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A review by trishupaper
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is my first Banana Yoshimoto book. In terms of writing, I absolutely love the way she describes the environment, like she knew exactly how to detail things that I could not put into words about my surroundings. Her describing the early morning as "blue dawn" felt so right. In terms of storytelling, she's unexpected. She's not shy to give us huge cuts in time and plot, leaving me to grasp on to whatever plot she's allowing us to read about instead. Reading about a character's passing after they've died instead of leading up to it was something that I thought was subversive and interesting.
This story is about grief and having to continue living despite of it. Banana Yoshimoto did not find the need to use flowery prose to make this story resonate with the reader. It was simple, it was direct, but it was also very mentally and emotionally provoking.
I definitely had to remind myself not to read this book through a western gaze. I'm not the right person to comment about the Trans rep about this book, but I always found myself consciously comparing it to other queer rep I've read which, let's be honest, are mostly written by western authors, and I don't think that was the right thing to do. I do not think that was the right approach. I've had to keep telling myself to read this with the acceptance that I am not familiar with East Asian sentiments regarding queer identity.
ALSO, I read a blog saying how the translation of this book does not do justice to Banana Yoshimoto's writing, so I do feel a bit of a loss at not being able to read her writing in its fullest essence, so to speak.
But I liked this book very much and am excited to read more from her.
This story is about grief and having to continue living despite of it. Banana Yoshimoto did not find the need to use flowery prose to make this story resonate with the reader. It was simple, it was direct, but it was also very mentally and emotionally provoking.
I definitely had to remind myself not to read this book through a western gaze. I'm not the right person to comment about the Trans rep about this book, but I always found myself consciously comparing it to other queer rep I've read which, let's be honest, are mostly written by western authors, and I don't think that was the right thing to do. I do not think that was the right approach. I've had to keep telling myself to read this with the acceptance that I am not familiar with East Asian sentiments regarding queer identity.
ALSO, I read a blog saying how the translation of this book does not do justice to Banana Yoshimoto's writing, so I do feel a bit of a loss at not being able to read her writing in its fullest essence, so to speak.
But I liked this book very much and am excited to read more from her.