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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I don’t really have much to say about this at all - characteristic silence at book club may be on its way.
kitchen is basically a novella and a short story both concerning grief and sadness. Both are fairly twee and a little saccharine for my taste. Feels a bit like reading a story for very small children but with more words and death. It’s just not to my taste.
Perfectly nice but there’s nothing much to it bar the whole make the most of what’s in front of you/appreciate the little things sort of cliches masquerading as profundity that you’d find in a cheap hallmark sympathy card. No thanks. 2/5
kitchen is basically a novella and a short story both concerning grief and sadness. Both are fairly twee and a little saccharine for my taste. Feels a bit like reading a story for very small children but with more words and death. It’s just not to my taste.
Perfectly nice but there’s nothing much to it bar the whole make the most of what’s in front of you/appreciate the little things sort of cliches masquerading as profundity that you’d find in a cheap hallmark sympathy card. No thanks. 2/5
I really enjoyed this heartbreaking book, it really encompassed all the complicated feelings of grief and relationships in a way that still felt totally relevant nearly forty years on
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
great exploration of grief and loss, and finding someone to share that with in some weird way
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've reread this one many times, and I still enjoy each experience. Sad but uplifting, reflective, grapples with emotions after a loss.
A really bleak yet hopeful, sad yet beautiful book. It was definitely really cold and dark at the beginnings of each chapter (especially chapter 2 which pulls no punches) but at the end always try to wrap up with a more lighter message. The main things being about the loss of people you love and dealing with loneliness and despair and yet still continuing to connect with other people.
Because I'm still learning Japanese I didn't really get that Chapter 3 was a totally different story until after I finished the book. I was completely confused why the protagonist and seemingly all the characters changed but I, for some reason, thought it was a flashback instead. It didn't stop me from enjoying it though. It's a beautiful story in itself.
「刻々と足を進める。それは止めることのできない時間の流れだから、仕方ない。私は行きます。」
"As the minutes slide by, I move on. The flow of time is something I cannot stop. I haven't a choice. I go. "
Not quite what the Japanese says but close enough. I doubted my own written translation and in looking up the english version I realized that even the last line of the book is different between versions.
手を振ってくれて、ありがとう。何度も、何度も手を振ってくれたこと、ありがとう。
"For waving good-bye, I thank you. "
Which misses the second sentence completely. "For waving, countlessly, countlessly, thank you."
I feel the second sentence softens the ending and I wonder why it was removed.
I've never read this book in English and this is the first time I would ever experience the original language and a translated edition but it was definitely eye-opening. It also made me really appreciate being able to read in the original language even more. It also makes me re-think the Japanese books I read in English. Some of which I disliked because I felt that the sentences felt stunted...
Because I'm still learning Japanese I didn't really get that Chapter 3 was a totally different story until after I finished the book. I was completely confused why the protagonist and seemingly all the characters changed but I, for some reason, thought it was a flashback instead. It didn't stop me from enjoying it though. It's a beautiful story in itself.
「刻々と足を進める。それは止めることのできない時間の流れだから、仕方ない。私は行きます。」
"As the minutes slide by, I move on. The flow of time is something I cannot stop. I haven't a choice. I go. "
Not quite what the Japanese says but close enough. I doubted my own written translation and in looking up the english version I realized that even the last line of the book is different between versions.
手を振ってくれて、ありがとう。何度も、何度も手を振ってくれたこと、ありがとう。
"For waving good-bye, I thank you. "
Which misses the second sentence completely. "For waving, countlessly, countlessly, thank you."
I feel the second sentence softens the ending and I wonder why it was removed.
I've never read this book in English and this is the first time I would ever experience the original language and a translated edition but it was definitely eye-opening. It also made me really appreciate being able to read in the original language even more. It also makes me re-think the Japanese books I read in English. Some of which I disliked because I felt that the sentences felt stunted...
A surprisingly heart-warming read on love, death and grief felt by those left behind.