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crieraylas's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity, Violence, and Abortion
dafni's review
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Mental illness
Minor: Addiction and Racism
daniofthewood's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Racism, and Abortion
smacey's review against another edition
4.75
Michelle Zauner does an incredible job telling the story of her complicated relationship with her mother and experience of losing a parent to cancer. She shows immense amounts of vulnerability, bravery, openness, honesty, empathy, and strength throughout this book. While I have not experienced a parent enduring a terminal illness, I have, as many other women have, played the role of the daughter in an equal parts beautiful, equal parts difficult mother-daughter relationship and found myself relating to many of the feelings Zauner described having as a result of navigating such a relationship. It was also so fun to read about the various Korean cuisines Zauner described cooking and eating and the way in which food was a central part of her life, culture, and familial relationships. Additionally, I think she does an incredible job giving insight into the experiences of a biracial woman in America and navigating the complexities of having two different cultures that sometimes feel so central to who she is and at other times so far removed from her. As a later generations European American, I cannot relate to this aspect of her story, but I appreciate her willingness to share with the world her cultures and unique lens as a Korean American.
One of the only negatives I have to say about this book is, although Michelle Zauner is arguably best known for being the lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast, I felt like she could've (and wished that she would've) spoken more on her life as a famous musician and how that relates to the rest of what was told in this memoir. I respect entirely that this was not a book about that aspect of her life, but I was left at times getting pieces of that and how the events she described impacted her musical career both before and during the height of it but wishing I had been let in more. This is obviously a personal memoir though, and I completely respect that she may not have wanted to make that much of a focus of the book at all and felt that she included what was only necessary to include from that part of her life.
Definitely a well-written book and worthwhile read, particularly for women who have navigated any type of "tough love" motherly relationship, experienced a parent with a terminal illness, or identify as being biracial.
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
delaneyfields's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Mental illness, and Death of parent
marccolgan91's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
aleyajo's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Car accident
bethsreading's review
(I do not give star ratings for memoirs)
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Excrement, and Abortion
youkirmv's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Mental illness and Terminal illness
Minor: Violence
cturn's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
Minor: Vomit