2009 Reading Challenges Update

I am glad to say I have completed another two challenges, yay! Many thanks to MizB and Rhinoa for hosting the TBR Lite Challenge and Manga Challenge respectively! I have so much fun reading all the books for these challenges!

Reviews for TBR Lite Challenge (6/6):

• We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (coming soon!)
• The House on Tradd Street by Karen White
• The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
• Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
• Goodbye Tsugumi by Banana Yoshimoto
• Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge

Reviews for the Manga Challenge:

Strobe Edge #2 & #3 by Io Sakisaka
Strobe Edge #1 by Io Sakisaka
Momoka Typhoon #1 by Fujita Kazuko
Note: I have finished reading Momoko Typhoon #2 and Strobe Edge #4 - #6 but just have not got around to reviewing them. My apologies!


And now, here are some of the challenges which I did not complete or have decided to give them up: The Harlequin/Silhouette Romance Reading Challenge, Buy One Book and Read It Challenge and Book Buddy Blogger Challenge.

Reviews for the Harlequin/Silhouette Romance Reading Challenge (2/5):

• Tangled Lies by Anne Stuart
• Her Real-Life Hero by Trish Wylie

Reviews for Buy One Book and Read It Challenge (there's no limitation of books required for this one):

• Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi
• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
• The Sweet Life of Stella Madison by Lara M. Zeises
• Ash by Malinda Lo
• The Heights by Brian James
• Looking for Alaska by John Green
• No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
• Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
• Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Reviews for Book Buddy Blogger Challenge (3/5):

• Heartsick by Chelsea Cain
• The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
• Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Despite I could not complete these challenges, I still want to thank the hostesses - Yvonne, Amy and Wisteria for hosting these fun challenges!

Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi

ISBN-13: 9780375714757
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Published: 2006
83 pgs




I remember I was first introduced to Marjane Satrapi's graphic novels after reading a review of Persepolis over at Nymeth's blog, and subsequently I have heard so many good things of this author's works from other bookbloggers that I decided it is time for me to check out Marjane's books.

So I visited the bookstore during my lunch break yesterday, hoping to find a copy of Persepolis but to my great disappointment, I could not find any except a copy of Chicken with Plums. Given the thought that I want to read a Marjane Satrapi's book badly, I left the bookstore happily with that book though I did tell myself I will have to get Persepolis from The Book Depository (they offer free shipping, what more could I ask?).

Anyway, I devoured the book on the same day since it is less than a 100 pages and I have to thank Nymeth and the rest of the bookbloggers for introducing this author/artist to me. Set in the year of 1958 in Tehran, Chicken with Plums is about Marjane's great-uncle, Nasser Ali Khan, a renowned Iranian musician who plays tar and is very passionate over his instrument. He fell into deep depression after his beloved instrument was destroyed by his wife and though he made an effort to find another tar, he knew none of those would ever replace his beloved tar. He began to isolate himself until the idea of death flashes through his mind.

The story then shift backwards eight days before his death where readers get a glimpse of his childhood till the man he is at present. Through these fragment of memories we came to know more of his relationship with his family (in particular to his wife) and why he has a passion for tar and so forth. He also wonders if his family even care about him, but I think one often misinterpret each other's feelings with a wrong move of body language or simply a lack of affections and this is such the case with Nasser Ali and his wife.

Though I do not like Nasser Ali's pessimism but I think he makes an interesting character in this story. I loved reading the exchanges between himself and his children (his favourite child is Farzaneh, the youngest daughter among his four children and he thinks Mozaffar, the youngest son is nothing but a chore). I think he is prejudiced against Mozaffar and there is a scene about what Mozaffar did for his father has moved me deeply. The ending caught me completely off-guard as his real reason to let go of his life has never crossed my mind (and don't you love it when this happens with the book you are reading?).

I loved how the bold black and white drawings make a great visual on top of the wonderful plot; and the only downside is I feel this story is too short. Oh, how I wish I have Persepolis with me now so I could view more of Marjane Satrapi's lovely illustrations!


Other reviews:
A Life in Books

Jenny's Books
Out of the Blue
State of Denmark
The Inside Cover
The Written World
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

ISBN-13: 9781407109367
Publisher: Scholastic Ltd
Published: 2009
472 pgs
Hunger Games Series #2

I am not suppose to read this book, after all I am already reading two books at that time and I have this silly reading policy that I would not read more than two books at a time. So what did I do? I stopped reading the other books and succumb to the temptation of reading this, since Catching Fire is one of the most eagerly anticipated books on my reading list and the fact that I want to know what happened to Katniss and Peeta after reading what they had gone through in the first installment.

