Scan barcode
A review by asreadbycatarina
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
2023 Reading #13 | Spring (& AAPI Heritage Month) Reads
(Did I finish this book, or did this book finish me?)
_______
Mini-review: did I just finish this book, or did this book just finish me? Reading Crying in H Mart was a whole experience: having been both in Michelle’s and, more recently, Chongmi’s shoes, this book had a whole lot of triggers for me. I was always on the verge of crying, but the flood works only really came at the very end. I had to take many breaks while reading to clear my head, and sometimes I even felt like I was dissociating, having some sort of out-of-body experience… yet I persevered. And I am so glad I did. Hands down, one of the best reads of this year!
_______
Looking for an extraordinary memoir delving into questions of identity, loss and nostalgia? Look no further, Michelle Zauner has got your back! Crying in H Mart was an absolute powerhouse, captivating me from the very beginning with Zauner’s seamless storytelling. Her ability to perfectly convey her emotions in a way you could (almost) feel them resonated with me on a deeper level.
Zauner starts her narrative by reflecting on her childhood and the constant struggle to find her place in the world. Navigating between Korean and American cultures, she grapples with a burning desire to belong and the societal pressures that come with it. The glimpses we get from her visits to Seoul lead one to realise how disconnected she feels — and it is truly amazing to see how it all starts to shift when she loses her mother and embarks on a soul-searching journey through her Korean heritage. Traditional Korean food is the catalyst, leading Michelle to immerse herself in H Mart (a Korean grocery store) and find a meaningful way to honour her mother.
Among its many memorable moments, Crying in H Mart’s most impactful parts were the ones concerning Zauner’s raw and brutal accounts of how it is to see a loved one battling cancer. Having dealt with this awful disease on both sides of the spectrum, I can only say this book meant a lot to me. I felt seen in more ways than one, both as a caretaker and patient. The pain, the apathy and the agony she described are very, very real. At times, it was so profoundly triggering that I had to take a step back and take a breather before I could keep going. Even if, in the end, I was lucky to have never personally experienced such a loss, I am grateful to have read this. It gave me the opportunity to confront my own conceptions of death and grief. Needless to say, it will always make me feel deeply and personally connected to Michelle.
This book serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of cherishing and appreciating our loved ones — especially our parents/parental figures — while they are still with us. It emphasises the urgency to express our love, gratitude and respect towards them. The void their absence will leave might be unbearable, but not having reminded them of how much you love(d) them can be overpowering. That is why this memoir goes beyond the boundaries of a typical mother-daughter story: it is a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of the fragility of life. It left me on the verge of tears SO MANY TIMES, devastated but wanting to read more, feeling the inevitability of what I was being told yet not wanting to believe it. In the last stretch of the book, the flood works came in full force — and, obviously, I had to call my mom afterwards.
Now, whether she knows it or not, Michelle Zauner and I are friends for life. I will read anything she puts out. Her wisdom, her humour, her writing — nothing is short of remarkable with her. Every new page made me feel a connection, making this book an emotional journey like no other. I am immensely grateful to Zauner for sharing her story with the world. It is truly a masterpiece, solidifying Zauner’s talent as a writer and a musician as a force to be reckoned with.
[Read between 3 May 2023 - 12 June 2023. | Review written on 24 June 2023. || I am also on Bookstagram and Goodreads as @asreadbycatarina!]
(Did I finish this book, or did this book finish me?)
_______
Mini-review: did I just finish this book, or did this book just finish me? Reading Crying in H Mart was a whole experience: having been both in Michelle’s and, more recently, Chongmi’s shoes, this book had a whole lot of triggers for me. I was always on the verge of crying, but the flood works only really came at the very end. I had to take many breaks while reading to clear my head, and sometimes I even felt like I was dissociating, having some sort of out-of-body experience… yet I persevered. And I am so glad I did. Hands down, one of the best reads of this year!
_______
Looking for an extraordinary memoir delving into questions of identity, loss and nostalgia? Look no further, Michelle Zauner has got your back! Crying in H Mart was an absolute powerhouse, captivating me from the very beginning with Zauner’s seamless storytelling. Her ability to perfectly convey her emotions in a way you could (almost) feel them resonated with me on a deeper level.
Zauner starts her narrative by reflecting on her childhood and the constant struggle to find her place in the world. Navigating between Korean and American cultures, she grapples with a burning desire to belong and the societal pressures that come with it. The glimpses we get from her visits to Seoul lead one to realise how disconnected she feels — and it is truly amazing to see how it all starts to shift when she loses her mother and embarks on a soul-searching journey through her Korean heritage. Traditional Korean food is the catalyst, leading Michelle to immerse herself in H Mart (a Korean grocery store) and find a meaningful way to honour her mother.
Among its many memorable moments, Crying in H Mart’s most impactful parts were the ones concerning Zauner’s raw and brutal accounts of how it is to see a loved one battling cancer. Having dealt with this awful disease on both sides of the spectrum, I can only say this book meant a lot to me. I felt seen in more ways than one, both as a caretaker and patient. The pain, the apathy and the agony she described are very, very real. At times, it was so profoundly triggering that I had to take a step back and take a breather before I could keep going. Even if, in the end, I was lucky to have never personally experienced such a loss, I am grateful to have read this. It gave me the opportunity to confront my own conceptions of death and grief. Needless to say, it will always make me feel deeply and personally connected to Michelle.
This book serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of cherishing and appreciating our loved ones — especially our parents/parental figures — while they are still with us. It emphasises the urgency to express our love, gratitude and respect towards them. The void their absence will leave might be unbearable, but not having reminded them of how much you love(d) them can be overpowering. That is why this memoir goes beyond the boundaries of a typical mother-daughter story: it is a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of the fragility of life. It left me on the verge of tears SO MANY TIMES, devastated but wanting to read more, feeling the inevitability of what I was being told yet not wanting to believe it. In the last stretch of the book, the flood works came in full force — and, obviously, I had to call my mom afterwards.
Now, whether she knows it or not, Michelle Zauner and I are friends for life. I will read anything she puts out. Her wisdom, her humour, her writing — nothing is short of remarkable with her. Every new page made me feel a connection, making this book an emotional journey like no other. I am immensely grateful to Zauner for sharing her story with the world. It is truly a masterpiece, solidifying Zauner’s talent as a writer and a musician as a force to be reckoned with.
[Read between 3 May 2023 - 12 June 2023. | Review written on 24 June 2023. || I am also on Bookstagram and Goodreads as @asreadbycatarina!]