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ametakinetos's review
3.0
I mourn the unforgiving reality of translation, as I know the highly contextual and intricate Japanese language cannot have possibly made its way properly into English. The prose appears disconnected and jumpy in many places, alternating between direct translation and using English metaphors in a clashing fashion.
Still, "Kitchen" is a gentle story exploring loss, grief, and healing. Other reviews seemed caught up in the portrayal of Eriko, but I found the imperfection of the language and lack of discussion made it more realistic - especially considering the book's original publication date of 1988. The novella's finer points were subtle and sweet, no sharp edges to be found, instead giving a generally soft and peacefully thought-provoking impression. As someone who has not lost a close loved one, it provided an empathetic perspective into the emotional turmoil and struggles accompanying such an event.
Still, "Kitchen" is a gentle story exploring loss, grief, and healing. Other reviews seemed caught up in the portrayal of Eriko, but I found the imperfection of the language and lack of discussion made it more realistic - especially considering the book's original publication date of 1988. The novella's finer points were subtle and sweet, no sharp edges to be found, instead giving a generally soft and peacefully thought-provoking impression. As someone who has not lost a close loved one, it provided an empathetic perspective into the emotional turmoil and struggles accompanying such an event.
plushie106's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
asterixmj's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.5
amythomas_'s review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
fridayy30's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
annacantcook's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sdbrom's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pppinja's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5