Catching Fire begins a while later after The Hunger Games end. After what Katniss and Peeta had done in the Hunger Games event, the Capitol is not at all pleased with them and President Snow definitely wants more convictions from them, in which Katniss is not even sure if her feelings towards Peeta is true or just an act to the audience. But that is not all, she has her own issues and that include her long-time childhood friend, Gale and how she deals seeing other tributes' families as they will remind her of the Hunger Game all over again. She terribly missed her carefree days where she would spend the days hunting with Gale and deep in her heart she knew life would be never be the same again no matter if she has won or lose the game.

Katniss had been hurt both physically and emotionally in the Hunger Games after fighting with fellow tributes and seeing a few of them died after getting closer to them, and she is definitely not prepared when more challenging routes are being thrown into her way. However, the goal she had set during the game is very different from this time round, and this is where I find the emotional level exceeds the previous installment but there are also more mind-boggling challenges that Katniss, Peeta as well as the other tributes have to meet.

I wish I could say more about this book but I guess I should stop here as I fear the more I write, the more I would say something that I shouldn't. Let's put it this way that some sacrifices are inevitable and Katniss has a tough choice to make.

As much as I enjoyed reading this second installment, I wish the author has written more about District 13 as it has definitely leave many of us readers intrigued after reading a brief mention of it.

Without saying, Catching Fire is a page-turner (and an emotionally-charged book in my opinion) and I am hoping the final book in the trilogy would be released sooner!


Other reviews:
Angieville
Bart's Bookshelf
Booking Mama
BoyWithBooks.com
Devourer of Books
E. M. Reads
Farm Lane Books Blog
In Bed With Books
Karin's Book Nook
Melissa's Bookshelf
Muse Book Reviews
My Friend Amy
Not Enough Bookshelves
Linus’s Blanket
Reverie Book Reviews
Presenting Lenore
Savvy Verse & Wit
Stephanie's Written Word
Stuff As Dreams Are Made On
The Compulsive Reader
The Zen Leaf
Wondrous Reads
(I am sure there are many more reviews of this book. Please let me know if I missed yours.)

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison by Lara M. Zeises

ISBN-13: 9780385901789
Publisher: Random House
Published: July 2009
240 pgs

Seventeen-year-old Stella Madison is the daughter of a famous chef and a restaurateur. She does not know much about cooking and it always intrigue her when she sometimes sees her father making a fuss on getting a dish prepared, in which he would reply that cooking is a form of art and it should be taken seriously.

Unlike Stella's father, Stella's mother is not much of a cook but she helps to ensure the restaurant is running and also to keep tabs on the financials even though they are separated. However, they still maintain an amicable relationship and sometimes this makes Stella wonder about them. But that is not all to it, Stella has a devoted boyfriend and he has said the big L-word to her. Stella knew she should be thrilled over Max's confession, after all he is adorable and she gets along well with his family, but she is not so sure about committing herself since she has other things on her mind: her parents' separation and the summer internship at the local newspaper. To make things more complex, she is attracted to Jeremy, a new intern who works in the restaurant and she is seeing him more than Max, not that she could help it considering she has to write articles on food and she needs his opinions since he knew much more than her.

So how does Stella cope with all these issues thrown in her way? Though she struggles to find a balance (or a solution, depending on how one views it), it is through this stage that she began to understand more about her life as it helps her to appreciate her family and understand the true meaning of friendship through the things that happened to her.

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison is a fun, entertaining story about family, friendship and food. I love reading a story surrounding food and this is one reason why I picked up this book, besides the pretty cover that is. I think most teenagers would be able to understand and feel for Stella, after all life is not a bed of roses and sometimes, we have to make a choice and accept it no matter how much we like it or loathe it. In the beginning, I was not sure if I like Stella because she seems unpredictable to me; she gave me the impression she does not know what she wants in life and she is wishy-washy of her feelings towards her boyfriend. But as I read further, it made me think that most of us have gone through those stages before, but with different situations and scenarios, that is all.

One of the things I loved is each chapter begins with a list of food (just like the way you view at a menu that starts with appetizer, main course, dessert etc) and speaking of food, it reminds me of The School of Essential Ingredients which is one of my favourite reads this year. It is a sheer delight reading these books as you wonder about the food mentioned.

