fallback texthttps://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/730395235146006548/1326298204458975453/d0caeebac0ba400384c6ff9dbb13533c.jpg?ex=677eeaf5is=677d9975hm=d84abe20e5970522d753d6d1dd9485a9994bdb88969927a65d6ba23cde7d15df Exactly where... did our sadness begin? Spoilers ahead Purely subjective review Goodbye Mom is a bittersweet story that explores the difficulties of parentchild relationships coping with grief and intergenerational trauma. We follow Eunyoung as she copes with the news of her mothers death. But the news leaves her even more distraught as she harbors deep resentment towards her mother whom she perceives as cold and heartless. Grieving however means confronting all the memories both good and bad of the deceased. When Eunyoung discovers her mothers diary her ghost begins to appear in her home. Between past and present this story shows us the importance of memories in our lives their transience and questions the complexity of motherdaughter relationships. As Eunyoung tries to get to know her mother better she touches us with her human and contradictory feelings: wanting her mother to give her the same smile as in her old photos. Being angry that someone else was able to make her happy where she failed but at the same time being relieved. Resenting that she raised her coldly but understanding that she never knew a mothers love. Realizing how much she failed to do with or for her mother who once gone leaving only regrets. On the other hand we discover the difficulties of Heesung Eunyoungs friend who grew up in a loving home close to her mother but now carries the weight of her mothers sacrifices. Heesung knows the ambivalence of wanting to separate from her mother without abandoning her. Sometimes she finds her mother a burden and wishes to live independently but she cant imagine life without her. Having always relied on her mother its now time for her to support her. I really enjoyed this story. I think the subjects are well dealt with and can resonate with a lot of people. Its not a onedimensional story: in addition to Eunyoungs point of view we discover that of Heesung who at first glance seems to have an ideal relationship with his mother. But this relationship though based on love also brings its share of difficulties. We also explore the relationship between Eunyoungs grandmother and mother: the love was there but it could never be expressed in a healthy way and never reached her. It was particularly interesting to see Eunyoungs mothers journey into motherhood a rarely explored theme. This story shows that maternal love is not always instinctive but can be cultivated. It deals well with the impact of generational trauma. As Eunyoung delves into her mothers past she discovers the extent to which she has been affected by her own experiences. Despite her efforts to raise her daughter differently certain traumas remain difficult to overcome. Similarly we see how Eunyoung has unconsciously adopted behaviors inherited from her mother. In short Goodbye Mom is a story about coming to terms with grief and the complexity of motherdaughter relationships a stage that is often difficult because it is accompanied by contradictory feelings. These themes are treated with aptness and depth in this manhwa making the story deeply touching. All the characters love in imperfect ways and express that love in even more imperfect ways but its still love. On a personal note this read had a very strong resonance for me. Having had to deal with bereavement at the same time I found myself in Eunyoung. In discussing it with a friend I also realized that we shared this desire to meet the younger version of our mothers and become friends with them. Growing up we only know our parents as parents. But as we discover unsuspected facets of their lives we begin to see them as multifaceted individuals.