Reviews

The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

vegdelite's review against another edition

emotional

3.5

maryvdb2024's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 *Beautifully written. How the unspoken past affects the present. This is both a heartbreaking story of a fraught mother-daughter relationship and a devastating look at the realities of being a Korean immigrant in America.

I couldn't put this book down

oatmooolissa's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-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

3.5

Made me sad and end the year long feud with my mom.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

thankstomylocallibrary's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

cassienow13's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

2.75

blferdig's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 ⭐️

mollywilbers's review against another edition

2.0

I think this is better read than listened to.

811emily's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

royalblue16's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

anjalisudarsan's review against another edition

4.0

A touching story, written from the perspectives of the daughter (Margot) in the present-day discovering her mother (Mina) and the search that follows, and Mina's life in poverty as an immigrant in the US. The hardships felt so real; things like how Mina couldn't speak English and struggled her whole life due to war and poverty made her leave her country behind and be at the mercy of more powerful people. I also liked how Margot's experience was written, the trauma that a second-generation immigrant experiences and the questions about her identity. I loved the metaphors and the style of writing in this book, especially how small moments made me stop and think twice.

Did stories keep us alive, or kill us with false expectations?