Entrust my mom to... (엄마를 부탁해)

I don't know how to translate the title of this novel. It was written by a Korean female writer, Shin Kyungsook. I finished it last night. Last July, when I was seriouly considering returning to the previous workplace, I made a list of the pros and cons after moving on. One of the good things that I can enjoy in this current place is reading and borrowing books from the hospital library whenever I want. Of course, the previous hospital, Samsung Medical Center, is well known for its huge library and other facilities. I don't mean its capacity but intimacy and my personal time that I can put in reading books, which aren't related to my specialty. Anyway, the main theme of the novel is about a family lost their mom accidentally. The writer (she is an oldest daughter) is opening the story describing an accident that they lost their mom on the subway 9 months ago on her birthday.

The book is divided into four chapters, which include a daughter’s perspective along with son, father and mother's as well. While searching their mom, they realize her deepest love and devotion to them, and they regret how badly they treated her involuntarily. In the finale, she close her narration, seeing with tears a statue of the Virgin Mary holding her dead son, in a specific cathedral of Italy. The mom didn't come back and the writer suggested her death.

Her narrative method was a bit unique: she used the "you" instead of "I" when she made sentences. It seems to make me think more of myself. Recently, I heard the news that this novel would be published in the U.S next year. I'm very curious about that how perfectly it'll be translated into English. It might not easy to describe complex feelings to a Korean traditional mom. The lost mother is my mom's generation; they are naturally devoted to their families with sacrificing themselves. While reading it, I've also thought of my mom, my own family members and myself.

Mymom was also a working mom: she was an elementary school teacher. Although she is now over 70, she has been always strong. Whenever I am in a trouble, I think of her, "If she were in my shoes, how would she react?" Like writer's younger sister, I've experienced of wishing to escape from the mom's role.

This morning, when I complained to her about my oldest son’s behavior, she told me that the time would fly even in a terrible situation.