Zauner reports that her mother adored the word "lovely," which for her "encompassed a certain beauty and ardor"--an apt description for Zauner's memoir itself. In moving prose, the singer paints a vivid picture of the pain she endured growing up as the biracial daughter of a Korean mother (with whom she had a complex relationship) and an American father, one that will resonate deeply with those who straddle the line between two cultures. Using food as a central motif, Zauner organizes her account around the dishes and snacks that evoke particular memories, showing us intimate moments she shared with her family in Oregon and Seoul; so richly intertwined are the meals and emotions, that Zauner uses loss of appetite as a metaphor for grief and decline. This is a raw--and truly lovely--work that will stay with you.