CW: death of parent, grief, body shaming
Susan Lieu is searching for answers. Her parents escaped Vietnam after the war during the 1980s after five failed attempts. Susan's mother was a success story and had two successful nail salons until her untimely death when Susan was 11 due to a tummy tuck gone wrong. Susan searches for her mother's history in this emotional memoir.
There are many things in this novel that I can relate to, but the grief involved is much more complicated than people think. I found myself tearing up quite a bit. There is also the exploration of learning to love yourself and your body. The way families berate each other isn't mentally healthy for anyone. Breaking the cycle is key. This book is very emotional and reflective and is good for fans of Crying in H-Mart. She can be a annoying at times, and there are parts that seem unreal to me, but I'm glad that I got read her perspective.
Susan Lieu is searching for answers. Her parents escaped Vietnam after the war during the 1980s after five failed attempts. Susan's mother was a success story and had two successful nail salons until her untimely death when Susan was 11 due to a tummy tuck gone wrong. Susan searches for her mother's history in this emotional memoir.
There are many things in this novel that I can relate to, but the grief involved is much more complicated than people think. I found myself tearing up quite a bit. There is also the exploration of learning to love yourself and your body. The way families berate each other isn't mentally healthy for anyone. Breaking the cycle is key. This book is very emotional and reflective and is good for fans of Crying in H-Mart. She can be a annoying at times, and there are parts that seem unreal to me, but I'm glad that I got read her perspective.