The Leftover Woman

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism, graphic violence, and sexual harassment.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Jasmine and Rebecca tell this story through alternating chapters, each offering a distinctly different perspective on the same events. How does this dual narrative structure compare to other books you’ve read with multiple narrators, such as Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper or The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver? Does Kwok’s approach feel balanced between the two women, or did you find yourself more invested in one narrator’s story?

2. What did you think of Kwok’s portrayal of the “Beautiful Country” as both dream destination and harsh reality? How effectively does the novel balance showing America’s opportunities alongside its deep-seated problems with racism and inequality?

3. Were you surprised by the revelation that Lucy was actually Fifi’s birth mother? Looking back, what clues did Kwok plant throughout the earlier chapters that might have hinted at this connection?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Jasmine faces constant pressure to assimilate, from changing her name to hiding aspects of her personality that might seem “too Chinese.” Have you ever felt pressure to downplay or hide parts of your identity to fit into a particular environment? How did you navigate those situations?

2. The jade hairpin represents generations of women in Jasmine’s family and becomes a symbol of cultural continuity. Do you have any family heirlooms or traditions that connect you to your ancestors? What do these objects or practices mean to you, and how do you decide whether to preserve or adapt them?

3. Jasmine’s work at Opium puts her in an environment where she feels objectified and unsafe, but economic necessity keeps her there. Have you ever found yourself in a work situation that compromised your values or made you uncomfortable? How did you handle the tension between financial need and personal principles?

4. Rebecca insists that Jasmine use “Lucy” instead of her given name Luli because it’s ostensibly easier for Americans to pronounce. How do you react when you encounter names from other cultures that are unfamiliar to you? What responsibility do you think we have to learn and use people’s actual names correctly?

5. Despite being separated at birth, Jasmine and Fifi share remarkable similarities in personality, talents, and interests. Think about your own family relationships. Which traits or characteristics do you recognize as running through your family line, and how much do you think is nature versus nurture?

6. Anthony still wears the red string bracelet Jasmine made him when they were children, symbolizing his enduring love despite years of separation and misunderstanding. Have you ever had a relationship that survived long periods of distance or conflict? What made reconciliation possible?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. China’s one-child policy directly shapes every major plot point in this novel, from Jasmine’s forced abandonment to Fifi’s adoption. How does Kwok’s fictional portrayal help you understand the human cost of this historical policy? What parallels do you see between state-controlled family planning and contemporary reproductive rights debates?

2. Rebecca initially believes that giving Fifi “America” should be enough, showing little interest in preserving her daughter’s Chinese heritage. How has thinking about cross-cultural adoption evolved since the 1990s and early 2000s, when many Chinese girls were adopted by American families? What responsibilities do adoptive parents have toward their children’s birth cultures?

3. From the grocery store accusation of theft to children demanding Fifi perform “kung fu fighting” (160), anti-Asian racism appears throughout the novel in both overt and subtle forms. How do these fictional incidents reflect real experiences of Asian Americans, particularly in light of recent increases in anti-Asian violence and discrimination?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the jade hairpin function as more than just a family heirloom in the story? What does Jasmine’s decision to keep rather than pawn it reveal about her character, and how does passing it to Fifi serve the novel’s themes about cultural preservation?

2. Rebecca undergoes significant character development from entitled, unconsciously racist employer to someone willing to take a bullet for Jasmine. What specific moments or realizations drive this transformation? Does her change feel earned and believable?

3. Throughout the novel, the phrase “Beautiful Country” shifts from representing hope and opportunity to revealing disappointment and continued struggle. How does Kwok use this motif to explore the gap between immigrant dreams and American realities? What does this add to the novel’s critique of the American Dream myth?

4. Kwok structures the novel so that major revelations unfold gradually, with the biggest surprise being Lucy’s true identity. How does this pacing affect your reading experience? Were there moments when the withholding of information felt manipulative rather than suspenseful?

5. Jasmine’s story shares thematic ground with other immigration narratives like The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, particularly in exploring mother-daughter relationships across cultural divides. How does Kwok’s focus on forced separation through adoption add a new dimension to familiar themes about cultural identity and belonging?

6. Gender oppression follows Jasmine from China to America, manifesting differently but persistently in each location. How does Kwok demonstrate that changing geography doesn’t automatically change gender dynamics? What role does economic vulnerability play in perpetuating women’s exploitation?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re designing a memory box that Jasmine could leave for Fifi, containing objects that tell the story of her Chinese heritage and their separation. What five items would you include, and what story would each one tell about Jasmine’s life and love for her daughter?

2. The novel ends with Jasmine and Anthony reunited, raising their new baby alongside the prospect of renewed relationship with Fifi. Fast-forward five years from that reunion. What do you imagine their family dynamic looks like now, and how has Fifi integrated her birth family into her adult life?

3. If you could insert yourself into this story as a minor character, at what point would you want to appear and what role would you play? Would you be a coworker at Rebecca’s publishing house, a fellow student in Anthony’s self-defense class, or perhaps a customer who witnesses Jasmine’s treatment at Opium? How might your presence change the trajectory of events?

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