Scan barcode
A review by manureads
Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
5.0
Harriet Lee is a talented teacher and skilled gingerbread baker, waiting for the day to be reunited with her childhood friend Gretel, whom she hasn’t see since the day she left Druhastrana, a country which, according to Wikipedia, does not exist. When her daughter, Perdita, attempts a trip back to Druhastrana, putting her life in danger in the process, to try and make her mother’s wish come true, Harriet tells her the story of her childhood to prevent further attempts.
This story has a very simple plot, yet was an absolute delight. Right from the start there are some pretty dark elements, like the wheat field where Harriet grew up that literally eats living things that linger too long, the “gingerbread girls” or the hints of a [brief and non-explicit] toxic, borderline abusive relationship. Yet, overall it manages to keep a light and hopeful tone. The fairy-tale elements like the gingerbread and the talking dolls make the story very whimsical and there are some well-timed comedic details like Harriet’s hobby of giving 5 star reviews on things she hasn’t tested just to add a bit of joy to the world. The magical realism is beautifully woven in the plot and there are some deliberate inconsistencies that add a layer to the dreamlike quality of the book. I loved the family relationships and every one of the characters – and there are more and more as the story goes - felt alive because each had their own distinct personality quirk.
This is not a book you can enjoy by trying to grasp every sentence, better to just let yourself be carried along. In the hands of a less skillful writer, this could have been very different, but Oyeyemi handles it all perfectly in my opinion. Overall, this is a story about relationships, familial, romantic, platonic, and learning how to open yourself up to them. The ending was everything I didn’t know I needed and after the last page, the book dropped me back off into the real world with a very real smile on my face. 100% would recommend if magical realism is your thing.
This story has a very simple plot, yet was an absolute delight. Right from the start there are some pretty dark elements, like the wheat field where Harriet grew up that literally eats living things that linger too long, the “gingerbread girls” or the hints of a [brief and non-explicit] toxic, borderline abusive relationship. Yet, overall it manages to keep a light and hopeful tone. The fairy-tale elements like the gingerbread and the talking dolls make the story very whimsical and there are some well-timed comedic details like Harriet’s hobby of giving 5 star reviews on things she hasn’t tested just to add a bit of joy to the world. The magical realism is beautifully woven in the plot and there are some deliberate inconsistencies that add a layer to the dreamlike quality of the book. I loved the family relationships and every one of the characters – and there are more and more as the story goes - felt alive because each had their own distinct personality quirk.
This is not a book you can enjoy by trying to grasp every sentence, better to just let yourself be carried along. In the hands of a less skillful writer, this could have been very different, but Oyeyemi handles it all perfectly in my opinion. Overall, this is a story about relationships, familial, romantic, platonic, and learning how to open yourself up to them. The ending was everything I didn’t know I needed and after the last page, the book dropped me back off into the real world with a very real smile on my face. 100% would recommend if magical realism is your thing.