Crying in H Mart: A Memoir
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- Create Date：2021-04-18 03:31:06
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Michelle Zauner
- ISBN：B08DMXF7ZZ
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Summary
Singer and creator of the indie band Japanese Breakfast Michelle Zauner's CRYING IN H MART， about growing up Korean-American， losing her mother suddenly and too young， searching for identity in a hybrid culture， and finding a passion for her ancestry （and Korean cooking） as a way to heal and return to her roots in the wake of her loss， to Robin Desser at Knopf。
Reviews
Kim
，
What an amazing book。 Ever since my mom died， I cry in H Mart。 Michelle Zauner’s memoir is phenomenal。 It captures her complicated relationship with her mom and the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one。 It was so heartbreaking to read and it honestly had me tearing up in almost every chapter。 I think she captures what it’s like to grow up with an Asian mom so well， like how they can be incredibly harsh sometimes but smother you with love through their cooking。 I found pieces of my own mom What an amazing book。 Ever since my mom died， I cry in H Mart。 Michelle Zauner’s memoir is phenomenal。 It captures her complicated relationship with her mom and the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one。 It was so heartbreaking to read and it honestly had me tearing up in almost every chapter。 I think she captures what it’s like to grow up with an Asian mom so well， like how they can be incredibly harsh sometimes but smother you with love through their cooking。 I found pieces of my own mom through Michelle’s mom and I think so many people can relate to their rocky relationship。 I remember these things clearly because that was how my mother loved you， not through white lies and constant verbal affirmation， but in subtle observations of what brought you joy， pocketed away to make you feel comforted and cared for without even realizing it。 And her writing omgg。 The descriptions of food she cooks and the places she visits were so amazing and detailed。 I love how this book isn’t just about pain and loss， but about her reclaiming her culture and heritage through food。 I highly recommend you pick up this book！！ Michelle’s journey in processing her mother’s death is so emotional and inspiring that it’s now one of my favorite books this year。 Also please listen to Michelle's band Japanese Breakfast because they're amazing。 Special thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for sending me a copy of Crying in H Mart in exchange for an honest review。 All quotes are from an advanced readers copy and are subject to change upon publication。 。。。more
Leah
，
Save your tears for when your mother dies。Beautiful， vulnerable， and intensely relatable， Crying in H Mart had me crying from the first pages all the way through to the end。 Michelle Zauner's words carry a depth of emotion I can barely only begin to conceive within myself， and every word rings true。 Touching on intimate matters of biracial identity and what it means to be connected to the culture or the world of either of your parents， what it means to develop your own identity in the midst of p Save your tears for when your mother dies。Beautiful， vulnerable， and intensely relatable， Crying in H Mart had me crying from the first pages all the way through to the end。 Michelle Zauner's words carry a depth of emotion I can barely only begin to conceive within myself， and every word rings true。 Touching on intimate matters of biracial identity and what it means to be connected to the culture or the world of either of your parents， what it means to develop your own identity in the midst of parental expectations， the awkwardness of role reversal when you find yourself caring your parents as their independence wanes， the struggles to orient yourself within your peer group after a foundational experience they are unlikely to experience for decades， and the heaviness of the realization that you were only just beginning to get the know your parent as actual person when they are taken away from you so soon， no single work has hit me this hard in the last decade。Zauner's narrative style is exceptionally organized with an easy flow that makes it hard to put down， as heavy and painful as it gets sometimes。 Food weaves a strong guiding thread through the book that makes the story feel complete。 In some chapters， Zauner highlights dishes that bring a cultural connection between mothers and daughters （e。g。， miyeok guk， which mothers are encouraged to eat for postpartum recovery and children on their birthdays to honor their mothers）; in others， she illustrates her mother's decline in vitality through a loss of appetite and contraction of her palate。 It is a magnificent exposition of the way food can build relationships and strengthen bonds--or， in some cases， drive a wedge through an already strained relationship。I wondered if the 10 percent she kept from the three of us who knew her best--my father， Nami， and me--had all been different， a deception according to a pattern that together we could recompose。 I wondered if I could ever know all of her， what other threads she'd left behind to pull。What hit me hardest about Zauner's narrative was the urgency with which she yearned to know her mother better by the end。 Losing a parent at 25， it's easy to get caught up on what your parent is going to miss in your life， such as with Zauner's rush to get married before her mother passes and her desire for her mom to bear witness to and share in the success of her music career。 