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leweylibrary's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I was going to, and I'm so glad it was one I read on the way to Japan! The writing was so profound, and I just adored the characters, even if they were kind of hot messes lol. Both stories talked a lot about family and personal growth and change, and I basically highlighted the entire book with quotes I liked lol. Also, I know the way the trans character is written if a bit controversial, especially now, but for when this book was written it's absolutely wild that this character was even written in the first place, and she's still one of my favorites.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Sexism, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Transphobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Death
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.0
Read this as part of my book club’s March pick. It wasn’t on my TBR before and I didn’t know much about it going in.
What I liked:
•Short and quick read
What I liked:
•Short and quick read
•Interesting looks at loss and grief
•I enjoyed the second story much more which is why I gave it 3 ⭐️s
•Even though “Moonlight Shadow” was shorter I somehow felt more emotion and connection with those characters than with the characters of the “Kitchen” novella
•I finished it 😂
What I didn’t like:
•Characters felt one dimensional and writing was just okay; I felt bored at times and found myself speed reading the last 30 pages of Kitchen
•Transphobic af-lots of misgendering and deadnaming-
Eriko is a trans woman and her son described her life story by saying that after her wife died she asked herself “what do I do now?I want to be cheerfully uplifted so I’ll become a woman” as if that’s something you just decide on a whim?!
•Also her son outed her to the MC upon the first time they meet. Throughout the book they make jokes at Eriko’s expense where they continue to misgender her. I’m not sure if this was intentional by the author or if it’s a translation issue but the trans rep is poorly portrayed.
•I finished it 😂
What I didn’t like:
•Characters felt one dimensional and writing was just okay; I felt bored at times and found myself speed reading the last 30 pages of Kitchen
•Transphobic af-lots of misgendering and deadnaming-
Eriko is a trans woman and her son described her life story by saying that after her wife died she asked herself “what do I do now?I want to be cheerfully uplifted so I’ll become a woman” as if that’s something you just decide on a whim?!
•Also her son outed her to the MC upon the first time they meet. Throughout the book they make jokes at Eriko’s expense where they continue to misgender her. I’m not sure if this was intentional by the author or if it’s a translation issue but the trans rep is poorly portrayed.
•Won’t be a memorable read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Hate crime, Outing, Transphobia, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexism and Body shaming
Minor: Deadnaming
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