The Last Story of Mina Lee | A Mystery and Immigrant Story

3.5/5 stars

Margot Lee is 26 years old and travelling to LA to find her mother, Mina. Mina hasn’t been in contact and when Margot finally reaches her childhood home, she discovers her mother dead. To try and figure out what happened, Margot begins a journey into her mother’s past and learns things about both of them along the way. 

I wanted to love this. I always have really high hopes for books that offer representation. While this was an intriguing read and I enjoyed the mystery, I had a really hard time relating to Margot. Mina’s story captivated me the most and I almost wish it was only told from her timeline. 

Because I learned a lot about Mina through her daughter’s perspective, the story just didn’t work for me. If I had liked Margot better, I think it would have been a hit. I do feel for Margot as she navigates America as the daughter of an undocumented immigrant, her perspective wasn’t compelling enough for me to really connect. 

Overall, this is still a solid debut novel. It offers a unique immigrant story, one that is more than just a mystery but a complex view of family and the American Dream.