But what you often overlook， at least for the first few years， is what you didn't get the chance to see of your parent's life。 What you didn't get to understand or know about who they are as a person， their deepest pains and fears， the intensity of their love for you。 Like Zauner， I lost my mother in my early 20s， and it's not until you start to really become an adult yourself that you realize just how little you know about your parents as actual people; and in those cases， there's no one really around to ask anymore。 It was such a beautiful and moving moment for me to see Zauner connect with her aunt in Seoul， despite the language barrier， and begin to see her mom in a new light， and to understand her just a little better。 My truest thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for the review; I'll be cooking Indonesian food and on the phone with my aunt every evening for the foreseeable future if anyone needs me。 Highly recommend to anyone with a relationship with their mother。 。。。more
Mia
，
Crying in H Mart is a win for anyone who picks up this book。 I ended up putting the book down multiple times to get my gross sobbing under control。 Michelle’s words about what she， and her mother， went through rips you wide open。 On the plus side， I will forever be smiling whenever I pass a 7-11 and I’ll constantly be thinking about whether I am saving 10% for me。 This book has such memorable stories and I’m glad Michelle Zauner shared it to the world。 Thank you！ Also thank you to Net Galley for Crying in H Mart is a win for anyone who picks up this book。 I ended up putting the book down multiple times to get my gross sobbing under control。 Michelle’s words about what she， and her mother， went through rips you wide open。 On the plus side， I will forever be smiling whenever I pass a 7-11 and I’ll constantly be thinking about whether I am saving 10% for me。 This book has such memorable stories and I’m glad Michelle Zauner shared it to the world。 Thank you！ Also thank you to Net Galley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review！ 。。。more
Al
，
Beautifully written， gut-wrenchingly heartbreaking and seemed very honest and raw。
Meha
，
Outstanding。 There's a frankness to Zauner's writing which cuts to the quick。 Love and grief and the diaspora experience are so inextricably linked in her story and yet all so sharply rendered。 Her pain speaks to your own， it draws from somewhere deep within her that's impossible not to respond to。 One of the best， most moving books I've read this year。Full review available on my blog。 Outstanding。 There's a frankness to Zauner's writing which cuts to the quick。 Love and grief and the diaspora experience are so inextricably linked in her story and yet all so sharply rendered。 Her pain speaks to your own， it draws from somewhere deep within her that's impossible not to respond to。 One of the best， most moving books I've read this year。Full review available on my blog。 。。。more
Alex Levine
，
This is easily the most moving memoir i have ever read （albeit from a small sample size）。 I know how it is for cultural food to be so deeply tied with my relationship with my mom， and hearing Zauner discuss it so beautifully helped me to see the impact this really has had on my life every day。 I cried so much and had to call my mom multiple times while reading this just to say hi。 Frankly， i’m crying still now while writing this review。 Everyone should read this （and call their moms if they can） This is easily the most moving memoir i have ever read （albeit from a small sample size）。 I know how it is for cultural food to be so deeply tied with my relationship with my mom， and hearing Zauner discuss it so beautifully helped me to see the impact this really has had on my life every day。 I cried so much and had to call my mom multiple times while reading this just to say hi。 Frankly， i’m crying still now while writing this review。 Everyone should read this （and call their moms if they can）。 It reads like fiction which makes a very easy read to comprehend but it hits so many close-to-home and real points in me that it did take me a while to get through。 。。。more
Elena L。
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This is a memoir that doesn't need to be reviewed - it is raw， packed with unprocessed emotions and evocative。CRYING IN H-MART captures the Korean culture at its best， which food and beauty are integral part of it。 Food as a sole identity and a means by which Zauner's mother expresses her love。 Beauty not only as a visual appearance， but rather a way to present yourself into the most perfect version。 Both are intimately associated， representing a form of mother-daughter bonding。I felt every emot This is a memoir that doesn't need to be reviewed - it is raw， packed with unprocessed emotions and evocative。CRYING IN H-MART captures the Korean culture at its best， which food and beauty are integral part of it。 Food as a sole identity and a means by which Zauner's mother expresses her love。 Beauty not only as a visual appearance， but rather a way to present yourself into the most perfect version。 Both are intimately associated， representing a form of mother-daughter bonding。I felt every emotion and I could almost feel the depth of Zauner's sorrow。 Some moments resonated with me - how our mothers showed the love in their own way， even if it was tough love， industrial-strength。 In our grief， we try to rediscover our mothers by rooting around their belongings， in an attempt to bring them back to life。Besides family and grief， Zauner details her journey as a musician and her relationship with her husband and father。 After reading this memoir， you will mostly appreciate your mother。Heartbreaking yet healing， this memoir will mess with your emotions。[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Knopf publishing - in exchange for an honest review ] 。。。more
