I finished The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Why did I pick it up? This one was recommended to me by a friend who hadn't yet finished it when she suggested the book. She said it was interesting, and was told through the perspective of a young girl. I was intrigued enough to give it a read.
Why did I keep reading? This book captivated me. The premise is that the main character, Rose, can taste the prevailing emotions of the cook in the food she eats. This discovery is made while eating her mother's lemon cake... and she experiences the sadness of her mother. Through a bit of trial and error, she is able to label her experience and begins a life of avoiding freshly prepared foods. She finds that she can also identify factories, farms, and cities of origin of the ingredients in her foods. I was interested in this perspective for telling a story and the authors idea of talents Rose's brother and father may have had. Through the story, I kept hoping for Rose to find her own happiness and I was curious what form it would take. I was surprised, but not disappointed.
What stuck with me? Rose learns so much about the people around her through the food they make, and is frequently taken advantage of for this very skill. I wondered about how she was defined by this experience and how her life may have been different without this perception. I have also spent some time thinking about her brother and the curious experiments and choices he made. {I won't say more, you'll have to read for yourself!}
What's coming up...I have been thinking about generating more conversation about the books. While I love to share what I am reading, it would be great to generate some conversation through the comments too. This week, please leave a suggestion for books to read. Next week, I'll post the list and an order for reading. That way we can read and chat together.
Several people have recommended this book to me. After your review, I think I need to add it to my "to read" list!
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