The LeaversThe Leavers
Score Modern
What it's about
Lisa Ko's novel is the story of how a boy comes into his own after everything he loves is taken away, and how a mother learns to live with the mistakes of her past.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Award finalist. It's a moving novel about immigration, family and identity.
You'll love it if you liked
All You Can Ever Know
Everything I Never Told You
The Kite RunnerGood to know
It alternates between a son's and a mother's perspectives.
By the numbers
- Readers46 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz5 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1056 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1957 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Leavers worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Award finalist. It ranks #1,957 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Leavers about?
Lisa Ko's novel is the story of how a boy comes into his own after everything he loves is taken away, and how a mother learns to live with the mistakes of her past.
How long does it take to read The Leavers?
About 9 hours (353 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Leavers?
If you liked it, try All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng or The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.