Carrie
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Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title。 I was VERY moved by this memoir， even to the point of tears in certain sections。 It was so well written and honest， much like Michelle Zauner's music。 It felt very relatable even though I haven't experienced the loss of a parent。 Any memoir fan will get a lot from this book。 Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title。 I was VERY moved by this memoir， even to the point of tears in certain sections。 It was so well written and honest， much like Michelle Zauner's music。 It felt very relatable even though I haven't experienced the loss of a parent。 Any memoir fan will get a lot from this book。 。。。more
Katie Mac
，
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I had no idea Michelle Zauner was the founder of Japanese Breakfast; I requested this because it sounded like a compelling memoir about a daughter processing the grief of losing her mother， and Zauner delivered on that。 While the story is heart-wrenching and filled with graphic details about her mother's illness， gradual decline， and death， there's also an element of hope in her I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I had no idea Michelle Zauner was the founder of Japanese Breakfast; I requested this because it sounded like a compelling memoir about a daughter processing the grief of losing her mother， and Zauner delivered on that。 While the story is heart-wrenching and filled with graphic details about her mother's illness， gradual decline， and death， there's also an element of hope in here found in Zauner's journey with her music and art as well as her Korean heritage; namely， Korean food。 She turns to the ever-comforting Maangchi （y'all should really check out her recipes if you never have） and the endless aisles of H Mart as a form of therapy and a way to process everything。 If you're looking for a vulnerable retelling of a daughter's love for her mother and her path toward emotional fulfilment， this one's for you。 。。。more
Kathy （Bermudaonion）
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3。50 starsCRYING IN H MART is Zauner’s memoir of growing up Korean American， losing her mother when she was a young adult， and with the help of her memories of her mother， discovering who she is。 There is a lot of focus on her mother’s cancer and Zauner’s care。 After her mother’s death， Zauner learned to cook some of the Korean dishes her mother once made and her descriptions are very detailed。 She shares how she found some fame as a singer/songwriter。 I didn’t know who Zauner was when I picked 3。50 starsCRYING IN H MART is Zauner’s memoir of growing up Korean American， losing her mother when she was a young adult， and with the help of her memories of her mother， discovering who she is。 There is a lot of focus on her mother’s cancer and Zauner’s care。 After her mother’s death， Zauner learned to cook some of the Korean dishes her mother once made and her descriptions are very detailed。 She shares how she found some fame as a singer/songwriter。 I didn’t know who Zauner was when I picked this book up and think those who are familiar with her and her work will enjoy it more than I did。 I listened to the audio version and also think I would have enjoyed it more in print - I found her narration monotonous after a short time。 。。。more
KatyBeth Cassell
，
This is the most moving reflection on grief and the loss of a loved one that I have read since The Year of Magical Thinking。 Having also lost a parent in my 20s， I related to the helplessness， anger， and nostalgia that Zauner describes。On a lighter note， fair warning: reading this book will make you want to immediately order or cook Korean food （and especially make your own kimchi。） This book is also a food memoir， and Zauner’s descriptions of various foods and the feelings they evoke and memori This is the most moving reflection on grief and the loss of a loved one that I have read since The Year of Magical Thinking。 Having also lost a parent in my 20s， I related to the helplessness， anger， and nostalgia that Zauner describes。On a lighter note， fair warning: reading this book will make you want to immediately order or cook Korean food （and especially make your own kimchi。） This book is also a food memoir， and Zauner’s descriptions of various foods and the feelings they evoke and memories they conjure is very powerful。 I can’t wait to read what she writes next。 。。。more
Cathe Fein Olson
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This was a well-written memoir that touched on family， food， music and grief。 I had no idea of who the author was， so I was hoping for a more details/focus on cooking Korean food or the musical journey。 This kind of touched on all things， which may appeal more to fans of Zauner。
Caitlin 🍅Tomato Queen🍅 Theroux
，
