A review by domkoo
Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin

emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Please Look After Mom, a South Korean novel where this family's mother goes missing. A very sad book about the family now looking at the mother as a person outside of her role as mother and wife, and their regrets over not appreciating their time with her. How she kept the family going single handedly, even during a time where food was sparse, and where she had to make a lot of sacrifices. 

I decided to read this right now because it's my mum's birthday tomorrow and it really nails my thoughts and feelings of grief. I wonder about my mum as a person, the parts of her I never got to know, my regrets (maybe I should've done this more, maybe I should've been less irritable). 

Overall, it's a lovely novel that tugs at your heart and makes you think of your parents as a person that has lived many lives as well as appreciating their complexities.