Kitchen
Sept 2015 · Open Road + Grove/Atlantic
4.5star
14 reviews
eBook
160
Pages
family_home
Eligible
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About this eBook
The acclaimed debut of Japan’s “master storyteller” (Chicago Tribune).
With the publication of Kitchen, the dazzling English-language debut that is still her best-loved book, the literary world realized that Banana Yoshimoto was a young writer of enduring talent whose work has quickly earned a place among the best of contemporary Japanese literature. Kitchen is an enchantingly original book that juxtaposes two tales about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and home in the lives of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan. Mikage, the heroine, is an orphan raised by her grandmother, who has passed away. Grieving, Mikage is taken in by her friend Yoichi and his mother (who is really his cross-dressing father) Eriko. As the three of them form an improvised family that soon weathers its own tragic losses, Yoshimoto spins a lovely, evocative tale with the kitchen and the comforts of home at its heart.
In a whimsical style that recalls the early Marguerite Duras, Kitchen and its companion story, Moonlight Shadow, are elegant tales whose seeming simplicity is the ruse of a very special writer whose voice echoes in the mind and the soul.
“Lucid, earnest and disarming . . . [It] seizes hold of the reader’s sympathy and refuses to let go.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
With the publication of Kitchen, the dazzling English-language debut that is still her best-loved book, the literary world realized that Banana Yoshimoto was a young writer of enduring talent whose work has quickly earned a place among the best of contemporary Japanese literature. Kitchen is an enchantingly original book that juxtaposes two tales about mothers, love, tragedy, and the power of the kitchen and home in the lives of a pair of free-spirited young women in contemporary Japan. Mikage, the heroine, is an orphan raised by her grandmother, who has passed away. Grieving, Mikage is taken in by her friend Yoichi and his mother (who is really his cross-dressing father) Eriko. As the three of them form an improvised family that soon weathers its own tragic losses, Yoshimoto spins a lovely, evocative tale with the kitchen and the comforts of home at its heart.
In a whimsical style that recalls the early Marguerite Duras, Kitchen and its companion story, Moonlight Shadow, are elegant tales whose seeming simplicity is the ruse of a very special writer whose voice echoes in the mind and the soul.
“Lucid, earnest and disarming . . . [It] seizes hold of the reader’s sympathy and refuses to let go.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
Ratings and reviews
4.5
14 reviews
Carolina Paztena
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30 May 2023
This is an amazing story that is full of deep, raw emotion. A must read for someone who is grieving or has lost someone they deeply cared about before. It really makes you stop and think about life. Self-reflection is much needed for most people, especially those who may feel lost after losing someone or something that was a part of their life for so long. It is especially touching if you have strong emotions or memories connected to food similar to the main character. It is either super relatable or opens up your mind to a new perspective on grieving and food.
About the author
Banana Yoshimoto was born in 1964. Her other books include Kitchen, N.P., Lizard, Amrita, Asleep, Goodbye Tsugumi, and Hardboiled & Hard Luck. Her stories, novels, and essays have won numerous prizes both in Japan and abroad. She recently had her first child, a son.
Residence: Tokyo, Japan
Residence: Tokyo, Japan
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