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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Content Warnings
Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide
This book treats very sensitive topics with a lot of sensitivity. The overall impression is that of a dream-like few months. Such a great read!
3.5 stars.
I'm glad I finally found the time to read another novel by Banana Yoshimoto. I picked up 'Kitchen' on a whim because the cover and blurb intrigued me, and it was a fantastic find. And who can resist an author using the pseudonym 'Banana'?
'NP' was a quick and easy read, and it didn't take long for me to become immersed in the Japanese summer she depicted throughout the novel. It seemed to me more like a novella or short story in terms of its limited amount of characters and one specific setting. I really did feel a part of that season though, and suddenly spring and even summer don't seem that far off.
The subjects touched upon in this novel are somewhat taboo, and won't be to everyone's taste. However, it was interesting to see them written about in such a matter-of-fact way. Of course, Yoshimoto's writing style helped. Her way of writing is so lyrical and beautiful, it really does transport you. I could practically feel the warm sunshine radiating off the pages.
The only area where I felt the book fell flat a little was some of the characters. I liked Kazami as a narrator, and enjoyed her simple way of life. I also liked her friend Saki. However, the characters of Otohiko and Sui were harder to connect with, particularly Sui. I imagine her character to be one that you are meant to find difficult to like. Her changes in mood and odd manner at times irritated me, and at other times made me feel intensely sorry for her. I got the feeling that Kazami was also feeling the same thing. I just didn't feel the strong urge to stay with her that Kazami did, which was a shame.
The novel is of course beautifully written, but with such a minimalist plot, I felt that the characters needed to be a lot more engaging than they were. It was still an enjoyable read however, and if you are interested in checking out more of Yoshimoto's work, this is a nice, simple read.
I'm glad I finally found the time to read another novel by Banana Yoshimoto. I picked up 'Kitchen' on a whim because the cover and blurb intrigued me, and it was a fantastic find. And who can resist an author using the pseudonym 'Banana'?
'NP' was a quick and easy read, and it didn't take long for me to become immersed in the Japanese summer she depicted throughout the novel. It seemed to me more like a novella or short story in terms of its limited amount of characters and one specific setting. I really did feel a part of that season though, and suddenly spring and even summer don't seem that far off.
The subjects touched upon in this novel are somewhat taboo, and won't be to everyone's taste. However, it was interesting to see them written about in such a matter-of-fact way. Of course, Yoshimoto's writing style helped. Her way of writing is so lyrical and beautiful, it really does transport you. I could practically feel the warm sunshine radiating off the pages.
The only area where I felt the book fell flat a little was some of the characters. I liked Kazami as a narrator, and enjoyed her simple way of life. I also liked her friend Saki. However, the characters of Otohiko and Sui were harder to connect with, particularly Sui. I imagine her character to be one that you are meant to find difficult to like. Her changes in mood and odd manner at times irritated me, and at other times made me feel intensely sorry for her. I got the feeling that Kazami was also feeling the same thing. I just didn't feel the strong urge to stay with her that Kazami did, which was a shame.
The novel is of course beautifully written, but with such a minimalist plot, I felt that the characters needed to be a lot more engaging than they were. It was still an enjoyable read however, and if you are interested in checking out more of Yoshimoto's work, this is a nice, simple read.
Disfruté la historia pero no siento que me lleve mucho. Aún así, el personaje de Sui probablemente lo voy a recordar.
Super vibey and unhinged. I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing. 3.5 overall, would be 4 but sometimes the dialogue is a bit too jarring/obviously translated. A good, enjoyable read
Beautifully crafted and such a pleasure to read. An author who really knows how to describe and observe life with tenderness.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hay cierta estética y los temas son interesantes, pero distan mucho de estar completamente desarrollados. A pesar de que las escenas intentaban estar cargadas de emoción, me era imposible conectar con los personajes. La calidad de la obra es muy inferior a kitchen desde mi punto de vista. Por otro lado, es el libro más extremadamente problemático que he leído este año y la autora es una mujer? No hubiera ganado esa apuesta.
“Todas las diferentes personas que hay en este mundo tienen derecho a vivir como crean y donde quieran, sin sentirse amedrentadas por nadie” . Mhmmm cariño hay lítimes.
Recordatorio si tienes quince años y un hombre de más de cuarenta mantiene relaciones sexuales contigo y luego de que descubre ser tu padre las sigue manteniendo, no está mal solo por el hecho de ser incesto, esta mal porque es VIOLACIÓN y el hecho de que este dato no sea mencionado es increíble. De nuevo si un chico que va a la universidad, terminándola casi, pongamosle unos 24 años, mantiene relaciones sexuales con una niña de 15, sigue siendo VIOLACIÓN, no un primer amor, violación. Lo moralmente censurable no es solo el incesto entre los personajes sino el continuo patron de abuso y violación hacia niñas disfrazado como amores pasados y nostalgia. Vale hagamos que el suicidio y el incesto sean cosas normales, surrealismo, perfecto, pero al menos reconoce las violaciones. Última cosa, si una chica le da un beso a otra cuando esta se encuentra dopada por su culpa, no cuenta como relación lesbica inclusive, es ABUSO, gracias.
“Todas las diferentes personas que hay en este mundo tienen derecho a vivir como crean y donde quieran, sin sentirse amedrentadas por nadie” . Mhmmm cariño hay lítimes.
Recordatorio si tienes quince años y un hombre de más de cuarenta mantiene relaciones sexuales contigo y luego de que descubre ser tu padre las sigue manteniendo, no está mal solo por el hecho de ser incesto, esta mal porque es VIOLACIÓN y el hecho de que este dato no sea mencionado es increíble. De nuevo si un chico que va a la universidad, terminándola casi, pongamosle unos 24 años, mantiene relaciones sexuales con una niña de 15, sigue siendo VIOLACIÓN, no un primer amor, violación. Lo moralmente censurable no es solo el incesto entre los personajes sino el continuo patron de abuso y violación hacia niñas disfrazado como amores pasados y nostalgia. Vale hagamos que el suicidio y el incesto sean cosas normales, surrealismo, perfecto, pero al menos reconoce las violaciones. Última cosa, si una chica le da un beso a otra cuando esta se encuentra dopada por su culpa, no cuenta como relación lesbica inclusive, es ABUSO, gracias.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence