Zauner reflects on her complicated relationship with her Korean mum, growing up as the only Asian-American kid in her school in Oregon and navigating her mum’s cancer diagnosis.

This was a case of misplaced expectations - billed as a memoir of grief, family and identity, I did not expect so much of the memoir to focus on the details of her mum’s cancer battle. I know I sound like a dick by saying this, but I repeatedly found myself zoning out whilst listening to the audiobook (sorry).

Obviously it’s heart-breaking to read about somebody losing their parent, but I thought I was in for an introspective focus on Zauner’s inner relationship with her mixed cultural identity and her grief after her mother’s death. She does talk about relating to two cultures and feeling outside of a culture that you should feel part of, but as much as I enjoyed those bits, they all felt rather surface level.

Zauner’s search for the foods she grew up with in light of losing the person who cooked them and the link to culture that food provides were well written and the most enjoyable aspect of the book for me. I think most of us can relate to those visceral emotions and nostalgia that certain foods can rake up.

A memoir of the heart-breaking, protracted loss of her mum and navigating a multi-cultural identity, obviously touching to read but lacking the deep introspection to really draw me in.