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dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way impacted my final rating.
When the memory of a food brings back a ghost, any chef would strive to create that perfect meal. Especially one who has lost their father.
As you can see from the very high average review, this book is very much for a lot of people. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them.
There is a very distinct writing style in this book, one that places as much emphasis on visual descriptions of the scene as the tastes of the food. While I thought the tasting portions really elevated this story, the languorous pace of the scene-setting struggled to hold my attention. I also didn't feel overly connected to the characters, despite following some of them for years.
Regardless, it would be difficult to argue that this is not one of the most unique fantasy stories of the year. The interplay between food and memory, already such a strong element of cultural appreciation and family history, translated into the summoning of those spirits was presented very powerfully. This is a strongly emotional book, as much about the consequences that follow us into the future as the events of the past.
When the memory of a food brings back a ghost, any chef would strive to create that perfect meal. Especially one who has lost their father.
As you can see from the very high average review, this book is very much for a lot of people. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them.
There is a very distinct writing style in this book, one that places as much emphasis on visual descriptions of the scene as the tastes of the food. While I thought the tasting portions really elevated this story, the languorous pace of the scene-setting struggled to hold my attention. I also didn't feel overly connected to the characters, despite following some of them for years.
Regardless, it would be difficult to argue that this is not one of the most unique fantasy stories of the year. The interplay between food and memory, already such a strong element of cultural appreciation and family history, translated into the summoning of those spirits was presented very powerfully. This is a strongly emotional book, as much about the consequences that follow us into the future as the events of the past.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
Moderate: Eating disorder
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Car accident
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Thoroughly enjoyed the time spent in this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
This book is all about death and loss - every aspect of it. I liked it but it definitely could be extremely triggering. Proceed with extreme caution
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the idea of this book - really unusual idea that somebody could experience the memories of the dead through the aftertastes of their significant food experiences. I wanted more about the individual "ghosts"and their backgrounds, some of which seemed to be swept over quite quickly, and without enough wonder from the people experiencing the encounters with dead loved ones. The ending was unsatisfying for me and overall the book meandered in places. But it was a solid 3.5 stars and I enjoyed it, would recommend giving it a go!
Thank you to Netgalley for the free audiobook of this in return for a review!
Thank you to Netgalley for the free audiobook of this in return for a review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book is not an easy read if you’ve experienced loss and are still working through grief. The first part of the book is nothing like the last part, as the deeper into the book you get the deeper into the Hungry Ghosts you get. It has some beautiful messages built into it and if you can stay on the roller coaster of “where is this book going” I think you’ll enjoy the book as a whole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt