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Dina Honour is a New Yorker who currently lives in Berlin. She writes books, essays, memoir, and excellent birthday cards.
Reviewed by C.R. Hurst for Readers' Favorite
I have always loved reading memoirs, particularly ones whose authors offer a unique perspective and a quick wit – such is the case in Dina Honour’s It’s A Lot to Unpack. In it, the author examines a life that many might envy, though she fears that such a life may prevent her from leading a more self-driven one. As a wife and mother of two, she follows her husband and his “dumb job” across the world from Cyprus to Denmark to Germany for over fifteen years, while mourning the loss of her dynamic life in her hometown of Brooklyn, NY. However, she learns to adapt to her expatriate life, though she still wonders what might have been – until she ultimately discovers that there is more than one path to happiness and success.
Perhaps what I appreciated the most in this memoir is Dina Honour’s willingness to show herself at her worst. This honesty allowed me to understand her frustration and resentment at not being able to do her “thing” without her knowing what that “thing” might be. Her self-deprecating humor allowed me to laugh at the absurdity of it all. I also appreciated her insights on living abroad, especially those concerning Copenhagen. The sense of community she finds there makes her question her NYC ways and finally gives her the confidence to do her own thing while still being the best mother, wife, and friend she can be. I finished reading It’s A Lot to Unpack wishing her only the best – as all unforgettable memoirs should do.
