Our Missing Hearts is part of the subgenre of fiction called dystopian literature. This subgenre comprises speculative literature that tells stories of a dark future; it can also take on the subgenre norms of mystery and science fiction. Dystopian literature has long been a fixation of readers because it exposes the darker sides of humanity—to highlight the danger people are to their world, society, each other, and themselves. In Our Missing Hearts, a law called PACT (“Preserving American Culture and Traditions”) dictates what is and isn’t “American”—no matter the human cost.

Celeste Ng’s earlier novel, Little Fires Everywhere (2017), also exposes the ways in which humans mistreat each other—with a town divided on the extent to which racial mixing affects babies and their reputation. As a microcosm of larger society, the town is representative of the fragile veneer of courtesy (i.e., veiled racism). While not exactly a dystopian novel, Little Fires Everywhere explores how elements of chaos often lay dormant within the fabric of society. Likewise, Our Missing Hearts deals with both overt and subtle racism—often disguised as nationalism.

The Hunger Games (2008) by Suzanne Collins is a wildly popular book and trilogy that was adapted into an equally popular film franchise (starting in 2012).