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melloui's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
cinderellasbookshelf's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
5.0
I laughed, I cried - Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean completely stole my heart, broke it, and put it back together again.
I really took my time reading this book mostly because I was not ready for it to end and to leave these characters behind. You really become attached to them, especially Mika and her relationship with Penny, the now sixteen year old daughter she gave up for adoption years prior. Both characters are in search of something; the person they used to be, who they are now, and a part of themselves they are trying to recapture or understand that they needed to find by meeting each other.
I thought Emiko Jean did such a great job in handling the serious subject matters mentioned while also balancing it with the light and humor. There is so much packed in about parents and children, identity, trauma, grief, and how we heal and grow. Yet, everything is presented so seamlessly.
My only criticism is the ending. It may just be me as a reader, but I really wanted a little bit more in those last few pages, particularly an epilogue. I want to know what happened to these characters after everything they had been through. It’s hinted that they will be alright, but I also have to know. That last letter though really hit me. I felt that it encapsulated so many themes this book explored, while still giving a hopefulness that perfectly ended this whole journey we read. I guess that’s the thing about the ending that I wished there was more of - it’s the end of one story, but the beginning of another. Nonetheless though, everyone will be alright.
I recommend checking the content warnings before reading, but otherwise, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a subtle gem that will really tug at your heartstrings and leave you tethered to these characters even when it’s over.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Death of parent
cakt1991's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
I love that, sequel aside, Emiko Jean never writes the same type of book twice. And Mika in Real Life is also additionally different in that it’s her first book for adults. And even amid other deadlines, as alluded to in her acknowledgments, she delivers a compelling, heartwarming read that is guaranteed to pull at one’s heartstrings.
Mika is immediately relatable. She’s kind-of, just-barely getting by at thirty-five, which is very reassuring to read…there really is no age limit to being a mess. And while she has a strained relationship with her traditional Japanese parents, I appreciate that the narrative used it to color her perspective on life and the relationship with parent and child, without the relationship being a dominating force, as many dysfunctional relationship narratives within multicultural contexts can often be.
Instead, I love how it colors her choice to be (and not be) a mother. She gave up her child to more capable adoptive parents, but once Penny has come back into her life, she can’t help but want to appear as the best image of herself she can be, so Penny won’t be disappointed in her, even if it means telling some white lies. The plan does not go as she hoped (who expected it to?), but I love how the story focuses on her constant growth, while not putting her into a box by the end.
I really liked how the history between Mika and Penny’s adoptive family is delivered through the interstitial documents. While Penny doesn’t find out her mother’s identity until her teens, it’s sweet for Mika to receive correspondence from Caroline and, later, Thomas. It really gave depth to the relationship between Mika and the entire family, even before she met them.
I really liked a lot of the relationships in this book. Her best friend/roommate, Hana, is equally messy (and a hoarder!), but she’s incredibly endearing in her own right. I wasn’t sure what to think about Leif, who Mika is sort-of dating throughout the book, but he’s a decent mguy who helps Mika in a tough spot, even if he’s not “the One” for her.
And I love the development of Mika’s bonds with both Penny and Thomas. While she isn’t an image of perfection with it all together, Mika really does love Penny, and Penny comes to love her back. And a romance also develops between Mika and Thomas, and while it’s very much a subplot, it’s really sweet.
While the narrative hits some predictable story beats, it’s bighearted nature and the sensitive handling of topics like the impact of adoption on all parties involved, makes it an engaging read. If you enjoy contemporaries that are humorous, yet subtly hard-hitting, you might like this one.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
kim_momreadsbooksinbtwn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“Mika in Real Life” was Good Morning America’s Book Club pick for the month of August. The concept sounded really interesting, a middle-aged Japanese woman struggling to make a life for herself, I imagined Bridget Jones. Mika loses her job, lives with a roommate, and does not have the best relationship with her family. When out of the blue, her 16-year-old daughter whom she gave up for adoption calls her and tries to reconnect. Throughout the story, you discover what happened to Mika and why she had to put Penelope up for adoption. There are many awkward moments portraying the strained relationship between Mika and her mother. The storyline moved at a medium pace, but it seemed somewhat predictable. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narration was good, I appreciated hearing the conversation amongst Mika’s family in Japanese. It was a cute story and I did feel some sympathy for Mika; however, there were times when I wanted to scream at her to get her life together. This is my first book by Emiko Jean, and curious to try another one of her books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Cancer
livforreading's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death of parent
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