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lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Cancer, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Abortion
Minor: Drug abuse and Physical abuse
kmae314's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Terminal illness and Grief
Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Alcoholism
themeanfrench's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Cancer, and Medical content
Minor: Addiction, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Car accident, and Alcohol
booksarebae's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Death, and Cancer
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Rape
crieraylas's review
4.5
Graphic: Medical content, Cancer, Grief, Death, Chronic illness, Racism, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Addiction, Car accident, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Body shaming, and Eating disorder
Minor: Infidelity, Violence, and Abortion
arbramirez's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Death, Cancer, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
mattyvreads's review against another edition
4.75
The story is heartbreaking and gorgeous. It is raw.
I enjoyed it immensely.
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Medical trauma, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Car accident, Drug abuse, Misogyny, and Rape
jeggert10's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Cancer
Minor: Drug abuse, Cursing, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Abortion
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