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emfield's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Car accident, and Abortion
smacey's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
4.75/5.00
Michelle Zauner does an incredible job telling the story of her complicated relationship with her mother and experience of losing a parent to cancer. She shows immense amounts of vulnerability, bravery, openness, honesty, empathy, and strength throughout this book. While I have not experienced a parent enduring a terminal illness, I have, as many other women have, played the role of the daughter in an equal parts beautiful, equal parts difficult mother-daughter relationship and found myself relating to many of the feelings Zauner described having as a result of navigating such a relationship. It was also so fun to read about the various Korean cuisines Zauner described cooking and eating and the way in which food was a central part of her life, culture, and familial relationships. Additionally, I think she does an incredible job giving insight into the experiences of a biracial woman in America and navigating the complexities of having two different cultures that sometimes feel so central to who she is and at other times so far removed from her. As a later generations European American, I cannot relate to this aspect of her story, but I appreciate her willingness to share with the world her cultures and unique lens as a Korean American.
One of the only negatives I have to say about this book is, although Michelle Zauner is arguably best known for being the lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast, I felt like she could've (and wished that she would've) spoken more on her life as a famous musician and how that relates to the rest of what was told in this memoir. I respect entirely that this was not a book about that aspect of her life, but I was left at times getting pieces of that and how the events she described impacted her musical career both before and during the height of it but wishing I had been let in more. This is obviously a personal memoir though, and I completely respect that she may not have wanted to make that much of a focus of the book at all and felt that she included what was only necessary to include from that part of her life.
Definitely a well-written book and worthwhile read, particularly for women who have navigated any type of "tough love" motherly relationship, experienced a parent with a terminal illness, or identify as being biracial.
Michelle Zauner does an incredible job telling the story of her complicated relationship with her mother and experience of losing a parent to cancer. She shows immense amounts of vulnerability, bravery, openness, honesty, empathy, and strength throughout this book. While I have not experienced a parent enduring a terminal illness, I have, as many other women have, played the role of the daughter in an equal parts beautiful, equal parts difficult mother-daughter relationship and found myself relating to many of the feelings Zauner described having as a result of navigating such a relationship. It was also so fun to read about the various Korean cuisines Zauner described cooking and eating and the way in which food was a central part of her life, culture, and familial relationships. Additionally, I think she does an incredible job giving insight into the experiences of a biracial woman in America and navigating the complexities of having two different cultures that sometimes feel so central to who she is and at other times so far removed from her. As a later generations European American, I cannot relate to this aspect of her story, but I appreciate her willingness to share with the world her cultures and unique lens as a Korean American.
One of the only negatives I have to say about this book is, although Michelle Zauner is arguably best known for being the lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast, I felt like she could've (and wished that she would've) spoken more on her life as a famous musician and how that relates to the rest of what was told in this memoir. I respect entirely that this was not a book about that aspect of her life, but I was left at times getting pieces of that and how the events she described impacted her musical career both before and during the height of it but wishing I had been let in more. This is obviously a personal memoir though, and I completely respect that she may not have wanted to make that much of a focus of the book at all and felt that she included what was only necessary to include from that part of her life.
Definitely a well-written book and worthwhile read, particularly for women who have navigated any type of "tough love" motherly relationship, experienced a parent with a terminal illness, or identify as being biracial.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
logsbooklog's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
it’s really good and has some powerful themes and i shed a few tears. the connecting line of food is beautiful although maybe a bit superfluous in the back half, and some of the moments it wants to be hard hitting are a bit too obviously narrativized. the book’s at its best when it lets the moments speak for themselves instead of trying too hard for setup and payoff
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
kaylaswhitmore's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I may just be biased, since I am also a Korean-American woman who grew up in Eugene, Oregon…but this memoir is certainly a gift to all who read it, and especially children of Asian immigrants. Words can’t quite describe the bizarre, surreal experience I had reading Michelle’s recollections. In between reeling emotionally from the similarities between her mother and my own, I would find myself blinking as familiar staples of my Eugene hometown popped up on every other page. Though my childhood and relationship to my mother is still quite different from Michelle’s, there were still so many things that struck me as familiar—like a funhouse mirror. Her use of emotion to paint such vivid pictures of the intangible truly drew me in and held me from the very first chapter. Someday, when the ache of her loss and the fear of losing my own mother fades, I will return to this book and reread it anew. For now, I’ll sit here in silence for a bit and cry lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Infidelity, Car accident, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
franksfiction's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
* This is my opinion; I encourage readers to read anything they want. *
I truly don’t know how to rate this book. It’s a weird feeling, anyway, writing a review on someone writing about their own life. I’ve heard many good things about “Crying in H Mart” that I wanted to read myself.
I enjoyed the writing style. I saw some reviewers say it wasn’t written well, but I thought the personalness and vulnerability Zauner’s writing has to offer were great. If you have lost your mother, this will be a challenging and potentially triggering book to read. The biggest issue I have with rating this book is Michelle’s mother. In my opinion, she’s awful and downright abusive. Any of my Korean friends I’ve made, though, their mothers have treated their children similarly (but not to the point that Michelle’s mother gets to).
I read some reviews saying that this book felt more like a therapy exercise for Zauner, a cathartic experience not meant for millions of people to read, and I agree. I also don’t know what to say about the course the book decides to take. I don’t know what it is, but it feels wrong to rate this book, and I hope Michelle Zauner is doing amazing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent
mcosmic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism
yeehawrobbins's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
mcnoble's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Deeply reflective and wholeheartedly authentic, Michelle Zauner’s writing whisks you away to her own memories with perfect descriptions. Crying in H Mart was on my “to read” list for a long time and it was worth saving. Her rawness and attention to detail make you want to cry, smile, and find the nearest banchan to enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident, and Abortion
boyshouts's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Thoughtful, engaging, and full of incredible food imagery!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
lena04's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent