afiqahaira's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
dlberglund's review against another edition
3.0
Maria is a young (new?) adult who has spent much of her life in the seaside inn that her aunt and uncle own. She moved back to Tokyo when her parents got married (long story), but is spending one final summer during college back at the inn. Tsugumi is her close-in-age cousin who has extremely fragile health, wondrous beauty, and the volatile personality of an angry person with nothing to lose. Everyone is either in awe of Tsugumi's delicate fragility, or afraid of her tumultuous temper. Only Maria sees her for who she really is.... (says Maria).
Neither character was someone who I particularly wanted to root for. I didn't completely understand their relationship, and Maria doesn't really project herself as someone in control of her own life. She is only there to be narrator for the way Tsugumi interacts with the world. It's an interesting study of how pain (or being told that you could die any day) could influence your choices as you march through adolescence and into early adulthood, and a look at modern rural Japanese life, but not the most compelling book I've read.
Neither character was someone who I particularly wanted to root for. I didn't completely understand their relationship, and Maria doesn't really project herself as someone in control of her own life. She is only there to be narrator for the way Tsugumi interacts with the world. It's an interesting study of how pain (or being told that you could die any day) could influence your choices as you march through adolescence and into early adulthood, and a look at modern rural Japanese life, but not the most compelling book I've read.
massaad007's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
severinam's review against another edition
3.0
This book has little plot, but it is not very light. I can’t say I gave it the attention it needed, since I read it here and there with big intervals.
I liked the writing, it is light and engaging. The themes of nostalgia and the scenery in it is what impressed me the most. Most of my life I lived in a city near the sea, and I know what it is like. That is why, I suppose, this book left a more strong impression on me. It describes the feeling of leaving home and moving on with your life truthfully, and I appreciated this theme.
I liked the writing, it is light and engaging. The themes of nostalgia and the scenery in it is what impressed me the most. Most of my life I lived in a city near the sea, and I know what it is like. That is why, I suppose, this book left a more strong impression on me. It describes the feeling of leaving home and moving on with your life truthfully, and I appreciated this theme.
elenavarg's review against another edition
4.0
How is Yoshimoto so good! How does she do it!
It’s incredible, how in this novel you automatically feel the same way our protagonist, Maria, feels towards her cousin, Tsugumi. The novel starts with Maria telling us how horrible Tsugumi is and as I read on, I couldn’t understand how anyone would think Tsugumi a likeable character. But as we learn how horrible she is, we also learn how charming and strong she is and by the end of the story Yoshimoto has been able to make us, the readers, like and symphatize with this mean and terrible character. This book is such an emotional rollercoaster!!!
It’s incredible, how in this novel you automatically feel the same way our protagonist, Maria, feels towards her cousin, Tsugumi. The novel starts with Maria telling us how horrible Tsugumi is and as I read on, I couldn’t understand how anyone would think Tsugumi a likeable character. But as we learn how horrible she is, we also learn how charming and strong she is and by the end of the story Yoshimoto has been able to make us, the readers, like and symphatize with this mean and terrible character. This book is such an emotional rollercoaster!!!
losthighway's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
nurialee's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
this book + ichiko aoba on repeat serving as background noise = bliss
anactualcat's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
reedrj04's review against another edition
5.0
Looooove banana yoshimoto!!! The setting, the detailed characters, and overall weirdness of the plot made for a super interesting read. I adore how the emphasis on simplicity that was present in “Kitchen” translates over to this book too.