The Last Story of Mina Lee

by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

I just finished reading “The Last Story of Mina Lee” by Nancy Joyoun Kim. A very slow simmering book that offers a glimpse, both realistic and haunting, of the life of a Korean immigrant and their ways of surviving life in a sometimes cruel and uncompramising America.
Margot, the main character is dealing with the death of her mother: a woman she both admired and rejected for not learning English. We learn both the backstory of Mina (the mom) and her struggles when she arrived in America, and Margot who is now faced with unearthing the truth her mother’s past, which is sad, tragic, and hopeful at times.
The story is very well written and I felt great empathy both for Margot and for Mina. The author did an excellent job of weaving together a story with few characters but all important to the outcome, which was wistful and satisfying. I loved that toward the end of the book, Margot was embracing her language and heritage and in essence, who her mom was. Mina is a very uncomplicated woman, and although I didn’t agree with all her choices, I understood them, in part because of Ms. Kim’s wonderful writing.
Everyone should read this book because it opens the eyes to the great divide between the hardworking immigrand, and the rich powerful elite, not just in America, but in our own back yard.
Wonderful story by a wonderful write.

#mustread #thelaststoryofminalee #strongfemalelead #neadtoread #koreanimmigrantlovestory #minalee #femalefiction




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