This was a sad, but a somewhat relatable read. The comments we hear Valerie's mom say over and over again, are things I've heard a lot growing up. It's just built into our cultures and communities and such a normal part of our lives we don't really think about it. Watching Valerie struggle with being "obedient" and "good" while also trying to love herself was a huge mood. I think the message we get at the end was a nice balance between "yeah her mom is loving her the best way she knows how", which is a common immigrant experience, yet "she probably won't change or see reason" so the most important thing to do is love yourself the way you wish the people around you would love you. It's also kind of sad and depressing when you think about it because your parents should love you without you having to change anything about yourself, but it's a reality many of us face. I liked seeing Valerie moving out and starting to take care of herself and her healing journey. It reminded me of myself in many ways too. 

Also, I absolutely loved the illustrations and colour scheme for this book! It was really beautifully done.