The Leavers by Lisa Ko

The Leavers revolves around the story of a young boy, Deming Guo, whose mother, an undocumented Chinese immigrant, mysteriously disappears one day, leaving him alone in the Bronx. He is later adopted by a pair of well-meaning white professors who rename him Daniel Wilkinson to help him fit into his new life in upstate New York. The story explores his struggle with identity, the concept of home, and the harsh realities of immigration and cultural displacement.

The 9666th greatest book of all time


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Total Points: 58

Since this book was first published in 2017, there is a penalty of 68.8%. The age adjusted score is 18.1.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.