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A review by ashwaar
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
I read this book in two distinct blocks. I ran out of time when I first loaned it and then had to wait several months until I could get hold of it again, at which point I finished it in one day. And I think the break was for the best, as I honestly wasn’t feeling as positive as I had hoped during my first block of reading. However, finishing the last third was a really great experience and I’m still trying to work out how and why my attitude shifted so much between these two periods.
In Crying in H-Mart, the author, Michelle Zauner, recounts her childhood growing up in a
Korean-American family, and the divisions that exist within that. From being a rebellious teen, to visiting
family in South Korea, to her mums tragic bout of cancer that is the focus of much of the book, one thing that always binds these two women together is their love of food. Much of the connection, memories, heritage and love shown for one other throughout the book is based in food as a language, focusing on the Korean dishes that Zauner’s mum would make, and that she would come to learn.
I experienced this book in two, distinct parts. The first two-thirds of the book I found a little disappointing. The writing was superbly crafted, and it was very moving at times but I found the story of
her rebellious teenage years a bit dull. The idea of struggling with your mother’s expectations was a little reductive and although Zauner herself said that she was a terrible child, I didn’t really see it. She just seemed like a normal kid with a social life, pursuing the things that seemd interesting to her.
However, when I revisted the book, it I found it to be very poignant and impactful. Zauner’s mother had
just died of cancer, and her and her father were dealing with their grief. I don’t know why this part was
so much better to me but the descriptions of grief, the commitment to Korean cooking, and the rise of
her music career that came out of writing songs about her mothers death were some of the most
affected and articulate parts for me.
Although I had my issues with some of the writing in parts, this was a really lovely and sometimes difficult book to read and even though it didn’t entirely live up to the hype, I would be very keen to read it again.
In Crying in H-Mart, the author, Michelle Zauner, recounts her childhood growing up in a
Korean-American family, and the divisions that exist within that. From being a rebellious teen, to visiting
family in South Korea, to her mums tragic bout of cancer that is the focus of much of the book, one thing that always binds these two women together is their love of food. Much of the connection, memories, heritage and love shown for one other throughout the book is based in food as a language, focusing on the Korean dishes that Zauner’s mum would make, and that she would come to learn.
I experienced this book in two, distinct parts. The first two-thirds of the book I found a little disappointing. The writing was superbly crafted, and it was very moving at times but I found the story of
her rebellious teenage years a bit dull. The idea of struggling with your mother’s expectations was a little reductive and although Zauner herself said that she was a terrible child, I didn’t really see it. She just seemed like a normal kid with a social life, pursuing the things that seemd interesting to her.
However, when I revisted the book, it I found it to be very poignant and impactful. Zauner’s mother had
just died of cancer, and her and her father were dealing with their grief. I don’t know why this part was
so much better to me but the descriptions of grief, the commitment to Korean cooking, and the rise of
her music career that came out of writing songs about her mothers death were some of the most
affected and articulate parts for me.
Although I had my issues with some of the writing in parts, this was a really lovely and sometimes difficult book to read and even though it didn’t entirely live up to the hype, I would be very keen to read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Abortion