Scan barcode
brunareadsbooks's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? No
4.0
This felt fragmented at times but so so sweet. A light ready despite it's not so light themes. Main character has a lovely voice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Hate crime, Transphobia, and Murder
Minor: Suicide attempt
rueys's review
3.0
moonlight shadow was so good :]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Transphobia, and Death
saomah5566's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Transphobia, Mental illness, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Car accident, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
bethanwx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Death, and Death of parent
annabella's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
There is so much death!!! It’s a book about peace and loneliness. And the warm hug and comfort that kitchens and food from or with others can offer. And dreams. I felt the love story was written beautiful and not overly graphic or sentimental which made it kinda more intimate and personal to these characters, not for us as readers? As in it wasn’t a love story about two characters really and I liked that. The amount of joy that the character got from seeing a kitchen or eating delicious ramen was very wholesome and lovely and joyful too. But then the darker bits were also like hugs - as as they became lonelier they also forged connections with more people who supported them. The last bit made me cry:
Hitoshi:
I'll never be able to be here again. As the minutes slide by, I move on. The flow of time is something I cannot stop. I haven't a choice. I go.
One caravan has stopped, another starts up. There are people I have yet to meet, others I'll never see again.
People who are gone before you know it, people who are just passing through. Even as we exchange hellos, they seem to grow transparent. I must keep living with the flowing river before my eyes.
I earnestly pray that a trace of my girl-child self will always be with you.
For waving good-bye, I thank you.
It’s a short read and I thought the final section was less engaging, maybe as less food was involved, but the mystery of the river drew it forward. I have a lot of love for Hitoshi and the other characters. I couldn’t really place them in the social world though like their school background and stuff, but I didn’t feel I needed to.
Edit: omg reading reviews I realised that in my stunted reading journey of this book it’s in fact two different stories with two sets of characters ngl I was confused why I didn’t recognise the names and stuff but put it down to my own tiredness 😭 well hey I think I preferred Kitchen. But liked both!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Transphobia
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Violence
chellyfishing's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Transphobia, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Murder and Car accident
fringedyke's review
emotional
sad
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
4.5
This is such a heartfelt read. It covers topics such as family, grief and love, and how all of those things look different over time. I love the way Yoshimoto describes things. Will be reading again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Suicide
clovetra's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
i went into this thinking i'd love this. but sadly i didn't :(
i have such varying thoughts on both of the novellas included inside this book, so i'm going to separate my thoughts;
kitchen was.. alright! i got quite bored and felt there was no underlying story or message. none of the characters appeared interesting to me except eriko. i understood there was supposed to be a message or theme to grasp, but i couldn't. sure grief was there, but it felt almost secondary, and there was just no overarching purpose to the story, and i found it such a slog. i enjoyed some parts, such as when mikage is at work or as she converses with eriko, but other than that, i did not enjoy this story. on its own this story is a strong 1/5 for me.
i loved moonlight shadow. i would've much preferred if this was the longer one out of the two novellas. it felt like everyone was character was well-written, and i thoroughly enjoyed the story and the voice employed. the theme of grief and holding on was very prominent here, and written wonderfully. the ending was sweet, and i enjoyed how grief was portrayed here. i also love the presence of urara, she was a great addition to this story, as well as hiiragi. solid 3/5
honestly, even though i quite enjoyed moonlight shadow, it's only 40 pages out of a 150 page book. kitchen took up way too much of this novel to rate this book highly.
overall i think my issue was how kitchen felt lacklustre, vague, and said nothing about the themes i could see it was trying to portray. moonlight shadow came and brought my overall opinion of the book up, but because it was less than half of the book, i still would say i didn't enjoy myself here, which is a shame because i was looking forward to this read. oh well! lets hope the next banana yoshimoto book i read is one i enjoy </3
i have such varying thoughts on both of the novellas included inside this book, so i'm going to separate my thoughts;
kitchen was.. alright! i got quite bored and felt there was no underlying story or message. none of the characters appeared interesting to me except eriko. i understood there was supposed to be a message or theme to grasp, but i couldn't. sure grief was there, but it felt almost secondary, and there was just no overarching purpose to the story, and i found it such a slog. i enjoyed some parts, such as when mikage is at work or as she converses with eriko, but other than that, i did not enjoy this story. on its own this story is a strong 1/5 for me.
i loved moonlight shadow. i would've much preferred if this was the longer one out of the two novellas. it felt like everyone was character was well-written, and i thoroughly enjoyed the story and the voice employed. the theme of grief and holding on was very prominent here, and written wonderfully. the ending was sweet, and i enjoyed how grief was portrayed here. i also love the presence of urara, she was a great addition to this story, as well as hiiragi. solid 3/5
honestly, even though i quite enjoyed moonlight shadow, it's only 40 pages out of a 150 page book. kitchen took up way too much of this novel to rate this book highly.
overall i think my issue was how kitchen felt lacklustre, vague, and said nothing about the themes i could see it was trying to portray. moonlight shadow came and brought my overall opinion of the book up, but because it was less than half of the book, i still would say i didn't enjoy myself here, which is a shame because i was looking forward to this read. oh well! lets hope the next banana yoshimoto book i read is one i enjoy </3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Hate crime, Death, and Transphobia
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Blood, Stalking, Animal death, and Injury/Injury detail
yelloweyedbeta's review
dark
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
i was yet again reminded of why i don’t usually read those kind of books. they’re just not my cup of tea, doesn’t mean it was a bad book. some terms that were being used from the author/translator didn’t sit right with me but i read the comments and i came prepared. i wish mikage and yuichi nothing but the best, that they get through whatever together.
“as i grow older, much older, i will experience many things, and I will hit rock bottom again and again. again and again i will suffer; again and again i will get back on my feet. i will not be defeated. i won't let my spirit be destroyed.”
“as i grow older, much older, i will experience many things, and I will hit rock bottom again and again. again and again i will suffer; again and again i will get back on my feet. i will not be defeated. i won't let my spirit be destroyed.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism
dmellifera's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Transphobia
Moderate: Mental illness