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hotmessmamareads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Mika in Real Life is a beautiful and tender emotional ride through motherhood, generational and cultural conflict, overcoming past traumas/fears, and coming into one’s own. I picked it up on a whim, and didn’t know a whole lot about it going into the tale apart from what was on the back cover–and oh, am I glad I did.
I loved every moment of it and didn’t expect that it would be so incredibly moving. There were striking sentences about parenthood peppered throughout that caused me to stop and reflect – and many, many moments of painful relatability when the story delves into exploring the disconnect between Mika and her mother. Ultimately, there was also a lot of love–familial, relationship-wise, friendship-wise, and loving oneself–infused in the tale, even when Mika experienced challenges.
I appreciated the way information and the resolution of issues was gradual, as it allowed me to really note the ways in which Mika grows. Along a path marred by her own mistakes, she learns to be brave, to stand on her own, to find her strength, her voice, her art, herself.
It was a joy to read, and the difficult topics were delicately navigated. There was so much authenticity woven into Mika’s character, culture, thoughts and emotions. It was easy for me to identify and empathize with her, which made the journey through her story far more emotional. I laughed. I cried. I related. I reflected.
There’s not really much more I can ask from any story than that.
For readers interested in content warnings, it may be helpful to note that the story does include the following: adoption, teenage pregnancy, sexual assault/rape, complicated relationship with rigid/stoic parents, death of a parent.
I loved every moment of it and didn’t expect that it would be so incredibly moving. There were striking sentences about parenthood peppered throughout that caused me to stop and reflect – and many, many moments of painful relatability when the story delves into exploring the disconnect between Mika and her mother. Ultimately, there was also a lot of love–familial, relationship-wise, friendship-wise, and loving oneself–infused in the tale, even when Mika experienced challenges.
I appreciated the way information and the resolution of issues was gradual, as it allowed me to really note the ways in which Mika grows. Along a path marred by her own mistakes, she learns to be brave, to stand on her own, to find her strength, her voice, her art, herself.
It was a joy to read, and the difficult topics were delicately navigated. There was so much authenticity woven into Mika’s character, culture, thoughts and emotions. It was easy for me to identify and empathize with her, which made the journey through her story far more emotional. I laughed. I cried. I related. I reflected.
There’s not really much more I can ask from any story than that.
For readers interested in content warnings, it may be helpful to note that the story does include the following: adoption, teenage pregnancy, sexual assault/rape, complicated relationship with rigid/stoic parents, death of a parent.
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Rape
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
khymihr's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Grief
Minor: Racism, Cancer, Death of parent, and Sexual content
faeriviera's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this in a single day, I couldn't put this heartwrenching but uplifting tale of someone clawing their way out of a hole down.
Graphic: Rape and Emotional abuse
Minor: Racism
kaitlinlovesbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Grief
The main character gives her daughter up for closed adoption when she is 18, and is reunited with her child when her daughter turns 16. This book very briefly touches on the complexity of transracial adoption and the associated trauma, but it is not the focus of the story. Also, the adoptive mother dies before the start of the novel, so there is both a warning for death of a parent and death of a spouse. The novel focuses more deeply on the estranged relationship between the main character and her mother, who is emotionally distant and controlling.
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