anapthine 's review for:

Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose

3.5

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This was such a creative and unique concept. Best way to explain this book is if Attack on Titan or Pierce Brown had a child with The Bear (show).

Food/meals gives the elite, or the ‘rare’, strength and endurance. Paprick is a ‘common’ (lower class) who is a butcher, but secretly loves to cook. He discovers the black market for special ingredients, and discovers the beginnings of a rebellion. Unfortunately, Paprick gets caught looking for these illegal spices, and has no choice but to train as an apprentice chef. Of course, his hatred for the elite grows, as he has to prepare special meals for them. 

Throughout the book there were actual recipes (have no idea if these are actually genuine but believe they are?) and I thought this was incredible clever. I am also pretty sure the MC is neurodivergent, so that was cool to see. 

I’ve not read anything like this and it was quite refreshing. However, at times the plot did drag a bit.