Thanks to Edelweiss for the eARC。 The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and may not reflect the views of the author， publisher， or distributor。But I don't see why they wouldn't agree with me。What a fantastic book。 I'm naturally a sucker for mother-daughter stories， especially when they involve eating and making food。 My grandmother and mother passed on what I know in the realm of cooking and baking， and now I'm drawn to a generational story with food。Zauner paints a beautiful， heartbreak Thanks to Edelweiss for the eARC。 The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and may not reflect the views of the author， publisher， or distributor。But I don't see why they wouldn't agree with me。What a fantastic book。 I'm naturally a sucker for mother-daughter stories， especially when they involve eating and making food。 My grandmother and mother passed on what I know in the realm of cooking and baking， and now I'm drawn to a generational story with food。Zauner paints a beautiful， heartbreaking picture not just of her life with her mom， but figuring out how her mom's Korean culture shaped both of their lives。 Her descriptions of her mother just killed me， because they're so REAL。 So vivid and tangible。 I left the book feeling like Zauner just served her heart and soul up on a platter for me。Not only did this prove to be a philosophical study in what it means to be Korean-American， it explored familial relationships in such a tender， honest way。 I felt the unflinching love for not just her mother， but for her father and her Korean relatives。I'm hard to please as a reader， but I'll be adding this to both our library's shelves， and my own。 。。。more
Leslie
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Powell's， 4/6/21 Powell's， 4/6/21 。。。more
Lori Luo
，
I read through Crying in H-Mart in less than one night。 There is something about Michelle Zauner's writing that's so personal， you feel like she's sitting next to you， recounting the stories of her childhood， her adolescence， and the forced thrust into adulthood with her mother's unexpected diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer and eventual passing。 She begins the novel in such a heart-wrenching way， recounting the number of times she has wound up crying in H-Mart， the well-known Korean grocer I read through Crying in H-Mart in less than one night。 There is something about Michelle Zauner's writing that's so personal， you feel like she's sitting next to you， recounting the stories of her childhood， her adolescence， and the forced thrust into adulthood with her mother's unexpected diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer and eventual passing。 She begins the novel in such a heart-wrenching way， recounting the number of times she has wound up crying in H-Mart， the well-known Korean grocery store， due to the way so many of the items remind her of her mother， and the way her mother expressed her love through food - a common occurrence for many Asian parents。 Throughout the rest of the novel， she rotates between her memories as a child with a Korean mother and a Caucasian father， her rebellious adolescence as she discovered music and wanted to follow a less-than-approved path， to her more recent memories of discovering her mother's terminal cancer diagnosis， and being by her mother's side until her eventual passing。I loved this novel for the author's vulnerability， the confusion she experienced on her own identity as an Asian American， the way food （especially recipes she learned from Maangchi） is interweaved so seamlessly across so many of her memories， how completely she built out the characters of her family and people around her， and how she recounts living across Oregon， Philadelphia & NYC， and South Korea。 In all - a beautiful， thought-provoking， and emotional novel。Thank you Knopf Publishing Group for the ARC of this novel and the chance to read before its release。 。。。more
Cindy Wilkerson
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I always feel weird reviewing memoirs because it is someone’s personal experience， and it feels odd critiquing it。 So instead I’m going to talk about my expectations vs the reality。 What I expected was an exploration of grief through food， and the book delivered。 Upon finishing I made a large Korean meal because I couldn’t stop thinking about food。I also expected Zauner to talk about her experiences being the only Asian American kid growing up， and I kind of got that？ I don’t know。 A part of m I always feel weird reviewing memoirs because it is someone’s personal experience， and it feels odd critiquing it。 So instead I’m going to talk about my expectations vs the reality。 What I expected was an exploration of grief through food， and the book delivered。 Upon finishing I made a large Korean meal because I couldn’t stop thinking about food。I also expected Zauner to talk about her experiences being the only Asian American kid growing up， and I kind of got that？ I don’t know。 A part of me feels like I may have missed something。 I think I would have preferred CRYING IN H MART to have been a series of essays， with the thread of her mother and grief。 I have read a couple of articles she’s written and they’re fantastic。I think this book is perfect if you’re grieving， or have been through the grieving process， and are looking for someone to relate to。 But if you’re reading this to connect with the Korean American experience like I was， I’m not sure if it completely hits the mark。 Regardless it is very readable。 Thank you to netgalley and aaknopf for a free e-galley 。。。more
Jessica
，
