Title: Rabbit Moon
Author: Jennifer Haigh
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Literary Fiction, Family Drama, Psychological Thriller
Year of Publication: 2025
Date of Publication: April 1, 2025
Pages: 272–288 (varies by edition)
ISBN‑10: 0316577138
ISBN‑13: 978‑0316577137
Summary of Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh
Four years after their divorce, Claire and Aaron Litvak are dealing with a terrible situation: their daughter, Lindsey, is in a coma in a Shanghai hospital. She is the victim of a hit-and-run involving a white Mercedes.
The story opens with the tragic accident that leaves 22-year-old Lindsey critically injured. Her parents live in Newton, Massachusetts but they have a somewhat estranged relationship with Lindsey. The only family member Lindsey has been in touch with is her adopted sister Grace. But Grace is at a summer camp and her phone was taken away as part of a disciplinary action. When camp ends, she realizes Lindsey hasn’t texted her in eight days and that is something that is completely out of character for her.
One night, Claire receives a call from the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai, asking to speak with Aaron. Though she and Aaron were married for twenty years, they’ve now been divorced for three years. The consular official informs her of the accident. Both parents quickly travel to Shanghai.
“This is how it happens, your life appears to be about one thing. Then the phone rings and in a single moment, it is completely and irrevocably about something else.”— Claire Litvak reflecting on how life changes after receiving the call about Lindsey’s accident
Lindsey’s parents believed she was in Shanghai teaching English but in reality, she was working as an escort using a nickname. A few months before she got into this line of work, she was dating an American guy named Zack, but they broke up and Zack returned to the U.S. While they were together, Lindsey could manage financially with her teaching job, but on her own, she quickly fell behind. Unable to make ends meet, she turned to escorting wealthy men.
Lindsey also harbors deep resentment toward her mother. She blamed Claire for ending what she considered her “only love” and viewed her as pretentious. Lindsey never fully forgave Claire for adopting Grace—not out of any lack of love for her sister, but because she saw the adoption as another way Claire liked to present herself as a savior, never considering what taking Grace from her culture might mean. Interestingly, even though Grace and Lindsey’s are extremely close, Grace does not share Lindsey perspective on adoption.
This is a story about choices, relationships, the bond between sisters, searching for love, and regrets that can shape a person’s life.
Main Plot & Characters
- Lindsey Litvak: A 22‑year‑old American living in Shanghai after dropping out of college. She’s critically injured in a hit‑and‑run and lies in a coma.
- Claire Litvak: She is Lindsey’s mother and a former writer. She and Aaron reunite in Shanghai as they await news of their daughter.
- Aaron Litvak: Aaron is Lindsey’s father. He and his friend Peter, founded a company called NeoWonder, which they sold for a huge profit. He struggles with both the crisis surrounding Lindsey and the unresolved tensions from his divorce.
- Grace Litvak: She is Lindsey’s younger sister who was adopted from China. She is away at summer camp when the accident happens.
- Johnny (Jun) Du: He is Lindsey’s close friend and confidante in Shanghai. He knows a lot about her hidden life. He also presents a different version of himself to his parents.
- Zach Dorn: Zach and Lindsey were dating when she was in China. He’s American as well. They came to Shanghai for a weekend after spending about 10 months in Beijing. They were already on the verge of breaking up when Lindsey meets Mei at the bar.
- Mei: She is Lindsey’s madam in Shanghai. She oversaw the escort world in which Lindsey becomes involved. They first met at a tourist bar where Zack had brought Lindsey. She noticed Lindsey spoke very good mandarin and they exchanged business cards.
- Dean Farrell: He was a married family friend of Claire and Aaron. Lindsey used to babysit his daughter when she lived in Boston. He groomed Lindsey as a teenager and his actions profoundly affected the trajectory of her life.
- Wendy: She’s Lindsey’s therapist.
- Heather: She is another escort who works for Mei. She is Australian. When she met Lindsey at a lavish dinner, she gives her tips to trust her gut feeling and look out for her safety if she feels uncomfortable with any situation. Heather (not her real name) tells Lindsey about the rumors of another girl from New Zealand who got into some difficulty while escorting.
- Shen: He is Lindsey’s client who she develops feelings for.
- Peter Muir: He is Aaron Litvak’s business partner at NeoWonder. They became close when they were studying at Harvard. Aaron was once a promising rookie. He is married to Gabby Muir, a primary care physician.
- Sun: The property manager of Lindsey’s Shanghai apartment building.
- Troy Campbell: Claire’s college friend who writes for television.
Writing Style
Haigh tells the story using multiple timelines and different points of view. We get the perspective of Lindsey, Claire, Aaron, Grace, Johnny, Shen, and Sun. Some parts of the story are told in the present time while other parts provide a background as to what led to the conflicts that fractured Aaron and Claire’s marriage, and set the stage for Lindsey’s current predicament.
The author does an excellent job addressing the impact past trauma had on Lindsey’s life. Even years later, she remains drawn to married men, such as Shen, and continues to romanticize her experience of being groomed—recalling Dean’s gifts, the secret selfies, and the thrill of feeling chosen.
One thing you will notice is that all the characters in the book are flawed and in many ways it makes the story believable. For example, Lindsey blames her parents, especially Claire, for her life’s trajectory and see’s Claire as fake and pretentious. Ironically, Claire sees Aaron’s business partner, Peter as the pretentious one and blames Aaron for many things including his “know it all personality,” and failure to pay Lindsey’s student loans. Aaron on the other hand sees Claire as a bit of a pain and excludes her from decisions she should be involved in and the blame goes on and on.
Haigh’s descriptions of Shanghai and references to other cities gives the novel a strong sense of authenticity. From the details of Ivy League schools and their fixation on networking, to the familiar rhythm of New York City’s “stand clear of the doors,” the settings feel alive and specific. But even more substantial is the way Haigh captures the small truths of modern life. She mentions how Aaron, now divorced, misses having someone to call when he lands at an airport, or how Lindsey struggled to maintain friendships after dropping out of college and losing the shared connection of her program. All of these little details make the story very relatable.
Memorable Quotes
- “He had once told me that all happy couples loved to tell their origin stories and in the telling, revealed essential truths about themselves.”— Grace recalling what Peter once told her
- “If someone in the world was suffering, someone else was getting rich.”— Lindsey reflecting on capitalism
- “There was a world inside a world. Who knew that grown up lives could be so fragile.”
- “In the digital age, precious family photos are simply data. All of human life has been reduced to a binary code.”— Claire Litvak reflecting on the state of Lindsey’s room
Impact
Rabbit Moon raises questions about secrets, second chances, accountability, and the ties that bind people together even across continents.
Have you read Rabbit Moon? What did you think about the characters and that ending?
Authors
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