Celeste Ng's debut novel, Everything I Never Told You, is everything I ever wanted in a debut novel: a mysterious, gripping story, well-developed characters, and beautiful writing. Set in 1970s small-town Ohio, a time and place where female doctors, Asian Americans, and interracial marriages were almost nonexistent. The novel revolves around young Lydia, the indisputably favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee who is predestined to have a bright future and to fulfill the dreams her parents were unable to pursue: becoming a doctor (her mother's dream) and being popular and socially accepted (her Chinese American father's dream). When Lydia's body turns up in the lake near her family's home, the devastation and speculation causes the family's foundation to crumble, dredging up forgotten memories and secrets and questioning the strength of their relationships. Everything I Never Told You is a heart wrenching and moving exploration of loss and mourning, mistakes and forgiveness, and the cultures that divide us. It is a novel that will put into perspective the dreams we have for our own children versus their desires, and the pressures we place on them to be fulfilled.