A review by kim_momreadsbooksinbtwn
Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

“Mika in Real Life” was Good Morning America’s Book Club pick for the month of August. The concept sounded really interesting, a middle-aged Japanese woman struggling to make a life for herself, I imagined Bridget Jones. Mika loses her job, lives with a roommate, and does not have the best relationship with her family. When out of the blue, her 16-year-old daughter whom she gave up for adoption calls her and tries to reconnect. Throughout the story, you discover what happened to Mika and why she had to put Penelope up for adoption. There are many awkward moments portraying the strained relationship between Mika and her mother. The storyline moved at a medium pace, but it seemed somewhat predictable. I listened to the audio version of this book and the narration was good, I appreciated hearing the conversation amongst Mika’s family in Japanese. It was a cute story and I did feel some sympathy for Mika; however, there were times when I wanted to scream at her to get her life together. This is my first book by Emiko Jean, and curious to try another one of her books. 
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