artemis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't have time to review it at the time, but I will now. This was such a great book, that I read it in one sitting in a day. I really appreciate the way the author wrote the growth of Vivi and the challenges she dealt with. It basically at the end of the day, represents the past and the future, and letting go of places that you once cared about. It is a great book to read, and I would recommend it.

[Suzanne Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very heartfelt exploration of the consequences of losing a loved one to mental health issues. Having known several people who followed this path, I am hopeful that a book like this will shed more light on the need for a serious revision of the mental health care available to patients in need of intervention.

[lisa rose lasson shedd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book packs a powerful punch, while using simple language and style. She is a beautiful writer and this books reads like an autobiography, though it is a novel. In my opinion, a bit of editing to reduce repetitiveness would have been effective. I would read more by her, and I do recommend this book. It does take on depression and suicide.

[Alison RD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about how we live through our pain and the sometimes difficult business of living. The characters feel very real and the details will make you feel like you're getting a glimpse into someone else's memory.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a chance to read an ARC of this book. Once I started, I couldn't stop and read it in one sitting over the course of a long evening. I'm so grateful for the courage of this protagonist to take on this too-often taboo subject with so much love and beauty. Wonderful!