Scan barcode
korpney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Death of parent, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder
Minor: Rape
ctrl_shift_dlt's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse, War, Racism, and Rape
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I feel like this was a solid read, but it could've been *epic.* It had all the elements there, but it never seemed to really take off. I thought the writing was great even though it was pretty simplistic and I enjoyed the dual timelines, though Margot as a character truly bored me to tears and I didn't feel like she had a personality. Still, it was hard for me to predict what would end up contributing to the fate of Mina Lee, and I liked that, even though all of the things that did happen to contribute to it fell flat for me in the end or were flat out anti-climactic.
Though I did like this author's writing, there was a ton of repetition that could've been edited down. The entire premise of this book hinges on the death of Margot's mother, but I felt like the author kept wanting to remind us of that fact. So many sentences started or ended with something like "since her mother's death." I feel like as a writer, you need to trust that the people who are reading your book are going to remember such a major plot point.
Something I thought was done right in this book was capturing grief, understanding that there are things we will never know about the people we love or perhaps never understand about them, but loving them anyway. Overall, a decent book, but there are things I would've liked to see done differently.
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Death of parent, Sexual content, Rape, Alcohol, Death, War, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Murder, and Gun violence
Moderate: Car accident, Infidelity, and Addiction
Minor: Homophobia, Police brutality, and Child abuse
lain_darko's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Racism, and Stalking
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and War
rachelwierick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
molhog93's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Child death
Minor: Rape
sydresnik's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Stalking and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Racism
in_love_with_bookish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Choosing if and when and how to share the truth might be the deepest, most painful necessity of growing out into the world and into yourself
I really don’t know how to begin with this book. It was definitely an emotionally challenging book to read filled with loss, grief, heartbreak, and despair. I felt the sadness in my soul. At times I was reading through my tears and at times I couldn’t breathe. This was devastation on paper and I don’t think I’ll ever recover from the havoc it created in me.
The Last Story of Mina Lee is about a bond between a daughter and a mother, Margot Lee and Mina. Through alternating between Mina’s past as a Korean War orphan and an undocumented immigrant and Margot’s present as a daughter coming to terms with the suspicious and sudden death of her mother, The author stars revealing the complexity of their dynamics, the difficulty of understanding each other and communicating their hurt and pain and leaning into each other in their darkest moments.
Maybe it was the tiniest of things, at times, on a consistent basis, that kept us alive, and if she could not create such kindnesses for herself, couldn’t she allow someone else to do so for her?
Margot and Mina had a difficult relationship in the past but as Margot starts to dig deep into her mother's past, she starts to know the woman she was by learning everything she went through from love, war, grief, and the loss of everything that was dear to her mother. And by learning about her mother, Margot starts to understand herself more coming to terms with who she was and who she is now.
The story is really hard-hitting and deeply emotional as it tackles sensitive issues like the loss of family, poverty, grief, and immigration. The author doesn’t shy away from revealing what lurks behind the face of her characters baring them naked to the reader with all the insecurities, scars, and vulnerabilities that live inside them. And in doing so, she creates a bond so deep it burns.
What was the point of learning a language that brought you into the fold of a world that didn’t want you? Did this world want her? No. It didn’t like the sound of her voice.
This book ruined me and I love it for it. Beautifully written and stunningly poignant, this book is criminally underrated. I wish everyone will give this story a chance because it’s so worth it.
Moderate: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Sexual assault
flickingmarried's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Sexual assault and Death of parent
These triggers are a part of the main immigrant story and are not graphic in description.