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ksoles
May 19, 2011ksoles rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
"The place I like best in the world is the kitchen." So begins Banana Yoshimoto's off-beat, quirky yet charming novella. Both "Kitchen" and its accompanying story, "Moonlight Shadow," feature protagonists coping with grief and searching for comfort in seemingly endless uncertainty. But neither story imparts hopelessness; rather, they both highlight the daily joys of food, laughter, friends and city streets. I very much enjoyed the "Japanese style" of this book (brilliantly translated by Megan Backus) - its deceptive simplicity underscored with evocative imagery, whimsy and poignant philosophy.