So, have you read a book that is centered on food? Do share with me!

Other review:
Books By Their Cover
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

Ash by Malinda Lo

ISBN-13: 9780316040099
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: September 2009
272 pgs

Anyone who knows me will be aware that I am a sucker for fairy tales retellings, and that is why I got sidetracked and I have to dive into this book the moment I have my hands on it. That said, that does not mean I do not enjoy the other books I am reading; I do, but it is just that I have been waiting for this book for some time. I even remember featuring it on one of the Cover Attraction post a while back.

Anyway, I shall end my ramblings and share my thoughts with you about this lovely book. Ash is a retelling of Cinderella, but it is definitely a darker tale and though the protagonist in each tale may portray of the same (a young girl who is treated unfairly by her stepmother and stepsisters), their journey and destiny are so much different. And unlike Cinderella, Ash is much more than a happily-ever-after story, besides the story about loss, hope and love, Ash is also a tale about courage and self discovery.

Aisling (Ash) is close with her mother and they always share stories about witches, fairies and the like. So when her mother died due to an illness, Ash felt her world has came to an end. To make matter worse, her father died shortly after remarrying another woman and Ash is stucked with her cruel stepmother and her two stepsisters, who claimed that her father has left them in debts and now Ash has to repay them by serving them and doing all the household chores. With no one to turn to, Ash can only find solace in her mother's fairy tales and through her dreams, she could only hope that those fairies will steal her away or grant her wishes. And it appears that those dreams are true, for Ash met a dark and alluring fairy, Sidhean, who told her that he would not want her to cross the human/fairy borders though he is fairly attracted to her.

It is also at this time that Ash met the King's huntress, Kaisa, and their friendship blossom. Their relationship gradually changes and they find themselves got attracted to each other as the days go by. However, Sidhean has already claimed Ash as his own and Ash felt torn between the two. Ash made a pact with Sidhean in return of spending some time with Kaisa and in the end, she has to make a decision between finding her dream or her true love.

Ash is not your typical happily-ever-after fairy tale, for the protagonist does not end up with the prince. In fact, Ash has no interest in the prince, for her mind is occupied with meeting with her late mother and to be with Kaisa. The love triangle between Sidhean and Kaisa is not as anticipating as it look, and I felt Sidhean's romantic feeling towards Ash is not as great. Though I could feel the strong relationship between Ash and Kaisa, I am not sure how some of the readers might react to their feeling towards each other. For me, I could think of nothing but the simple act of love for another human being and the motivations of pursuing one's dream.

Ash is beautifully written and the author has painted a vivid scene of the fairyland and in the woods and I found myself fascinated and drawn to them during my reading journey. This is Malinda Lo's debut novel and I definitely look forward for more.

Other reviews:
Presenting Lenore
Steph Su Reads
The Story Siren
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

The Heights by Brian James

ISBN-13: 9780312368531
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: May 2009
246 pgs

I bought this book for two reasons: I love the cover art, and that the book blurb says this is a contemporary imagining of Wuthering Heights. Though I have not read Wuthering Heights (it is stacked somewhere in my to-be-read pile) but I know the story revolves around two star-crossed lovers and their doomed love and revenge. Initially I wasn't sure if I should read Wuthering Heights first, but then I thought I should read this book anyway (as to having a fresh perspective of this story) and moreover I hate to spoil the pleasure by comparing the two books while reading, something which I know I shouldn't but couldn't help it anyway. Since I have not read Wuthering Heights, I am not sure if the setting of The Heights would closely follows the former but I have to say it is an emotional charge book through and through.

Mr Earnshaw found five-year-old Henry on a cold rainy day in San Francisco. That day marked the beginning of Henry's life, but the best thing is it marked the day he met Catherine. Catherine is like a ray of sunshine to him; and for the first time Henry found happiness through her and Mr Earnshaw. However, Hindley, the eldest son in the family does not welcome him and think Henry has taken away all the attention and is a threat to him. It does not help that Henry is a Mexican and thus this is another reason Hindley despise him so.

Henry and Catherine have liked each other from the beginning and they feel nothing will bring them apart from each other. Unfortunately, things change after Mr Earnshaw died and Hindley gains control of the family. Hindley sees this as a payback time to Henry and he make sure to sever Henry's relationship with Catherine, and as if that is not enough, he enrols Henry in a public school where he has to endure the swearings and beatings from the school bullies. These have made Henry to become an angrier and a more bitter person.

