This book came highly recommended by so many friends, but initially I wasn’t sure I could handle it. It’s really sad. There are content warnings for cancer, taking care of someone with cancer, a dying parent. On the first night I started it, I had a horrible dream where my mother died. But truly, the book is so worth reading. It’s beautifully written and will also make you very hungry. Michelle writes about growing up (as one of the few Asian American kids) in Oregon, and her mother’s high expectations. I loved all of the parts about visiting her grandmother and aunts in Korea (it made me want to plan a trip!). And of course there are the more painful parts. Seeing her take care of her mother, watching her mother fade away, watching the Michelle and her father drift apart and fight… it’s really just an incredibly sad and vulnerable book (but so beautiful and unforgettable that it’s very much worth the read). I loved it.
Author: Michelle Zauner
