this one had my interest right away but ultimately lost it a bit! the writing was really impressive but also meandering and longwinded in a way that was hard to stay focused on at times.

still an enjoyable read and an interesting exploration of family, identity and community.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Full Rating: 4.75 stars rounded up

In Woman of Interest, Tracy O’Neill offers readers an introspective and haunting memoir that navigates the complexities of adoption, identity, and the relentless search for self-understanding. At its core, the memoir documents O’Neill’s journey to find her Korean birth mother, a quest that she embarks upon in her thirties after a lifetime of being raised by her American adoptive parents. This search, catalyzed by the looming threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, reveals itself to be as much about reconnecting with her birth mother as it is about rediscovering parts of herself long buried under the layers of her adopted identity.

O’Neill’s writing is both philosophically reflective and creatively inventive, weaving a narrative that feels deeply personal yet universally resonant. She delves into the isolating experience of being an adoptee—how it distances her not only from her roots but also from those around her who cannot fully grasp the urgency of her need to find her birth mother. The narrative is rich with introspection, as O’Neill explores the void left by her cultural disconnection, a gap that only widens as she confronts the realities of the American adoption industry and its often exploitative practices.

One of the most compelling aspects of O’Neill’s memoir is her exploration of ancestry and lineage as fundamental components of identity. The discovery of a distant cousin through a DNA test propels O’Neill to Korea, where she hopes to piece together the fragments of her past. Her journey is fraught with challenges, from navigating language barriers to reconciling her dual identities—one tied to her natal family and the other to her adoptive one. The revelation of her Korean name serves as a poignant symbol of the intersection between language, identity, and belonging, further complicating her sense of self.

Despite the eventual reunion with her birth mother and the siblings she never knew, O’Neill finds that the void within her remains. Her memoir poignantly illustrates that the pursuit of one’s truth and lineage does not necessarily lead to closure or completion. Instead, it highlights the fluidity of family, suggesting that the bonds we choose to form can be as meaningful as those we are born into.

Woman of Interest is a layered and contemplative narrative that blends lyrical prose with sharp, analytical observations. O’Neill’s use of intricate sentence structures and vivid metaphors invites readers into a space where vulnerability and philosophical reflection coexist. This memoir is not just a recounting of events but a meditation on the complexities of identity, the struggle for belonging, and the tension between societal expectations and personal freedom.

In conclusion, Woman of Interest is a deeply moving and thought-provoking memoir that masterfully captures the intricacies of identity, family, and the quest for self-knowledge. O'Neill's exploration of her own "mommy issues" is both intimate and universal, offering readers a raw and honest portrayal of the emotional turmoil that accompanies the search for one's origins. Her journey is marked by a profound vulnerability, and her ability to articulate the complex emotions tied to adoption and cultural dislocation is nothing short of remarkable. I found myself completely engrossed in O'Neill's story, admiring her courage to confront these deeply personal issues with such clarity and eloquence. This memoir is a testament to the power of self-exploration and the relentless pursuit of truth, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who appreciates a narrative that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant.

📖 Recommended For: Readers who enjoy introspective and lyrical memoirs, those interested in the intersections of adoption, identity, and cultural heritage, fans of philosophical explorations of self-discovery, and admirers of Maggie Nelson’s The Red Parts.

🔑 Key Themes: Adoption and Identity, Cultural Dislocation, Ancestry and Lineage, Self-Discovery and Belonging, Familial Bonds and Emotional Exploration.

Content / Trigger Warnings: Miscarriage (minor), Pandemic (severe), Cancer (minor), Drug Use (minor), Animal Death (severe), Racism (minor), Rape (minor), Suicide (moderate), Mental Illness (minor), Medical Content (minor), Infidelity (minor), Death of parent (minor), Drug Abuse (minor), Abortion (minor).

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i liked this one well enough. i thought the way the author made a memoir into kind of a mystery was a brilliant idea.

Tracy O'Neill has written a strikingly honest account of the search for her birth mother in Korea. Her prose got me hooked and I could not stop reading.

Such an interesting book! I was very drawn in by the mother/daughter plot as well as the way the book lays out the idea of searching and sleuthing. A wonderful blend of genres and modes.

Oof. This was such a frustrating read because I really wanted to like it. I love memoirs and the premise of this one is really interesting: An adopted Korean woman trying to find her birth mother and all of the challenges - internal and external - that go along with that search. In reality, the writing is so stream of consciousness, and the sentences often long and convoluted, that it was difficult (and exhausting) to follow. I really don’t like to DNF books, but I had to fight the urge from about the first quarter of the book onwards. I kept thinking it would get better, but instead it deteriorated as she made the trip to South Korea to finally meet up with her birth mother. And, I’m not really sure how the entire searching/meeting/knowing experience actually affected her own life going forward…maybe I missed it?

Thank you Harper One and NetGalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Where does a woman go on her own?”
O’Neill—Korean-born, American-raised—knows very little about her birth mother and until 2020, didn’t much care but now she wants some answers. Who is this elusive woman?

The fact that O’Neill knows so little about her mother and hasn’t heard a thing about her in over thirty years, there isn’t much hope of new information but determined as she is, she hires a private investigator to find her “woman of interest”. When that line goes cold, O’Neill sets out to South Korea on her own.

A fascinating memoir in premise but an exhausting read in reality. With prose so clunky, meandering, and edges jutting every which way, it made it difficult to find a flow while reading or to even enjoy. The author seemed detached from the writing and the whole book felt impersonal. A chore to finish.

Thank you Harper One and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Available 06/25/2024

This was slow going at first but ultimately an interesting look at international adoption. It was also a peek at how hard it is when you build your whole identity around communication but end up in a situation where you literally don't have the words to communicate clearly at all. I did appreciate her exploration of the concept of "home".

Tracy O'Neill has written a brilliant memoir on her journey of locating her birth mother in Korea under the backdrop of the COVID 19 pandemic. Her writing is instantly captivating and kept me wanting to continue with her story, even though, truthfully, I didn't remember requesting this memoir, but her perspective and story is fascinating. Additionally, there is so little representation of AAPI adoptees working to find their birth parents, and this memoir details why this can be such a challenging undertaking.

Throughout, her existing relationships are woven into the story - her network of friends, her partner at the time, N, and her adoptive mom. Her characterizations of everyone are incisive and I had so many highlights throughout of fantastic quotes. When referring to the overwhelming experience of meeting her birth mother and family in Korea all while dealing with a language barrier - she says " I don't hate her at all. I am just drowning in her" I think it was also particularly poignant that she later refers to keeping up her relationships with friends overseas that "This is what we give each other at a distance: language" further underscoring the challenges associated the language barrier with her Korean family

Tracy also explores what "home" means - and sometimes, many of the times, home is your dog, something I relate to heavily and a theme that reprised.

I very much recommend the book. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher, HarperOne, for the advanced copy.

Love the mystery, the sense of adventure, the taut storyline. Beautiful writing and a reckoning with family and identity through the lense of an an Asian American adoptee. I love memoir that reads almost like fiction, and this hit the mark! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

i did not finish this book. The writing was excellent although there are a lot of sentences that were SO long and meandering it became frustrating to read. Most likely others won't have this issue. I just wasn't gripped by the story or invested in the outcome enough to keep reading. I don't post negative reviews, so I'm just sharing this here.