It is at this point that Catherine began to get closer to Edgar. Edgar goes to the same school as Catherine and she knows he likes her. Though Catherine treats him as a friend, she couldn't help liking him as the days go by and the fact that he is always there for her whenever she needs him since she could hardly see or talk with Henry given the circumstances.

Henry, on the other hand, sees Catherine a changed person and to make things worse, a tragic accident happened and this has further widened the gap of their relationship. With all the things happening around him, it is no surprise that Henry's rage came to a point of eruption.

I knew this story would not end with a happily-ever-after, and in fact is a dark and a sad tale about doomed love, revenge and tragedy. But there is something more besides those, issues like the social injustice of class and also bits on racism (my heart ached for Henry when he is being bullied and abused by the other students in the public school).

I guess things might be different if Henry and Catherine have communicated more with each other and not thinking of the worse or assuming things that are not true. Honestly, I was a little stumped towards the ending because I thought there are certain things that would help me understand things better if told concisely but that is just me. I think the dark and brooding atmosphere is nicely done and it definitely adds intrigue and intensity to the story.

Now I really look forward to reading Wuthering Heights after reading The Heights. Have you read any of these books? What do you think of it(them)?

Other reviews:
Brontë Blog
Presenting Lenore
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

Looking for Alaska by John Green

ISBN: 9780007209255
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2005
272 pgs



Looking for Alaksa is my first book by John Green and I have to say I am in awe of his work after reading this. It is no wonder this book has won the Michael L. Printz Award; I loved the messages and its meanings behind this wonderful story and most importantly, this book made me think.

Sixteen-year-old Miles Halter is just an ordinary teenager living in Florida, but what makes him stand out is, he has the ability of saying out the last words of famous people, thanks to his passion for it and not to mention his good memory. He left home to attend a boarding school in Alabama, but then he also has a motive and that is to seek what a dying poet Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps". To avoid spoilers, I will skip explaining the "Great Perhaps".

Anyway, Miles settled quickly in his new school, thanks to a few friends he befriended: Chip, his roommate (who called himself the Colonel), a Japanese boy named Takumi and a beautiful, mysterious girl who called herself Alaska Young. Knowing them has transformed the geeky Miles into a new person (he is commonly known as Pudge to them), and Miles welcome the change. One reason Miles could connect to them because they too, are outcasts but in fact they are bright and intelligent people just like the other Weekday Warriors, a term they used in referring to those rich kids who think they have it all.

Miles felt his life has never been better, until a tragic event shattered his once happy life and led him into thinking about his outlook of life and a new meaning of "Great Perhaps".

What can I say about Looking for Alaska? Honestly, I have so many things I want to say about this book, but yet every time when I try to explain more, my mind drew a blank. It is so hard to say anything without spoiling the story, but I have to say this book made me laugh, cry and help me think things which I have not thought of initially. And I need to mention I was most intrigued with Alaska's obsession of The General in his Labyrinth by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, which is a favourite book of hers as this is one of the most important factors surrounding this story, but of course I will not indulge too much of it and you have to read it to fully understand the meaning behind this poignant coming-of-age story. Another thing that intrigued me to this story is that it is split into two sections: the countdown of the days before and after the tragic event, so at times I felt like I was reading a mystery as I want to know what had happened and what is going to happen next.

And oh, another thing I liked about this book is the characterization and how John Green has captured the characters' feelings into the story and made you feel connected to them. And of course, I want to mention again that I loved the realistic and the philosophy thrown into this story and I hope anyone who read this book will enjoy and appreciate the meaning behind it.

Other reviews:
Bart's Bookshelf

Becky’s Book Reviews
Book Addiction
Book Gazing
Books.Lists.Life
Books & Other Thoughts
Care's Online Bookclub
Em's Bookshelf
Eva at Curledup.com
Flight Into Fantasy
In Spring it is the Dawn
Out of the Blue
Not Enough Bookshelves
Nothing of Importance
Sassymonkey Reads
Stella Matutina
Stuff as Dreams are Made On
The Bluestocking Society
The Hidden Side of a Leaf
Things Mean A Lot
Tiny Little Reading Room
Valentina's Room
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

No One You Know by Michelle Richmond

ISBN-13: 9780385340144
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: May 2009
331 pgs

No One You Know has been on my radar ever since I read several good reviews from fellow bookbloggers. The book blurb said "this is a riveting family drama about loss, love, and the way hope redefines our lives" so I had expected the story to be captivating and intriguing and I am glad it does not disappoint.

