Kitchen

Remarkable. Minimalist in only a Japanese way. The kitchen as centre symbol for family - lost and found- cooking the metaphor of change (of state, of mood, of gender). The story is noodle thin. The senses deep as katsudon. Tick tick sounds click through the names and the narrative. There are ghosts in the distance; strange as angels on your shoulder. That weird video quality of creeping terror. This is that fifth taste; umami, neither sweet or sour. A new take on the oldest of tales. Fresh, fragrant, lotus blossomed and beautiful. Read, ingest, become, and "in the meantime, don't disappear on me."

Some of my favourite books are by Japanese authors or set in Japan, there's just something about the storytelling, the strangeness and the emotional aspects that appeal to me. Not having read much of the blurb on the back and nothing of what good reads described, I didn't know this was two stories in one book as I settled in for the final third only to find it was on the same themes of death, love and loneliness but without the characters I'd loved in the first two-thirds. An odd feeling of being duped soon passed as the second story also drew me in. Some odd parts which didn't seem to be fully explored such as transgender and the reason behind it was fluffed over. It's a beautiful book though, dealing with the tough subject of death and it's effect on the living.

Lovely book. Something has been lost in translation (sentence structure etc) but the story is atmospheric that it doesn't get in the way that much.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was interesting, well paced and the characters were mulit layered and showed great development.It's hard to explain this one to people when they ask you about the plot and so on but I really recommend it.Please please read this and savor every moment.

It's a wistful, child-like memoire of an unhappy time in a young Japanese woman's life. A sort of coming of age tale punctured with deaths of loved ones and a curious friendship with a young man also entwined in the pervading sorrow.I don't know if the translation is responsible but I found the prose somewhat awkward and underwhelming at times. And, for me, it was a little too understated and inert considering the backdrop of death and bereavement. It, ultimately, rather fizzles out into nothing.

Kitchen is an interesting,sweet and melancholic book with a brilliant extra short story included!

This is a lovely book and my second purchase of it as I lost my first copy to a friend. The author creates a warm feeling with her stories of love, life and death. A book worth reading!

A very good read. Would strongly recommend it. It has that slightly surreal style that Japanese writers often have, but at the same time a good story line and good characters.

This book is SO good, and I can't even articulate why really. I just love that it's a short, sweet story that still manages to provide so much depth. Definitely a fav!

It's just as described. No marks of usage. And Im really happy bc I couldn't find this particular edition.

The book was delivered in very good condition.Both stories in the book are beautiful. This book is for people looking to read Japanese translation and stories where you are able to taste Japanese food through the pages. A book that packs culture, grief, love, loss and joy!

Tolles Buch, zur Abwechslung habe ich mir Mal ein Banana yoshimoto Buch auf Englisch gegönnt, die Erzählung blieb gleich einfühlend und detailliert wie im deutschen! Banana yoshimoto überzeugt mich immer wieder kann ich jedem nur empfehlen

An excellent, quick read with the most amazing cover. Highly recommended!