I had not ever heard of the author before and only grabbed this ARC on a whim after seeing someone I follow on Instagram raving about it and mentioning how food was one of the primary topics。 I am a sucker for food memoirs and so was looking forward to drooling through the book， not realizing what I was getting in for。 Basic synopsis， this is a story of a mother-daughter relationship with all its challenges， ups and downs， and annoyances， but， ultimately， a love and closeness that is powerful an I had not ever heard of the author before and only grabbed this ARC on a whim after seeing someone I follow on Instagram raving about it and mentioning how food was one of the primary topics。 I am a sucker for food memoirs and so was looking forward to drooling through the book， not realizing what I was getting in for。 Basic synopsis， this is a story of a mother-daughter relationship with all its challenges， ups and downs， and annoyances， but， ultimately， a love and closeness that is powerful and intense。 The author's mom gets cancer so the entire middle section of the book is dedicated to the horrific and terrifying pain， physical and emotional， that comes with her treatment and care。Throughout the book， though， are the descriptions of the Korean food that Zauner's mom made and that they ate every summer on their trips back to Seoul。 Zauner attempts to re-create these dishes as a way to bond with her mom， to give her mom comfort during her illness， and a way to comfort herself。 The details of the dishes， the step-by-step process of how she made some of them， are mouth-watering， but I also felt the love in them， and the power of food to heal， to share a common language， to comfort。This book is incredibly heart-wrenching and I cried numerous times。 I have to say， it can potentially be triggering to some people， as the description of her mom's illness is in all the graphic details， nothing held back。 However， it was also incredibly well-written， paragraphs of description， meditations， emotions， so vivid and evocative。 It was a page-turner but also a go back and savor sentences and whole paragraphs because of the deliciousness of the writing。A remarkable memoir。 。。。more
Kimi Loughlin
，
I really， really loved Michelle Zauner's memoir Crying in H Mart。 I knew nothing about Zauner before reading her book （she is a very popular musician） and I think that was best for me！ The main focus is all about her mother， whom she lost to cancer when she was 25。 The loss was heartbreaking and brought up so many feelings - will Zauner， who is mixed Korean and American， lose her connection to her Korean culture？ Will Zauner have the same relationship to her father now that her mother is gone？ Z I really， really loved Michelle Zauner's memoir Crying in H Mart。 I knew nothing about Zauner before reading her book （she is a very popular musician） and I think that was best for me！ The main focus is all about her mother， whom she lost to cancer when she was 25。 The loss was heartbreaking and brought up so many feelings - will Zauner， who is mixed Korean and American， lose her connection to her Korean culture？ Will Zauner have the same relationship to her father now that her mother is gone？ Zauner tackles her heart-wrenching emotional journey throughout this memoir and yet leaves you love-filled and hopeful。The one topic Zauner kept coming back to was food。 It was the way her mother showed her love， always having Zauner's favorite Korean foods and snacks ready when she was home and always keeping her well-fed and connected to her Korean heritage。 When she died， Zauner started watching a YouTube channel to learn how to cook the complicated meals which often took numerous hours or even days to complete。 She explores her trips around NY and Oregon to find H Marts and other Korean grocery stores to get the best ingredients and how even that environment would cause her to cry and remember her mother （hence the title）。 I loved that even though a lot of Zauner's relationship with her mother fit Asian American stereotypes （focus on good grades and schoolwork）， it is also so much more than that。 Zauner's exploration of her mixed heritage （something that I share with the author） was also fascinating， especially with the fear that she will lose her connection to Seoul and Korea after losing her mother。 She doesn't speak Korean fluently so often struggles to connect with her last remaining maternal relative， her mother's older sister （Zauner had not only lost her mother to cancer but one of her Aunts as well） but still visits and keeps that relationship alive。 I love that though losing her mother was a period of deep sadness， there was excess joy for the few years after - when Zauner found success with her music and marriage and began making a career from her passion。 It was as if her mother was paving a path for her， in the most beautiful way。A beyond gorgeous memoir， this book is 10000% worth the read！ 。。。more
Stacey A。 Prose and Palate
，
Definitely a Top read of 2021 but make sure you have tissues handy
Julien
，
Michelle Zauner （aka Japanese Breakfast） has crafted something really special with this memoir。 It is an ode to her relationship with her mother in all its complicated， lovely glory。 She threads through memories via the vehicle of food， the descriptions of which are vividly rendered。 It's a very effective through-line that allows her to really ground the narrative in a powerful sensuousness while allowing for a nonlinear approach。 It was also super interesting to read about Zauner's experiences Michelle Zauner （aka Japanese Breakfast） has crafted something really special with this memoir。 It is an ode to her relationship with her mother in all its complicated， lovely glory。 She threads through memories via the vehicle of food， the descriptions of which are vividly rendered。 It's a very effective through-line that allows her to really ground the narrative in a powerful sensuousness while allowing for a nonlinear approach。 It was also super interesting to read about Zauner's experiences and worries with regard to staying close to her Korean family and the fear of losing that part of her family and self with the passing of her mother。 That being said， because this is very much her story， it is necessarily limited by her experiences， which make the text at once imbued with feeling and very focused。 This did at times leave me wondering what other members of her family were doing during the events of the memoir， but it doesn't detract from the overall book。 This was an incredibly touching and painful memoir and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the genre。 FTC disclosure: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 。。。more
Malavika
，
A couple more weeks till I can hug my mother。 Going to hug her extra hard after reading this one。
Emily Rose
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*I received this book as a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*I really enjoyed this memoir。 Zauner's writing style is beautiful and blunt， as she recounts her life and the time she shared with her mother。 I find this book to be the perfect example of "perspective is everything，" and I think her retrospective consideration of her mother's actions and the purpose behind them forces the reader to address their own qualms regarding their parents' parenting style。 Overall， I *I received this book as a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*I really enjoyed this memoir。 Zauner's writing style is beautiful and blunt， as she recounts her life and the time she shared with her mother。 I find this book to be the perfect example of "perspective is everything，" and I think her retrospective consideration of her mother's actions and the purpose behind them forces the reader to address their own qualms regarding their parents' parenting style。 Overall， I really enjoyed this memoir and read it almost as a love letter from child to mother。 。。。more
Lucy Dacus
，
I was worried I’d have some bias in favor of this book since Michelle is a pal， but I can confidently say that， by any metric， it’s incredible。 Lots of tears， but some laughs too。 It’s a bare and brutal memoir， full of truth and tenderness。 Really a gift。
Miranda Reads
，
Hi all！ The March Reading Vlog is up！！ The Written ReviewI had no idea what I was getting into。。。 and now I'm just all out sobbing at the thought of losing my mother。 Best book I've read in a long timeFull review to comehuge thank you to Knopf Publishing Group for sending this my way Hi all！ The March Reading Vlog is up！！ The Written ReviewI had no idea what I was getting into。。。 and now I'm just all out sobbing at the thought of losing my mother。 Best book I've read in a long timeFull review to comehuge thank you to Knopf Publishing Group for sending this my way 。。。more
Patrick
，
This is a beautifully written heart wrenching account of Michelle Zauner's （Who before this book came out was most famous for being Japanese Breakfast， but I think after this book hits the shelves she will be better known for this。 It's excellent and unforgettable。） family dealing with her mother's terminal cancer。 I read the first chapter and I thought I knew what I was in for。 It's excellently written and it pulls you into what I knew was going to be a sad story filled with memories of food， a This is a beautifully written heart wrenching account of Michelle Zauner's （Who before this book came out was most famous for being Japanese Breakfast， but I think after this book hits the shelves she will be better known for this。 It's excellent and unforgettable。） family dealing with her mother's terminal cancer。 I read the first chapter and I thought I knew what I was in for。 It's excellently written and it pulls you into what I knew was going to be a sad story filled with memories of food， and Zauner's memories of her mother。 Still。 This didn't prepare me for the rest of the book。 She doesn't simply write about the surface level of her grief。 She dives deep and examines the loss from all sides。 She examines the relation with her parents， between her parents， all while examining her own identity as the only non-white kid in the town she grew up in。If you've ever lost someone this book is going to open those old wounds。 Zauner captures the delicate pain/anger/blankness you feel in vivid detail。 She captures the pain of being a caretaker for someone who never needed one。And， before you get the wrong idea。 This book is also really sweet and funny。 The descriptions of the visits to Seoul are a lot of fun。 The story about the visit to the spa the first time her parents met her boyfriend， hilarious。 There's lots of heartbreak， but there are lots of things to make you heart soar。 It's a love story， in parts。 Zauner including unflattering facts about everyone， but especially the extent to which her and her mother didn't get along added a depth to this memoir that was unexpected。 I thought it would be a story of grief， （and culinary delights） from that first chapter， but I did not expect to get such a deep reading on what set them apart， which made it when they were able to bond and come together at the end so much more satisfying （and heart breaking。） One final thought about this book: The scenery was written in a beautiful novelistic way。 I felt like I was walking in the streets of Seoul， I could see the house in Eugene were she grew up。 She has a knack for description that not only lets you know how something feels/looks like， but it makes you want to reread the sentences because of their impeccable beauty。I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this book from Netgalley。 This did not affect my review。 。。。more
