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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
floflyy's review against another edition
5.0
Ça va pas Mme Ogawa d'écrire des fins pareilles? Je pense que ce troisième roman de l'autrice a ma préférence pour le moment.
L'attention portée sur toutes les scènes culinaires et bucoliques n'est pas sans me rappeler L'été de la sorcière, lu dernièrement. A contrario, l'histoire y est ici beaucoup plus développée. Comme à son habitude l'autrice façonne des personnages sincères, dans leurs qualités comme dans leurs défauts.
La fin est assez rude et triste, je ne m'y attendais pas vraiment même si je commence à cerner l'ambiance de ces romans, cela reste assez surprenant. J'ai hâte de découvrir un autre texte de l'autrice.
(Rien a voir, mais je répète les éditions Piquier Poche 1) c'est moche 2) c'est pas pratique a lire tellement le dos et la couverture sont rigides)
L'attention portée sur toutes les scènes culinaires et bucoliques n'est pas sans me rappeler L'été de la sorcière, lu dernièrement. A contrario, l'histoire y est ici beaucoup plus développée. Comme à son habitude l'autrice façonne des personnages sincères, dans leurs qualités comme dans leurs défauts.
La fin est assez rude et triste, je ne m'y attendais pas vraiment même si je commence à cerner l'ambiance de ces romans, cela reste assez surprenant. J'ai hâte de découvrir un autre texte de l'autrice.
(Rien a voir, mais je répète les éditions Piquier Poche 1) c'est moche 2) c'est pas pratique a lire tellement le dos et la couverture sont rigides)
fletcherflute's review against another edition
5.0
Probably 4.5-
This was ABSOLUTELY delightful and heartwarming. Ogawa addresses grief in such an interesting and complicated way, and explores the complexity of familial relationships.
If you liked Legends and Lattes, I think this is an unexpected read alike. The story follows a young woman who moves home to her somewhat estranged mother’s house and starts a gourmet restaurant. It’s not fantasy, but there is a hint of magical realism.
There is an aspect of the ending that was a bit bizarre and uncomfortable, but I also could see the beauty in it and what the author was trying to convey. It was unsettling at first, but I saw where she was going.
The letter at the end really wrecked me too. So poignant, but it didn’t feel trite or manipulative. This one is really great.
This was ABSOLUTELY delightful and heartwarming. Ogawa addresses grief in such an interesting and complicated way, and explores the complexity of familial relationships.
If you liked Legends and Lattes, I think this is an unexpected read alike. The story follows a young woman who moves home to her somewhat estranged mother’s house and starts a gourmet restaurant. It’s not fantasy, but there is a hint of magical realism.
There is an aspect of the ending that was a bit bizarre and uncomfortable, but I also could see the beauty in it and what the author was trying to convey. It was unsettling at first, but I saw where she was going.
The letter at the end really wrecked me too. So poignant, but it didn’t feel trite or manipulative. This one is really great.
sun_18's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
oao's review against another edition
This story reads almost like a video game (especially that I’m currently playing Dave the Diver). I read it in a day which is rare for me, but I don’t like the midsection after the restaurant opened for business it gets a little ridiculous.
mlledonut's review against another edition
5.0
Je ne me lasse jamais de Ogawa Ito. Cette façon simple, minimaliste de raconter la vie est assez extraordinaire. Rien n’est là au hasard, de nombreux symboles se cachent dans les scènes les plus banales. Et cette façon de décrire avec révérence les plats, les aliments... j’avais parfois l’impression de pouvoir les goûter.
Un vrai plaisir.
Un vrai plaisir.
apechild's review against another edition
3.0
This is a quiet, slow moving kind of story, where not a lot happens to be honest, but there is something about that, like the slow, careful cooking process. This really is about the love of cooking and good food, so if you're into things like Chocolat, Like Water for Chocolate and other cooking fiction I can't think of, then this is for you - Japanese style!
Rinko comes back from work as a waitress and finds her appartment completely empty. Her boyfriend has taken everything and abandoned her. She is so shocked, so speechless, that she literally isn't able to speak for pretty much the rest of the book and has to communicate by writing things down. She moves back to the sleepy little mountain village she grew up in - with the twin peaks mountains, referred to as breasts on several occasions; so this is all about going back to her estranged mother. Her mother is a mess in the kitchen, and a lively woman who runs a bar and as soon as her daughter left 15 years ago, got herself a pet pig. Rinko ends up looking after this pig, and opening up a little restaurant which she names The Snail. She only takes one customer a day (or a group) and cooks the most amazing meals for them. The process of cooking and the thought behind the food is described in detail. That's most of the book, until the end when her mother admits that she is dying of cancer, and is going to get married to her childhood sweetheart. Mother and daughter reconcile of a sorts, and the mother asks that they eat the pig, Hermes. Rinko with the help of friends slaughters the pig, and there is great detail about what all the various pig bits are used for. This may seem like a grim ending to the story - and then they ate the spoilt little pet of fifteen years - but I think it also shows true appreciation and care of the food. This pig was spoiled rotten and had a great life. Rinko then takes part in the slaughter, so she's fully aware of where the food comes from, active and accepting that for this food, a life must be taken. And then nothing is wasted, so the death was not in vain in any respect. Which seems a lot better than getting a slab of meat out of the freezer, never given a second thought to where its come from.
Rinko comes back from work as a waitress and finds her appartment completely empty. Her boyfriend has taken everything and abandoned her. She is so shocked, so speechless, that she literally isn't able to speak for pretty much the rest of the book and has to communicate by writing things down. She moves back to the sleepy little mountain village she grew up in - with the twin peaks mountains, referred to as breasts on several occasions; so this is all about going back to her estranged mother. Her mother is a mess in the kitchen, and a lively woman who runs a bar and as soon as her daughter left 15 years ago, got herself a pet pig. Rinko ends up looking after this pig, and opening up a little restaurant which she names The Snail. She only takes one customer a day (or a group) and cooks the most amazing meals for them. The process of cooking and the thought behind the food is described in detail. That's most of the book, until the end when her mother admits that she is dying of cancer, and is going to get married to her childhood sweetheart. Mother and daughter reconcile of a sorts, and the mother asks that they eat the pig, Hermes. Rinko with the help of friends slaughters the pig, and there is great detail about what all the various pig bits are used for. This may seem like a grim ending to the story - and then they ate the spoilt little pet of fifteen years - but I think it also shows true appreciation and care of the food. This pig was spoiled rotten and had a great life. Rinko then takes part in the slaughter, so she's fully aware of where the food comes from, active and accepting that for this food, a life must be taken. And then nothing is wasted, so the death was not in vain in any respect. Which seems a lot better than getting a slab of meat out of the freezer, never given a second thought to where its come from.
shawnlindsell's review against another edition
1.0
Disappointed with this. The story suggested by the blurb was not the story told in the novel, which turned out to be more of a list of ingredients and how they were prepared than an actual story.
Things happen, but they seem to be glossed over with such speed that there is nothing there that lets you engage with any of the characters. And I don't believe I've ever seen so many exclamation marks in one book before...
Things happen, but they seem to be glossed over with such speed that there is nothing there that lets you engage with any of the characters. And I don't believe I've ever seen so many exclamation marks in one book before...
mostorosso's review against another edition
1.0
Enough japanese authors for, for a while.
So much food talking, it doesnt make you hungry but sick.
So much food talking, it doesnt make you hungry but sick.