The Glowing Life of Leeann Wu

Light fantastical elements form the scaffolding for this lovely multigenerational story of Taiwanese immigrant women from Hung (Wild Life, as Opal Wei). Perimenopausal midwife Leeann Wu notices a strange glow occasionally emanating from her hands at the same time a series of bizarre occurrences plague her small hometown. There are an unusually high number of accidents, an epidemic of sleeplessness, and lightning from nowhere. In the midst of this oddness, Leeann navigates her difficult relationship with her ob-gyn mother, anticipates empty nesting after her daughter heads to college, and has intense dreams of a mystical great-aunt she never met. She also starts a sweet romance with the brother of one of her birthing clients, and discovers her glow intensifies when they are intimate. The magical mystery adds ballast to this gentle interpersonal tale and leads to a satisfyingly dramatic conclusion. Middle-aged readers unused to seeing heroines at this stage of life will find Leeann’s mix of disorientation and self-discovery, caught between the needs of her mother and daughter, especially resonant. Exploring heritage, inherited trauma, and women’s power, this is a treat. (Nov.)