Zoe
，
Crying in H Mart is an engaging and personal exploration of identity， family， loss and life， and food。 Michelle is a likable and eloquent narrator; her writing flows naturally enough that it is easy to read and enjoy， but with enough imagery and detail to add beauty to the everyday scenes and the tragic， heartfelt moments。This wasn't a book that I consumed quickly and urgently; instead， it was one that I enjoyed bit by bit， often with long breaks between chapters。 Occasionally， I found myself sk Crying in H Mart is an engaging and personal exploration of identity， family， loss and life， and food。 Michelle is a likable and eloquent narrator; her writing flows naturally enough that it is easy to read and enjoy， but with enough imagery and detail to add beauty to the everyday scenes and the tragic， heartfelt moments。This wasn't a book that I consumed quickly and urgently; instead， it was one that I enjoyed bit by bit， often with long breaks between chapters。 Occasionally， I found myself skipping through some of the lengthier descriptions of food， but despite this I still loved the ongoing image of food bringing people closer to each other and to their own sense of self。With thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for my ARC。 。。。more
Shari
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Warning: This book may break your heart。 But it's very much worth the read， and then some。 I was initially attracted to this book because of the catchy cover and especially the title， as I am a huge H Mart fan and love shopping there whenever I can。 When I read the description， it gave me pause， because it does chronicle the ending of her mother's life to cancer。 My mom died of cancer as well， 20 years ago， and some days the wounds are as fresh as the day she died。 But I plowed ahead anyway。Mich Warning: This book may break your heart。 But it's very much worth the read， and then some。 I was initially attracted to this book because of the catchy cover and especially the title， as I am a huge H Mart fan and love shopping there whenever I can。 When I read the description， it gave me pause， because it does chronicle the ending of her mother's life to cancer。 My mom died of cancer as well， 20 years ago， and some days the wounds are as fresh as the day she died。 But I plowed ahead anyway。Michelle Zauner is in a popular band called Japanese Breakfast， and wrote this book originally as an article published in The New Yorker。 Her mother is Korean， and her father is white， and she grew up in Eugene， Oregon feeling as if she's half in one world and half in another。 As an independent and headstrong woman， she butted heads with her mother frequently in her teenage years， and in growing up and trying to make it as a musician in Philadelphia。 Until one day she got "the phone call"。After her mother's cancer diagnosis， she moves back to Eugene， Oregon to help her mother get through her treatments and spend as much time with her as possible。 I don't want to get too deep into the details of the story， because the journey in this book is emotional and personal and deserves to be read。 I felt like I was there to bear witness to her grief and anguish， and in doing so， share some of mine which paralleled when my mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma， a very aggressive type of brain cancer。This book will make you cry。 This book made me cry through so much of it。 Cathartic， perhaps， but also I was sniffly most of the way through this book。 I had to read something else for awhile here and there just to give myself some breathing space。 There was a special scene at her mother's death where her dad took off her mother's wedding ring and placed it onto Michelle's finger on her right hand and a keepsake。 I cried as I read it， remembering my mother's wedding ring that I still have in my own jewelry box。One of the best yet painful memoirs I've ever read to date。 I'm still processing her story， as I just finished it last night but wanted to get a review out while the details were still fresh in my mind。 Having lost my mother when I was 25， there were so many parallels in her story and mine。 We both shared that helpless feeling of not being able to fix it， how to navigate a world where a strong mother was the dominant force in your family， and the dreams of my mom after her passing that were so similar to hers。I received an early release copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion， however it in no way influenced my review。 This was one I would be reading regardless。 。。。more
kyle
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Really really great。 Pulls at the heartstrings from first to final chapter。
Helen
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I just ugly cried my way through this one。 Don't hesitate， pick it up when it comes out！！ I just ugly cried my way through this one。 Don't hesitate， pick it up when it comes out！！ 。。。more
Teri
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