Reviews for Kintsugi Woman

In the 1960s when Annuii is two, she’s left with her grandmother in Hong Kong while her parents immigrate to Canada. She is loved and cherished by Grandmother Jong, but when she’s reunited with her parents in Vancouver two years later, her mother tells her she is worthless because she’s a girl. Her childhood is spent under a disgruntled and abusive mother and a weak father who’s addicted to gambling. Without receiving parental love as a child, Annuii begins a quest, searching for affection elsewhere. This leads to disillusionment, but can Annuii examine her bad choices and start again?

This is a bold memoir of the pitfalls that often face children who immigrate to a new land. This honest portrayal and the conditions many immigrants face was an eye opener to me and I couldn’t put the book down.

Kintsugi, a work of auto-fiction by first-generation Chinese Canadian Ming Louie Stein, takes its title from the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the cracks with lacquer mixed with gold. It is an apt metaphor for the story of a so-called “worthless” daughter who reclaims her broken self and succeeds in finding new ways not to just live, but to thrive.

Overall, Kintsugi is an astonishing debut. The characters are vividly portrayed and the dialogue, whether recalled from memory or crafted to fit the story, is expertly constructed. In the end, Stein has produced a story of hope, resilience, and transformation. I am truly in awe.

Kintsugi: A Woman: Worthless to Gold is a powerful and emotional story about a girl growing up in a home filled with fear, not love. Set in 1960s Vancouver, the book follows her journey from a bright, spirited child to a young woman who loses confidence after years of abuse from her mother.

This book is honest, heartbreaking, and at times uplifting. The writing is simple but strong, and the message is clear: even if you’ve been made to feel worthless, you can still become whole again. Just like the art of kintsugi—where broken pottery is repaired with gold—the author shows us that healing doesn’t erase the cracks, but makes them part of a more beautiful story.

When Annuii (the daughter) rejoins her parents in Canada (at 4yo) after being raised by her grandmother in China, she soon realizes she’s unwanted by her mother. This story follows Annuii, a first generation immigrant, as she grows up in a difficult and abusive family environment, becoming a woman and a mother herself, while struggling to grow out from under the dark aspects of her childhood. Everyone Annuii connects with is clearly their own person with their own story/problems. Annuii becomes entwined with each, even if just for a time, and their story shapes hers and her growth into who she becomes. The author mixes the good and bad together in such a natural way. “Kintsugi: A Woman: Worthless to Gold” is an engaging read with inspiring insights.

Kintsugi: A Woman is a deeply moving account of trauma, identity, and the quiet strength it takes to rebuild after being broken. Ming Louie Stein writes with raw honesty and emotional depth, revealing not only her personal story but the generational wounds passed down through silence and tradition.

Told with grace and unflinching candor, this memoir explores the cost of being labeled a “worthless daughter,” the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, and the resilience found in naming pain and choosing to heal. Like the art of kintsugi, Stein doesn’t hide her cracks she fills them with gold.

An unforgettable and necessary read for anyone exploring themes of identity, generational trauma, and the quiet power of survival.

This is an enduring and heartwarming story of one woman’s determination to not only survive, but thrive serious abuse. It is also a story of an immigrant family new to Canada and the cultural restrictions that often block access to help. Kudos to Ming Louie Stein for her brave honesty and talented story telling abilities.

A inspirational read for anyone who suffers silently from a childhood scarred by abuse.