A review by wkndstbl
Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang

dark mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Although the prose could be quite beautiful,  it was often trying too hard to be poetic and as the book went on I grew tired of the repetitive comma-less descriptors that seemed to adorn each page. 

Our main character is a strung out refugee line cook, struggling in a world gone grey, seeking a safe port during a climate change event. She finds sanctuary (and her appetite) at the top of a mountain- an exclusive and mysterious scientific retreat sponsored by the world’s wealthiest assholes.  She lies about her experience and expertise but still wows them with her exquisite French cuisine. Other than naming a lot of ingredients I didn’t get the feeling the main character (and narrator!) knew much about cooking? Felt like a weak spot in the book, made it hard to identify with this character. 

I kind of thought this book would play up the “plebes vs elites” that seemed tied to the premise and so was deeply disappointed by the ending. Our main character is a Democrat, I’m afraid, and once climate change is somehow fixed by money she cashes in in a bizarre time-skipping epilogue.