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bkyng313's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Cancer, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug abuse and Abortion
toastyghosty13's review against another edition
4.0
The only mistake I made in opening this book was to choose to read it while visiting my parents during Thanksgiving break; it made me even more sentimental and concerned for their health and well being. While I do not condone some of the rhetoric between Michelle and her mother, Michelle loved her mother and this book made me be more aware of the love I constantly have for my parents no matter what.
Michelle's relationship with her mother was tumultuous while growing up.
Michelle eventually found out that her mother had
This book is a love letter to her mother, but also a critical analysis of her father.
Between all of this, Michelle does recount her experiences of trying to find a place of belonging, although not as majorly as the content on her parents. She discusses feeling like an outside in different communities because she is too far from the norm for any of them, "too korean or too white". It was heartbreaking to read about how she was very alone in a lot of this until her adult years where she forged meaningful relationships with bandmates and her significant other, Peter. It made me so so happy that Peter was as supportive as he was. He hung in there through all of Michelle taking care of her mother, and their life choices like school and jobs plunging them into long distance. I did long distance with my now fiance for years, it was incredibly difficult but worth it in the end. It seems to have worked out for Michelle and Peter as well, since they got married right before her mothers death so that she could attend the wedding.
The ending of this book had a nice turn around where Michelle talks about her success in later years. Her music has granted her some limelight, and she even starts touring internationally. This book comes to a close following her tour and how the last show is in Korea near some relatives. She is able to go there and it almost feels as if she has some closure, being able to live her dreams creating music and spending time with those she loves.
This book is beautifully written. It will make you ugly cry and put you in a horrible mood the entire time but it is completely worth it. It reminds you of how the relationships with the ones you love most, whether they are blood family or found, are the most important thing even through some of the hardships (obviously not all hardships).
Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Death, and Medical content
Moderate: Drug abuse, Car accident, Racism, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Infidelity
Minor: Abortion, Vomit, and Excrement
crabber's review against another edition
4.5
Zauner’s descriptions for her family and food are so vivid it really does make you feel at home with all the memories you’ve experienced. There’s so many things that tickled a part of my brain where I know something similar has happened in my life being an Asian immigrant in Canada.
Crying in H Mart is a perfect celebration of life and family and I loved so many bits of it even if some of it is as mundane as reminiscing the many times when someone cooks you a meal you will never forget and trying to make it years down the line. This book does a lot for me and if you’re a fan of biographical books and or Zauner in general, I’d highly recommend this book. It pairs well with Psychopomp and Soft Sounds from Another Planet.
Graphic: Cancer
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Car accident, and Drug use
rucha_s's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Abortion
scmiller's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body horror, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Vomit
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Bullying, Car accident, Drug use, Racism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, and Mental illness
Minor: Infidelity and Religious bigotry
thisbookrox's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
gracer's review against another edition
5.0
Unfortunately for me, I read it on a kindle library book, and now I can't seem to access my notes anywhere. (Not through goodreads and not through the Libby app, I've read all the FAQs and questions, I swear.) Oh well. This is probably going to be a re-read at some point anyway.
This book is exceptional: Zauner writes about the tragic loss of her much-too-young mother and manages to strike a perfect tone. It isn't whiny or complainy. It isn't cold and distanced. It isn't overly indulgent. She seamlessly combines everything: memories of childhood visits to South Korea, where her mother is from; growing up Asian-American in the small city of Eugene; the sort of angst and frustration and rebelliousness that is often born of youth early adulthood; and the grave, bleak diagnosis of mother and her mother's subsequent treatment and care.
Furthermore, she does not shy away from the awful things -- terrible words members of the family sometimes said to each other, reasons she rebelled -- and then she does an exceptional job of showing the love of the family despite these things. She reminds us that families can sometimes cause any of us the most unbelievable pain, even the "best" ones. As I read this book, I thought that in many ways this would be a good book for a new parent to read, as an example of what not to do but also as a reminder that no one is perfect, that parents have been making mistakes for as long as there have been parents and not all parents are horrible for it.
She dances so gracefully around the complicated topic of her father, with whom she has a complicated and even resentful relationship. She addresses her issues but is at the same time very respectful, and all the while the book is dedicated completely to her mother - none of the father complications take a way from that, it is still only through the lens of her mother and her mother's death.
There is also so much food writing in this. I suppose that is somewhat implied by the title, but discreetly so, I would say, and nicely done. Be warned, you'll get hungry. But food is just another mediary through which Zauner navigates not only her identity and her relationship with her mother; it's also a reflection of her emotional changes throughout her mother's illness. It ties everything together.
When I started reading this book, I hadn't made it far before I found a line about growing up without a diaspora that really resonated with me. I wish I could find my notes and highlights now! I knew I was in for something good, and it just continued to be that. Even though it's such a tough and serious topic, it never dragged me down. I found this book so easy to read, like I just glided through it, stopping only to highlight striking phrases. Just beautiful. It lives up to the hype. I'm in awe of what Zauner did here. Read it.
Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, and Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident and Drug abuse
abbycole's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Drug abuse, Abortion, Addiction, and Drug use
bashsbooks's review against another edition
4.5
Now I'm going to listen to Japanese Breakfast's Psychopomp.
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Grief, Cancer, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Racism
Minor: Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Infidelity, and Vomit
katschkekat's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Cancer, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Abortion, Medical content, Alcohol, Car accident, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Vomit, and Drug use