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

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Land of Milk and Honey is a triumph. An exquisite masterpiece. First of all, it is perhaps the most evocatively sensual book I have ever encountered. Food and the pleasure that it provides are a primary theme and each page is absolutely dripping with delicious imagery & description. Second of all, Land of Milk and Honey is a searing dystopia that raises many questions about ethics in a barren future. Is preserving what we've lost a worthy endeavor? Should we mourn our losses or should we adjust to the potential of an entirely new way of living?

Thirdly, Land of Milk and Honey is also a critique of anti-Asian sentiment and stereotyping in the culinary world and beyond. For one: Francophilia still dominates the industry to the detriment of nearly every other regional fare. Lastly, and certainly not least, this novel is a literary romance that is nuanced, sexy, and devastating. The sensual descriptions that Zhang so expertly applies throughout the novel don't only apply to cuisine.

Zhang's debut, How Much of These Hills is Gold, is one of my favorite books. Land of Milk and Honey has already joined its predecessor as a book that I will never stop recommending. C Pam Zhang is just such a brilliant writer. Her words are crisp, immersive, delectable, and - dare I say - near perfection. Consider me a lifelong devotee of her work.

Thank you so much @riverheadbooks for sending me an advance reader copy of Land of Milk and Honey in exchange for my honest review! I nearly cried when I opened this mail. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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