Reviews

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

lilygrace18's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing 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? No

4.0

Such a lovely little book

paulken's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Deadnaming

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

jmariecapdem's review against another edition

4.0

This is my first Japanese lit read and I'm grateful for the experience. In Kitchen, Yoshimoto shared with me 2 stories that were intertwined by similar themes of love, loss, and letting go, both beautiful and quite heartbreaking. At the same time, it made me appreciate the culture, delicious food, and a variety of teas a little bit more.

I also want to thank the translator for putting Yoshimoto's words into a language we all can understand globally, thus the reason I have read it. :)

I am surely reading Asleep next.

scarlettsb's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Whimsical, grief ridden, and ahead of its time in terms of bringing up violence towards lgbtq. I appreciated how the plot didn’t need to reach any sort of climax or grand reveal of any sort. I appreciated the slow life aspects of what the main character loved, kitchens and small things and the little things about yuichi. I loved the powerful mother figure. It was a very sweet book

jaan_vi's review against another edition

3.5

(i read the book in a pdf) to have read about something so deep and universal in such less and simple words is really amazing and worth the read. so many lessons to learn and lines were highlighted in this. to learn to love someone despite the loss of a loved one. to learn to love oneself despite the lost of loved one. loneliness is so profoundly sad, i hope we all remain strong and find our reasons to be alive and be grateful for the lives we have, finding solace in oneself and appreciating the ones around us.
Yoshimoto said this in the afterward: “Finally, to all the readers who do not know me personally, who were kind enough to take the trouble to read my small effort, I know no greater happiness than that it may have cheered you, even a little. Surely we will meet some- day, and until that day, I pray that you will live happily.” thank you for writing this <3

eva_mae's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lilyphilia's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

libraryofdreaming's review against another edition

4.0

I loved this book! It's lyrical and poignant. I loved the repeated motifs about food, nature, and memory. It was very transportive. The reason I'm giving it only 4 stars is because I didn't totally love the second novella/short story, Moonlight Shadow. I obviously didn't read the fine print that my edition was comprised of two novellas so that kind of threw me off. Kitchen itself, however, was wonderful.

lenas5phie's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

3.0

matildeerline's review against another edition

hopeful relaxing sad medium-paced

3.5