Book Review: Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (Grove Press, 1988) is the first book in my BTS-inspired reading list for 2025. I'm done reading the book, and so, here is my review. 

But, before that, I just want to say that Kim Namjoon, BTS leader, was seen to be in possession of this book in the live Comeback Show for the release of the album Love Yourself: Tear in 2018. Kilig!

The novel follows the story of a young woman dealing with grief, who immerses herself in the world of food.#RM #namjoon #방탄소년단알엠 #김남준 @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/N84pZWoFXE

— Namjoon's Library⁷ (@JooniesLibrary) July 3, 2021

Yoshimoto's writing is smooth, precise, and beautiful—like reading a haiku in prose. Props to the translator for making it so. Death and grief are central themes of the story. Mourning and the sense of loss are woven into sensitive and detailed descriptions of the world the characters inhabit, as well as their feelings in moments of togetherness and isolation. This makes for a cathartic and therapeutic read for me. 

The two main characters, Mikage and Yuichi navigate their friendship as it deepens amidst their sorrow. Yoshimoto is not explicit in her exposition nor the outcome of their romance, which is perfect in capturing the ambiguity of a relationship blossoming from an experience of decay and disintegration.  However, I cling to these dialogues between Yuichi and Mikage: 

Yuichi to Mikage: “Why is it that everything I eat when I’m with you is so delicious?” 

She replies, laughing: “Could it be that you’re satisfying hunger and lust at the same time?”

 What could be more romantic than this? 

 4 Bookmarks.

Book Review: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

Days at the Morikasi Bookshop

Satoshi Yagisawa

Harper Collins, 2023

I finished reading Days at the Morisaki Bookshop just in time for my Bibliotherapy workshop today at St. Paul’s College Pasig. I am going to talk about the book to kickstart the workshop with faculty, librarians and guidance counselors of SPCP. 

It’s a a fun and comforting read, to say the least. There is something impressive about Satoshi Yagisawa’s handling of narrative time that I can’t yet explain. This is only my third book written by a Japanese author in the past seven months and all three books have characters that seamlessly weave themselves in the present to the past, onwards to the future and back again. I will read more! 

What makes this book truly meaningful is that, it is Zoe’s copy. She writes on her books and underlines sentences, phrases and passages. Much like the way ebooks on Kindle goes, I see the highlights other readers made. It makes reading a social experience connecting readers in a way that’s both intimate and reflective, allowing glimpses into their thoughts and emotions as they engage with the text. I appreciate this because, when I read, I am not alone. 

This time, what I held and read is a printed copy of the book. 

I took notice of my daughter’s highlights and I can’t help but discover where we converge in thought and emotion, and where we diverge. It makes reading this book extra special as it opens doors and windows between me, the fictional lead character and my daughter. While Takako’s world reveals a great deal of who she is, I witness my daughter’s too. 

And then I realize that while Takako, my daughter and I share similarities in experiences, we are taking different paths that somehow converge. Like Takako who will remain tethered to her family and heritage, leading a life all her own, so does my daughter. And she is beautifully doing so in all its authenticity and grace. 

Rating: 5/5 Bookmarks

#bookstagram #rageandgrace #gracegriefgratitude #readingislife #thereadingarmy