jesswadleigh 's review for:

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

4.0

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What a charming read! Set in a confectionary, we find the novel’s protagonist, Sentaro, trapped in a life he hates, with only himself to blame. He takes out his frustration with on-the-job apathy and at-home alcoholism. This seems his destiny until an elderly woman asks to work for him, offering to teach him how she makes sweet bean paste. He agrees, and as he learns, their friendship slowly develops, and as their bond grows, the reader is treated with deeply rich characters. It’s impossible not to feel empathy and love and to cheer for the humans at the core of this novel, not because they deserve pity because of their difficult situations, but because author Durian Sukegawa effectively universalizes their unique struggles in a way that creates genuine bonds of affection between the audience and the characters. Like a confection, I devoured the early moments, racing through, but when I came down to the last pages, like a confection, I savored my final bites, the final moments in this world with these characters. A very good story, excellent pacing, and a great translation. Recommended.