Bruce Turk

Set in modern-day South Korea, Shin explores guilt, loss, self-sacrifice, and familial relationships as a family desperately searches for their mother.

While the second person perspective slightly threw me off at some points, reading from the different family members' perspectives helps to show how the loss of the mother affected everyone. Not only do you see how they internally handle the situation, but you also can't help putting yourself in their shoes. Whether you feel for them or chastise them, you truly get to know these characters and hope that everything will turn out okay.

With the search taking place in Seoul (and surrounding areas), the city itself was a character. The author did a great job of making each part of the city feel real and genuine, much like the actual characters themselves.

While an obvious take-away from this novel is about being more appreciative of the people in your life, I think the true message is about learning to see people for more than just the role they play in your life. Just because someone is a mother or sister or whatever, it doesn't mean that's all they are. They are much more than the person who feeds you, cleans you, or whose advice you occasionally listen to. They have goals, dreams, fears, and thoughts that you can't possibly know...Unless you just ask.

Warning: You might want some tissues and/or pull over to the side if listening to the audiobook.… (plus d'informations)