The story begins when Ellie Enderlin is on a business trip in Nicaragua when she stumble upon a man who was the lover and murderer of her sister, Lila. Ellie could not help thinking Peter McConnell being the one who killed her sister, after all he was married and he was believed to be the last person Lila had seen before her death. On top of that, Ellie could not help but wonder about the book her English professor has written about her sister and the case. The book made it to the bestselling list, but it made her feeling more loss and worst, betrayed. She thought she could share her grievances to Andrew Thorpe but apparently she was wrong.

Her parents became distant after Lila's death; the three of them withdrawn from one another and bury themselves into their own work. Ellie has always been considered as an average girl in her parents' eyes; she is not like Lila who is the Maths genius so she could understand their pain when they had lost Lila twenty years ago.

Now a coffee buyer, Ellie never expected a chance meeting with Peter McConnell would fuel her desire to look into the unsolved murder of her sister and how one thing leads to another as she delve deep into the past and present, and how it would change her aspect of life after knowing the real truth.

Once I started reading No One You Know, I could not put it down because the writing style is beautiful and lyrical, but most of all it is intriguing and haunting. Although the premise reads like a mystery novel, the story is basically about the relationship between the sisters and how the people around them affect their life. It is also a story about loss, betrayal and shall I say prejudice too? After all, Peter McConnell is labelled as the murderer but the police could find no evidence of him to-date. In fact, I think he plays a major role behind Ellie's quest of finding the truth, and I can't help but to wonder where the story would take if he does not come along and is only known as the murderer.

Anyway, I think the story is nicely wrapped up but what most matters is, I enjoyed reading it. And did I tell you I liked the prose? I guess I did. And, I liked how the author use the concept of Mathematics to blend in with the plot and made everything seems more intriguing and in a manner that one could not help but to marvel at the fantastic realm of Mathematics. For example:

"... one is a beautiful number. One is its own factorial, its own square, its own cube. It is neither a prime number nor a composite number. It is the first two numbers of the Fibonacci Sequence. It is the empty product: any number raised to the zero power is one. It might be argued that one is the most independent number known to man. It can do things that no other number is capable of."

"An equation isn't necessarily about numbers. It's about patterns. The universe is governed by mathematical patterns. Gravity, string theory, chaos theory, quantum mechanics - all of it can be expressed in terms of equations."

I look forward to reading The Year of Fog which I heard is just as good as No One You Know.

Other reviews:
A Striped Armchair
Musings of a Bookish Kitty
Peeking Between the Pages
Presenting Lenore
The Bluestocking Society
(Let me know if I missed yours.)

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

ISBN-13: 9780441016990
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: September 2008
292 pgs
Series: Southern Vampire Series, #1
(TV Tie-In Edition)




Sookie Stackhouse works as a cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She may seem like an ordinary woman from the outside, but actually she has this sort of "disability" in which she is able to read other people's minds. Some people might be thrilled to have this "disability", but not in Sookie's point of view. She thinks it gets into her way of life, and it is definitely not fun to be able to know what your date would think of you, no matter if it is inside or outside the bedrooms. So most of the time, she blocks out the thoughts from the others, and she thinks it is rude to listen in anyway.

And then, out of nowhere Bill Compton walks into her life. Bill is no ordinary man for he is a vampire, and Sookie is very much attracted to him. And what made it even better is, she cannot read his thoughts at all. Shortly after their acquaintance, Bill was mugged by a moneygrubber couple as they want to drain and sell his blood to the black markets since vampire blood is supposed to temporarily relieve symptoms of illness and increase sexual potency. Beforehand, Sookie has sensed something fishy about them in the bar so she followed them and saved Bill along the way. However this has formed a bad blood between Sookie and the couple and the latter are waiting for a chance to get even with her. But they had no chance for a few days later, they were found dead and trapped under the trailer which was believed to be caused by a tornado but Sookie knew better.

Sookie and Bill soon became romantically involved. Then, more murder cases started adding up and initially Bill became the suspect. But the police quickly focused their attention towards Sookie's brother, Jason, after knowing he had contacts with the victims before their death and it is now up to Sookie to find the murderer before she becomes the next victim.

