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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
inspiring
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:
Yes
This was one of the most beautifully written thing I've read ever! I can't begin to express how much I loved this book, it's going to live in my heart as one of my favourite books of all time. The unlikely friendships were sweet and wholesome and warmed my heart, the ending was sad but lovely all at once. I definitely shed a tear or two at the end it was bitter sweet but so perfectly written that you can't even complain.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
I went into this book blind and ended up loving it! I love how it gave a voice to a community I didn’t even know existed. The struggles they went through were awful, but Tokue’s mindset was so inspiring and beautiful.
‘The only way to get over barriers is to live in the spirit of already being over them.’
That line really stuck with me, because sometimes getting through tough stuff feels impossible, and it’s easy to want to give up. But thinking like you’ve already made it past the challenge is such a good mindset to have.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Yes
emotional
informative
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:
Yes
fast-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
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:
Yes
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book. One of the ways I saw it described was "Touching, unconventional friendships made through food" which isn't wrong, but it doesn't capture the true heart of the story.
Where sweet bean paste and dorayaki is what brings our main characters together, it's so much more than just a cozy little story about friendship and cooking. With flawed, difficult characters struggling to find a reason to live, it tackles the difficulties of starting over from rock bottom, whether that's prison, poverty, or leprosy. The focus on an elderly character who once had leprosy/Hansen's disease is also a first for me and it was written with such care. We see how the public still reacts to former patients who had Hansen's disease and how the friendship between Sentarou and Tokue and Wakana let them see past those barriers and fight to stay connected, even when all they could talk about was baking.
Every character had flaws. They were difficult and real and complicated and so, so relatable. My heart ached for all of them, even when I didn't like them (the owner............ ugh) and the little bits and pieces we get to see of their lives/backstory added to the depth of their relationships and said much about how they ended up where they were.
I don't want to say too much and give away all the emotional points of the novel, so I'll leave it at this: when you feel hopeless and lost and like there's no reason to keep going, this is the novel that will hold your hand and gently tell you to keep going.
Where sweet bean paste and dorayaki is what brings our main characters together, it's so much more than just a cozy little story about friendship and cooking. With flawed, difficult characters struggling to find a reason to live, it tackles the difficulties of starting over from rock bottom, whether that's prison, poverty, or leprosy. The focus on an elderly character who once had leprosy/Hansen's disease is also a first for me and it was written with such care. We see how the public still reacts to former patients who had Hansen's disease and how the friendship between Sentarou and Tokue and Wakana let them see past those barriers and fight to stay connected, even when all they could talk about was baking.
Every character had flaws. They were difficult and real and complicated and so, so relatable. My heart ached for all of them, even when I didn't like them (the owner............ ugh) and the little bits and pieces we get to see of their lives/backstory added to the depth of their relationships and said much about how they ended up where they were.
I don't want to say too much and give away all the emotional points of the novel, so I'll leave it at this: when you feel hopeless and lost and like there's no reason to keep going, this is the novel that will hold your hand and gently tell you to keep going.
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Suicide attempt