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A review by blau_elmo
Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is immensely sad in how real the story feels. The magnificent power of mothers, to push through plights and sacrifice everything in their lives to keep their families happy, getting meagre returns, giving up dreams, it all feels too real.
The multiple perspectives are very cleanly written as well, revealing bits of the story here and there in perfect chunks.
Sure, the pacing is slow, but that is by design to create this sombre, dark mood that looms over the entire book. Deeply haunting, tear-jerking and just so, so sad.
Personally, I feel a little more time could have been given to the part between Mother and Lee Eun-Gyu. Some missed potential there. Regardless, a deeply moving read.
The multiple perspectives are very cleanly written as well, revealing bits of the story here and there in perfect chunks.
Sure, the pacing is slow, but that is by design to create this sombre, dark mood that looms over the entire book. Deeply haunting, tear-jerking and just so, so sad.
Personally, I feel a little more time could have been given to the part between Mother and Lee Eun-Gyu. Some missed potential there. Regardless, a deeply moving read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Child death