The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim
4 Stars
The Book At A Glance
When twenty-six-year-old Margot Lee can’t reach her mother, she returns to her childhood apartment in Koreatown, LA—only to find Mina dead under suspicious circumstances. As Margot searches for answers, she uncovers her mother’s hidden past as a Korean War orphan and undocumented immigrant, discovering how little she truly knew about her. Interwoven with Mina’s own story of love, struggle, and survival in Los Angeles.
Bookish Thoughts
The premise of this novel immediately caught my attention as I browsed the stacks at my local library. As a fan of literary fiction, I was eager to dive into this story and explore its themes and emotional depth.
Book Review
The Last Story of Mina Lee is a powerful and emotional novel that explores the complicated bond between a mother and daughter. When twenty-six-year-old Margot Lee stops hearing from her mother, Mina, she returns to her childhood apartment in Koreatown, Los Angeles—only to discover her mother dead inside. This heartbreaking moment sets Margot on a journey to uncover the secrets Mina kept hidden throughout her life.
Told through a dual timeline, the novel alternates between Margot’s investigation in the present and Mina’s story years earlier, from her immigration from Korea to building a life in Los Angeles as a single mother. I absolutely adored this novel—it felt deeply personal and moving. The relationship between Mina and Margot is both tender and filled with tension. I loved how the story captures the struggles of immigrant mothers who sacrifice everything for their children, and the misunderstandings that often arise between generations, trying to bridge two cultures.
As Margot pieces together her mother’s past—through old paperwork, memories, and the help of friends like Miguel and Mrs. Baek—she begins to understand who Mina truly was. In learning about her mother’s hardships, courage, and secrets, Margot also starts to discover more about herself: her identity, her roots, and the quiet strength she inherited.
The secondary characters were so well written. Miguel, Margot’s friend, brings warmth and compassion as he helps her navigate her grief. Mrs. Baek’s friendship with Mina offers beautiful glimpses into the past and reminds us how community shapes identity.
The ending completely took me by surprise—it was shocking yet tied everything together in a bittersweet, beautiful way. Nancy Jooyoun Kim’s writing is tender, reflective, and full of emotional depth. The Last Story of Mina Lee is a story about love, loss, and the unspoken connections that bind families together. I truly loved this novel and will definitely be reading more from this author.
“She wondered how many women had been trapped – in terrible marriages, terrible jobs, unbearable circumstances – simply because the world hadn’t been designed to allow them to thrive on their own. Their decisions would always be scrutinized by the lives at which they were able to sacrifice themselves, their bodies, their pleasures and desires. A woman who imagined her own way out would always be ostracized for her own strength.”
Nancy Jooyoun Kim
Shelf To Table
The perfect food pairing for this novel is Bibimbap. Bibimbap mirrors the themes of The Last Story of Mina Lee through its mix of diverse ingredients coming together in one bowl. Just as each component—rice, vegetables, meat, and spicy sauce—retains its own flavor while contributing to a harmonious whole, the novel weaves together multiple timelines, cultures, and personal histories. The dish symbolizes Mina’s layered life and identity, as well as Margot’s journey to understand and reconcile the many pieces of her mother’s story.
Bibimbap
A warm white rice topped with an assortment of sautéed and seasoned vegetables, sliced or ground meat (often beef), a fried egg, and a dollop of gochujang (spicy red chili paste).
Book Club Bite
In the novel, Mina finds food left in her cubby as tokens of affection from a secret admirer. For a fun book club twist, members could bring the same items—like fruit, chocolate, ramen, and other small treats—as snacks. It’s a sweet and meaningful way to connect with the story and celebrate the quiet gestures of love and care that run throughout the book.
“A trip. A fall. A horrible way to die. To have survived all those traumas, those hardships—a war, an orphanage, immigration, being a single mother in a foreign country—only to die by something as mundane as a slipper or a shoe. It was terrible. It was all so very terrible.”
Nancy Jooyoun Kim