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pageafter_paige's review against another edition
5.0
Michelle opens up to us about being a mixed child and her relationship with her Korean mother. Much of their relationship centers around food which is a big theme throughout and definitely made me hungry. But to them it’s more than hunger. It’s culture, and connection to each other and their roots.
One of the most powerful displays of Michelle and her moms connection can be seen through Michelle’s first two words as a baby (iykyk). Even Michelle’s relationship with her father is somewhat run through her mother.
My favorite quote can be found in the last chapter: “If there was a god, it seemed my mother must have had her foot on his neck, demanding good things come my way. That if we had to be ripped apart right at our turning point, just when things were really starting to get good, the least god could do was make a few of her daughter’s pipe dreams come true.”
Moderate: Chronic illness, Addiction, Death, Grief, Terminal illness, Cursing, Cancer, Classism, Drug abuse, Medical content, Racism, Vomit, and Death of parent
kibbles15's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
Minor: Abortion, Racism, and Cursing
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Alcohol, Cancer, Cursing, Grief, Terminal illness, Death, and Death of parent
gabriella_'s review against another edition
5.0
A lot of this book I personally resonated with. While I am not Korean, the mother-daughter bonding, themes of feeling disconnected from culture, grief, and transcending love of food hit very hard. Zauner finds a way to bring a personal story up and close to the reader. She has a way with words.
I can’t express how grateful I am to read this book. It feels like a warm hug. I hope anyone who has struggled with grief, especially those who mourn a mom or motherly figure, walk away from this book with even a shred of comfort. There is so much I want to say, so much thanks I want to pay the author for being as vulnerable as she was. And so much I want to thank her for, for expressing how painful her journey has been.
Some lines of this book really stuck with me, and I’ll end this review with one that made me audibly sob.
When one person collapses, the other instinctively shoulders their weight.
Graphic: Vomit, Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Blood, Mental illness, Grief, and Cancer
Moderate: Cursing
riverofpages's review
5.0
Moderate: Alcoholism and Terminal illness
Minor: Racism and Cursing
ejanephillips's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Car accident, Cursing, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Abortion, Alcohol, and Death of parent
kcelena's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Racial slurs, Car accident, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcohol, Cancer, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Grief, Infidelity, and Medical content
Moderate: Abortion
itsheyfay's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Abortion, Car accident, Rape, Cursing, and Suicidal thoughts
samanthabryan34's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing
nialiversuch's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Addiction, Abortion, Cursing, Car accident, Bullying, Xenophobia, and Vomit