What people are saying…

In Anna Woo’s debut novel, Ma’s pervasive voice shapes Emily’s flawed character and reminds us all of the power that a parent has despite the cultural setting

I loved Anna Woo’s “Her Mother’s Voice”. It is one of those books you can’t help staying up half the night to finish, even though you have to go to work in the morning. So honest, sincere and easy to understand. I have an Eastern European background. I found that the cultural conflicts are very similar. I couldn’t help being grateful to these three women for their courage in letting us watch them try to understand their relationships. As I read, I was frequently reflecting back on my relationship with my late Mother. ( I was crying when I was reading the novel). That was a strange trip down memory lane. What it comes down to in many cases is the need for open, honest communication. Thank you, Anna!

If your mother has ever worried about you, and you’ve worried about turning into your mother, you’ll love Her Mother’s Voice. It’s a wonderful story about how, by becoming ourselves, we often become our ancestors.

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Anna Woo’s “Her Mother’s Voice” engages the reader in the timeless story of a daughter struggling to define herself in the face of her mother’s terminal illness. All mothers and daughters will identify with Emily’s mixed emotions of guilt and love that are part of any close mother/daughter connection; and the journey to define oneself yet remain connected to one’s beloved mother.

Second generation . . . . second chance for mother and daughter to bond. ‘Her Mother’s Voice’ is an honest and painfully genuine story about bridging the generation and cultural gap.

This novel strikes close to my heart, as a second generation Chinese constantly battling with the cultural gap between my adopted world and that of my ancestral world, and the universal message that we truly are the sum of all things that make us who we are. Anna Woo has crafted a beautifully poignant tale.

Emily’s struggle to be her own person vs remaining a dutiful/obedient daughter to her strict “old school” Mother was very real and easy to relate to. Parent/Child dynamics are rarely easy and when you throw in a very difficult health crisis (Ma’s cancer diagnosis), the old hurts and arguments come to the forefront. Emily’s struggle was very real…bravo to Anna Woo for her honest and heartfelt writing.

The story of Emily’s emotional journey to reconcile with her mother, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer, is bound to affect everyone who reads it. The cultural conflicts and parent/child relationship issues are common to all of us.