A review by spiralnode
Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
'The past is set, but the future is fluid.'
While on the surface 'Mika in Real Life' appears to be a fun chick-lit, I was positively surprised by the difficult topics it addressed: parenthood, mother-daughter relationships, sexual assault (rape to be more exact), immigration, racism, adoption or changing life paths. It has a satisfactory amount of focus on all of these themes, but I wished it was double the length so it would dive into it even more deeply.
Mika gave up her baby for adoption when she was 19. Not 35, she is contacted by her daughter Penny, who wishes to connect, despite the fact that it was a closed adoption. Disappointed in what she has become compared to her teenage dreams, Mika concocts a reality that she would be proud of for Penny, filled with career accomplishments, a cosmopolitan life, a loving partner, painting herself as an ambitious, hardworking woman. Naturally, it all blows up in her face.
And yes, there is a level of predictability to the book. Look at the genre, the colourful cover, did you really expect this to be a tragedy? But despite it all, the book manages to keep your attention, because the plot develops with a lot of heart, it goes straight for the emotional value without hesitation. While economical in writing, it opens the door to a range of nuances and interpretations of societal expectations.
In particular, I found the complexities of mother-daughter relationships very touching, looking at different models through Mika and her mother (the harsh mum with high expectations), Mika - the mother having to settle being content with the bare minimum of information, and Caroline - the adoptive mother with the knowledge that she will never be enough for her daughter. While I would have liked more of each of their personal experiences, there was a door for interpretation there, which I enjoyed pondering on and reflecting on my own relationship with my mum.
I also liked the hopeful tone of following your dreams, the dreamy comparison of chasing the flight like Icarus. While most of us make realistic life choices, I do wish that our world permitted more, encouraged more, that we could be above the cynicism of selling skills for money, but also finding intrinsic joy and a sense of accomplishment within the creativity itself.
Emiko Jeans balanced quite well the plot with these segments of thought. It's definitely more than the cover alludes to.
While on the surface 'Mika in Real Life' appears to be a fun chick-lit, I was positively surprised by the difficult topics it addressed: parenthood, mother-daughter relationships, sexual assault (rape to be more exact), immigration, racism, adoption or changing life paths. It has a satisfactory amount of focus on all of these themes, but I wished it was double the length so it would dive into it even more deeply.
Mika gave up her baby for adoption when she was 19. Not 35, she is contacted by her daughter Penny, who wishes to connect, despite the fact that it was a closed adoption. Disappointed in what she has become compared to her teenage dreams, Mika concocts a reality that she would be proud of for Penny, filled with career accomplishments, a cosmopolitan life, a loving partner, painting herself as an ambitious, hardworking woman. Naturally, it all blows up in her face.
And yes, there is a level of predictability to the book. Look at the genre, the colourful cover, did you really expect this to be a tragedy? But despite it all, the book manages to keep your attention, because the plot develops with a lot of heart, it goes straight for the emotional value without hesitation. While economical in writing, it opens the door to a range of nuances and interpretations of societal expectations.
In particular, I found the complexities of mother-daughter relationships very touching, looking at different models through Mika and her mother (the harsh mum with high expectations), Mika - the mother having to settle being content with the bare minimum of information, and Caroline - the adoptive mother with the knowledge that she will never be enough for her daughter. While I would have liked more of each of their personal experiences, there was a door for interpretation there, which I enjoyed pondering on and reflecting on my own relationship with my mum.
I also liked the hopeful tone of following your dreams, the dreamy comparison of chasing the flight like Icarus. While most of us make realistic life choices, I do wish that our world permitted more, encouraged more, that we could be above the cynicism of selling skills for money, but also finding intrinsic joy and a sense of accomplishment within the creativity itself.
Emiko Jeans balanced quite well the plot with these segments of thought. It's definitely more than the cover alludes to.