Meaning of Ji Lin's Mother's Miscarriages

Throughout the novel, Choo directs the reader's attention to the "between" spaces of the story: the space between man and beast in the case of Dr. MacFarlane, or the space between lovers and friends in the case of Ji Lin and Shin. The children that Ji Lin's mother almost bore but didn't symbolize failed choices, things that could have happened but did not; missed opportunities. This symbol comes at an ominous point in the book, before any real resolution has taken place: it shows Ji Lin and readers what might happen if right choices are not made.