Reviews

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

brobee's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious

5.0

lamiafk's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 - writing was great, plot lacking.

coffeemybook's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Kitchen is better than Moonlight Shadow

saltycoffee's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Stalking, and Murder

Minor: Car accident

peoniesarenice's review against another edition

4.0

This was such a beautiful read. What stuck with me was Mikage saying, “when was it I realized that, on this truly dark and solitary path we all walk, the only way we can light is our own?” It’s always like that when processing grief, having to deal with the unbearable consequences of being left. Grief can truly be an isolating experience. I love how the characters for both stories were able to encounter people they can share the loss of their beloveds with. Because in the solitary path wherein we can only light our own, there is a portion of that light that lands on & touches the spaces of others- still, anchored by the same grief, people we can share and slowly navigate the hopefulness that awaits us with. There is life, there are people, and places we have yet to embark on.

urani_a's review against another edition

4.5

really good, really sweet. puts things into perspective, i’m still a child who hasn’t experienced much at all. i hope one day i read through this once again and feel. I’ve felt this way about most of the books i’ve read recently. today, life is good.

veebee257's review

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

sabainie's review against another edition

3.0

Veel mooie quotes en passages in Kitchen [3.5⭐️]. Het tweede verhaal, Moonlight Shadow, vond ik niet zo sterk. [2.5⭐️].  

Paar stukjes uit Kitchen die ik mooi vond/me raakte:

“De wereld was immens groot, zijn duisternis was zo donker, en onlangs was ik voor het eerst met deze handen en deze ogen in aanraking gekomen met zijn eindeloze verleidingen en eenzaamheid.”

“Haar uitstraling was tegelijk doordrongen van en meedogenloze eenzaamheid.”

“Hoewel ik liefdevol was opgevoed, had ik me altijd eenzaam gevoeld.”

“Ik had niet het gevoel dat ik verdrietig was over its specifieks, eerder dat ik gewoon even om aller-lei dingen wilde huilen.”

“Ik zal verder groeien, nog van alles meemaken, en meerdere keren tot de bodem zinken. Meerdere malen zal ik lijden en er keer op keer bovenop komen. Ik geef me niet gewonnen. Ik zal de moed niet verliezen.”

“Een groots persoon kan door alleen maar aanwezig te zijn stralen en licht werpen op de harten van de mensen om hen heen. En op het moment dat dat licht gedoofd is, daalt er een onbestaanbaar zware schaduw neer.”

“Mensen bezwijken niet onder omstandigheden en krachten van buitenaf, ze worden van binnenuit verslagen.”

apvb96's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

leviroma's review against another edition

4.0

4.5


written for me i think