How does Michelle's relationship with her mother evolve over the course of the memoir? Compare their relationship with other parent-child relationships in the memoir and with your own experience.

How does Michelle's relationship with her mother evolve over the course of the memoir?

Compare their relationship with other parent-child relationships in the memoir and with your own experience.

Michelles's relationship with her mother has many aspects and phases. Some typical as the combative teen years, some resentful years remembered from childhood, other years learning to be a devoted care giver while at the same time trying to negotiate sharing that kind of intimacy with foreign relatives moving in. Like they say 'life, it's complicated' and for her there were more than average hurdles.

They both seem more willing to accept the other, forgive each other (and themselves to a certain degree) and express their love for each other. I think they both knew time was short and wanted be more honest with each other and themselves.

All relationships move through different phases, the mother-daughter relationship especially. Her mother's illness sped up the timeline of those phases, allowing them to resolve their past and reconcile what was to come. It was sad and beautiful too.

For me, this book included way too much private sharing about their mother/daughter relationship. As a mother, I would be very hurt to have so much shared with others. Personally, I would feel disrespected and unloved.

The mother/daughter bond is often tight and difficult. I think that as Michelle grew older she had a different understand and appreciation of her mother than she could have had as a child and teen. We all do. It was painful for Michelle to think that her mother would never see her grandchildren or even Michelle's successes.

I felt Michelle's behavior was pretty trying as a teen and I was happy that she reconciled with her mother as she became the caregiver. I think as she matured she understood her mother more and I was happy to see how devoted she became. I disagree that the author overshared. If she didn't share the difficulties and intimacies, the book would have been just about Korean food.