A review by kaitisbooknook
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.25

A visceral portrayal of grief and the complicated (and relatable) relationship between a daughter and mother, Crying in H Mart will have you weeping with the author as she reckons with the brutal and, eventually, fatal illness of her mom. No matter how old we get, we are all children in the arms of our mothers, and Zauner writes about this dynamic with startling poignancy. In the wake of her mother’s passing, the author takes on her journey of connecting to her Korean heritage and her mother’s memory through food.
 At times I did feel lost in the narrative as it seemed the writer could draw connections between various anecdotes that were not immediately clear to me, but anyone who has experienced grief will understand the sensation of the slightest trigger, perhaps a smell or the opening of a song, that will sweep you away into memory.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Death of parent