Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Publisher: Pan MacMillan

Publication date: April 27th 2021

Pages: 242

This is a review of a book that I bought

Michelle Zauner is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. In this memoir, she talks about her life, where the loss of her Korean mother due to cancer is a red thread in the story. Michelle grew up when there wheren't so much other Asian-American kids in her school in Eugene, Oregon.Later on in life, when she moved out to go to college on the East Coast, started to work in restaurants, and found her husband, and performing with her band, she didn't felt much about being Korean at all, she felt more American.

But then when Michelle was twenty five ,her mother was diagnosed with cancer, that put her Korean identity more on the forefront of her life again, as she and her mother truly bonded over her mom's homecooked Korean food, and when her mom passed away, everytime when Michelle visits the Korean supermarket H-Mart, it makes her cry for the loss of her mother, like bumping into a wall over and over again, a grief that never really stops. This is very moving and impressive and a bit raw memoir. It painfully shows the horrors of cancer and the impact it has on the family left behind. (if you are not into reading very detailed about this, then this might be not your book) the tone of the book is not an uplifting or happy one, which is ofcourse understandable because of the topic. Beautiful though are the recalling of the cherished, loving and special moments with her mother, which are many, especially during their time together in Korea.

Alltogether this is a very moving memoir!