Once again, I find myself get sucked into the vampire world and this time around, it is Charlaine Harris' first installment of her Southern Vampire series that had me entranced from the beginning till the end. In Dead Until Dark, Charlaine introduces her readers to her heroine, Sookie Stackhouse and a whole new vampire mythology that feeds off synthetic blood and staying mainstream (to live and fit into the human society). Right from the start, I know I would expect something different and fun from this series and I was glad this book did not disappoint.

Besides the brilliant idea of the vampires feeding on synthetic blood, the characters are all very engaging and what most attracts me is Bill, for he is one complex character so unlike from any other vampires. Aside from his charismatic style, I find he has morals too which I find so downright fascinating and sexy. Sookie Stackhouse is another interesting character that I am drawn to; she is vulnerable and has flaws but still she made a good heroine. I enjoyed reading her intense exchanges with Bill, and even Sam, who is her boss at the bar. As if these tensions are not enough to satisfy my reading hunger, Charlaine Harris threw in a twist that completely took me off-guard. As you can tell, I am now a fan of her Southern Vampire series. I wonder what is in store for the next sequel?

Other blogs reviews:

MariReads

Melissa's Bookshelf

Paperback Passion

Stephanie's Written Word
(Let me know if I have missed yours.)

Kitchen

ISBN: 9780571171040
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Published: 1993
150 pgs
Translator: Megan Backus

Thanks to Iliana, I came to know about this book through her recommendations (coincidentally, she also has her review posted. You can find the link at the end of this post).

I had a hard time looking for this book. I dared not even hope I would get it at BookMooch, since there are a number of BookMoochers hoping to get this book too. But a trip to Perth, Australia proved to be more worthwhile as I found it (the only one left) during a visit to Borders.

Anyway, back to Kitchen. What should I say? I am in love with the book. A simple story yet it struck a chord in my heart. The title may give a hint about the story surrounding kitchens (and cooking), but there are something much more than that. It is a moving tale about dealing with losing one's loved ones, grief and then, the simplicity of love.

Mikage Sakurai lost her parents since she was young. Her grandmother is the only person who has brought her up after her grandfather passed away when she was in junior high. So when her grandmother died, she is at a loss. It then dawned on her that everyone around her was no longer around, and this makes her feel very lonely, besides having to bear all the grief herself. But she knew she could not exist like that, doing nothing and moping around, so she pulled herself together and look for another place to stay as the place she stayed with her grandmother is too big and expensive.

Yuichi Tanabe, a young flower shop delivery man who also knew Mikage's grandmother, offers her his place where he shares with his mother. Eriko's mother is an extraordinary "woman". Apart from her cheerfulness and her generosity, she is actually a transvestite and is Yuichi's biological father. How he had became Yuichi's "mother" is another a sad and a complex tale to tell. It had seemed so natural for him being a transvestite after he had lost his wife and funny enough, I do not find it distasteful.

So the three of them live under one roof, although Mikage and Yuichi hardly see Eriko around at home as she owned a club. As the days goes by, Mikage feels closer with Yuichi and Eriko, whom the latter treats her as one of her own children. However, everything changes after Eriko is murdered and it is Yuichi's turn to grieve. And soon Mikage and Yuichi will learn something more about life and death and being there for each other and moving on is what most matters.

Here are a few passages I like:

By Eriko:

"If a person wants to stand on her own two feet, I recommend undertaking the care and feeding of something. It could be children, or it could be house plants, you know? By doing that you come to understand your own limitations. That's where it starts."

"... But if a person hasn't ever experienced true despair, she grows old never knowing how to evaluate where she is in life; never understanding what joy really is. I'm grateful for it."

By Mikage:

"I had come to understand that despair does not necessarily result in annihilation, that one can go on as usual in spite of it, I had become hardened. Was that what it means to be an adult, to live with ugly ambiguities? I didn't like it, but it made it easier to go on."

There is a novella, Moonlight Shadow, also featured in Kitchen which is another haunting story about loss and acceptance. Like Kitchen, I was captivated by Banana Yoshimoto's prose. I find Moonlight Shadow and Kitchen are very much alike in some ways, whereby life and death are the main issues of the story. However, Moonlight Shadow leaves a bittersweet feeling and reading it had brought tears to my eyes. As much as I love this story, I do not wish to elaborate much as I fear I may not do justice to it. You simply have to read it and understand how I felt, and that is it.

Other blog reviews:

A Striped Armchair

Bookgirl's Nightstand

It's All About Me (Time)

(Let me know if I have missed yours.)