A book that contains two novellas that relate stories about young people dealing with loss and depression, Kitchen is a translated work by a Japanese author who is apparently quite famous in Japan.
I read about this book in the Japan Times, where they especially recommended the scenes including food. While there were some of these moments in the book, it wasn’t as detailed as a foodie like me would want. But the stories were a nice snapshot of Japanese life, and overall I think reading about how the characters dealt with depression (by semi-magical means or more practical ways) would be a benefit for young people growing up in a high context society like Japan.
Reading translated work is always a strange experience – you start to second guess the translator sometimes – and I felt occasionally felt like the translator had made some awkward choices. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to translate this kind of book where most of the events take place inside people’s heads.
Not sure I’d recommend this for everyone, but as a youth-oriented read (maybe for teens experiencing loss?) it might be worth reading.
Next I am reading Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck.
