Unearthing, Kyo Maclear
Unearthing, Kyo Maclear
List: $25.99 | Sale: $18.20
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Unearthing
A Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets

Author: Kyo Maclear

Narrator: Kyo Maclear

Unabridged: 9 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/22/2023


Synopsis

A searing and unforgettable memoir about a family secret revealed by a DNA test, the lessons learned in its aftermath, and the indelible power of love.

“A moving account…[and] a reminder of the abundance of experience present in all families, and the power and healing that can come from honoring those many truths.” —The Washington Post

Three months after Kyo Maclear’s father dies in December 2018, she gets the results of a DNA test showing that she and the father who raised her are not biologically related. Suddenly Maclear becomes a detective in her own life, unravelling a family mystery piece by piece, and assembling the story of her biological father. Along the way, larger questions arise: what exactly is kinship? What does it mean to be a family? And how do we belong to larger ecosystems?

Unearthing is a captivating and propulsive story of inheritance that goes beyond heredity. Infused with moments of suspense, it is also a thoughtful reflection on race, lineage, and our cultural fixation on recreational genetics. Readers of Michelle Zauner’s bestseller Crying in H Mart will recognize Maclear’s unflinching insights on grief and loyalty, and keen perceptions into the relationship between mothers and daughters.

What gets planted, and what gets buried? What role does storytelling play in unearthing the past and making sense of a life? Can the humble act of tending a garden provide common ground for an inquisitive daughter and her complicated mother? “A lovely meditation on the hidden past and the blossoming future” (Kirkus Reviews) and a “generous, open-handed perspective” (NPR), Unearthing bursts with the very love it seeks to understand.

About Kyo Maclear

Kyo Maclear was born in London, England, and moved to Toronto at the age of four. Her most recent book, Birds Art Life, was published in seven territories and became a Canadian #1 bestseller. Unearthing was an instant bestseller in Canada as well. Kyo received a PhD from York University in the environmental humanities. Her short fiction, essays, and art criticism have been published in Orion MagazineAsia Art PacificLitHubBrickThe MillionsThe GuardianLion’s Roar, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), among other publications. She is also a children’s author, editor, and teacher.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mizuki

Sometimes a book feels like it was written purposefully and specifically for you, which feels odd to say about a memoir. This is a deeply personal and intimate story about Kyo Maclear's relationship with her parents after finding out, after his death, that her father isn't actually her biological fa......more

Goodreads review by urooba

the MOST beautiful book i’ve ever read. so so heartfelt and incredibly written. wonderfully poetic and makes you fall in love with the world again & again & again & again. if i were to start annotating this book, i would have to write double the book’s length just to describe all that it made me fee......more

Goodreads review by Kelly

What a beautiful book. I was so excited to read a book about the DNA test that gives you a surprise about where you come from. I’ve read several and this was so unique! The author combined her story of finding out about her birth father and half siblings with the relationship she has with her mom. T......more

Goodreads review by Harvee

Kyo was a difficult character to understand, almost as difficult as her mother, whom she had a unusual relationship with. She tried her best to communicate with her Japanese mother who did not know English well, even while Kyo herself did not know much Japanese. The communication gap was evident and......more

Goodreads review by Sara

I started out reading this book and found the writing to be exquisite and so beautiful. I'd stop and re-read a sentence and was so impressed. But it began to be a smorgasboard and I was getting full. I felt like this really could be two books and while I greatly enjoyed the first part of it, it bogs......more