Crying in H-Mart (A Memoir)

 

Crying in H-Mart is a book that I read due to music. I found a song titled "Be Sweet" and I noticed the artist's name was Japanese Breakfast. Obviously, I was immensely curious to find out who this woman was and if she had done anything else in her career. I began listening to her discography and enjoyed it a lot. The songs were extremely powerful with complex messages and very indie-style production. The messages that came through in her music are the same messages that come through her book Crying in H-Mart. These messages of grief, forgiveness, and regret are painful as much as they are bittersweet. In the novel, she retells the story of her connection to Japan, her mother's relationship with her, and eventually the death of her beloved mother. Zauner is half-Japanese and half-white and with her mother, she felt a connection to the deep root of her culture through food and tradition. Her mother was an authoritative figure but deeply cared for her as we see through the progression in the book. Each chapter details a heartfelt retelling of bits and pieces of her life as we live through her life with her. This novel is so well done that the readers can feel Zauner's anger at the loss of her mother. Crying in H-Mart is an impeccable portrait of what it is like to deal with the death of a loved one and how memories can serve as connections to your heritage and your relatives. 

I would rate Crying in H-Mart 9.5 bowls of kimchi jjigae (Zauner's favorite food) out of 10. I loved all the connections she made with her mother and how she felt as if the bridge to her Korean culture was with her mother. And now that her mother is gone, she grapples with the pain of losing her mother and a part of herself. In the novel, she tries to re-claim this sense of belonging to Korean culture by remembering her mother's cooking and the traditions that were practiced by her. I think many readers will find that bit relatable in seeing your ethnic parent as a bridge to your culture with them. It is also something you can find in common with your parents, like a talking point. This novel was beautifully executed and I love stories like these. Where authors are able to pour their hearts out with grief and loss and somehow find peace with memories and other people in their lives.