Do any of us really know our mothers? I have a fantastic relationship with my Mom. Since becoming an adult and having a child of my own we have had some very open and honest conversations about life, about experiences we’ve both been through separately and that has strengthened our bond. It strengthened our bond because I finally understood things about my own mother that I had never fully understood. As we talked she began to make sense to me. But what if we had never had those conversations? I wouldn’t truly know or understand my own mother regardless of how good a relationship we had.
For women (and men) who are not close to their mothers or never reach a level in life where their mother thinks that level of information will help them, what are they missing?
Reading Nancy Jooyoun Kim’s debut novel was incredible. This poignant story that bounces in sections back and forth between present day for Margot, and the time before she was born with her mother is an incredible tale of just how little we can know about our own parents.
If you’ve read any of my past posts you know my favorite stories are the ones that are told from more than one point of view, preferably two different views so as to not get confusing. But, I love this way of storytelling because I feel you get such a deeper richer story. You are able to better understand why events unfold the way that they do because you are not looking at it from one vantage point but multiple.
In a way this novel was heartbreaking, the events of Mina Lee’s life are tragic and to have survived it all, to have never fully shut down, to have never fully given up shows a will that is unbreakable.
I almost feel that Mina was right in not sharing her past with her daughter. As mother’s we want to protect our children from the very harsh and cruel realities of the world. That kind of tragedy, any one of the tragedies that befell Mina is far too heavy for a child to bear. Perhaps as an adult it would be a conversation they should have. And yet, and yet while Margot wishes to have been told all the cold truths of her mother’s past, as a mother I don’t think I would burden my son with that kind of sorrow. It’s not as though him knowing would change the past. It would only allow the person I am supposed to protect in every way possible, to feel a depth of pain that is not his to deal with.
Regardless of my opinion on whether Mina should have told Margot any of the tragic events of her past, this novel was beautiful. I was filled with this sense of peace and beauty while reading it, even through the mystery and sad moments. Like standing in front of a beautiful work of art.
I really hope Nancy writes more novels in the future because I would love to read more of her work.
“The Last Story of Mina Lee” by Nancy Jooyoun Kimhttps://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Last_Story_of_Mina_Lee/cgvEDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
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