Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Funny enough, I did actually first hear of this book while I was at H Mart a few years ago. I had always meant to pick it up, and this summer I finally did. I have to say, all the raving reviews I have heard about this book are spot on. The story itself is very moving and detailed, and a lot of what Zauner mentions about growing up with an immigrant mother can strongly relate to myself, which made the read even better.
The novel starts when Zauner is 25 years old, and recalls how her world first shifted when she first discovered that her mother had stomach cancer. Triggered by grief and sadness, she reflects on how she had begun to lose sight of the times she spent with her mother before her illness and how recalling those memories even led her to becoming culturally connected and find solace in cooking Korean foods. Thus, this leads us to the core of why this book is called, Crying in H Mart.
While reading this, I was really glad to hear the perspective of someone who grew up with the same issues of not being able to entirely relate to their immigrant parents due to the vast cultural difference, and also how lack of connection to language put up barriers. The way Zauner writes is in a very relatable style and her reflection is very raw and understanding. I loved reading her book, and at times, it even made me laugh, smile, and cry.
I would definitely recommend this book to almost anyone, because even though you might not be able to relate to Zauner’s writings of grief, her story is still powerful and serves as a brilliant read.