krida's reviews
121 reviews

I've read better.

I don't know if the writing is intentional or if it speaks to the author's capabilities but it felt lacking. I've read better pieces from the recesses of tumblr and ao3. This came off very wattpad-ish and in the worst possible way. I wanted so badly to like this but I just couldn't bring myself to.

I feel torn rating this book. Some parts got to me, others not so much. Unfortunately, a huge chunk of this book didn't really land. I understand why some people find it phenomenal it just isn't the case for me.

Pill cocktails sounds like a plan.

Took me ages to finish this.
I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. It didn't leave that much of an impression on me. 

I had to take several steps back when I found myself agreeing with some of her more questionable decisions. 

I too am crying in H mart after having read this

Some scenes were beautifully written. 

Nightmarish. I enjoyed it.

not at all a tennis fan but i do know some of the athletes worth knowing. maria sharapova is one.

easy and entertaining read although, the writing and structure needs refinement.

 also serena williams is NOT your competition, you aren't even on the same level. 

i adored this. food is an essential part of the human experience. in this work, banana yoshimoto reinforces that belief. there is so much that is said in a bowl of hot chicken soup when you're sick. kitchen does just that. 

Predictably, this would not pass the bechdel test; maybe it might but very slim chances of it doing so, if at all. I liked how she was honest about her misgivings. She got herself in these desperate situations searching for love. She gave in to every impulse, every thought, and every reaction toward a potential love interest. As she said it makes a good story but when does it end? You keep getting yourself in these situations you are no longer doing it because it’s a good story but because you’re out of control, a slob, desperate, an attention seeker – a pathological people pleaser. What deep-seated issues do you have with yourself that needs to be addressed?

I didn’t hate this book but I didn’t love it either. I enjoyed it for what it was. The writing in this was fairly easy to read. The email blasts, although entertaining, weren’t my favorite. The recipes caught me off-guard but I didn’t have anything against it either. The stark contrasts in the summation of what she learned about love as an X-something-year-old were interesting but also not entirely new. 

In sum, I found it okay.

 

“How far back does one’s memory of someone go?”

We view some people in our lives as permanent fixtures. When that belief is disproven, we are left reeling from the disillusionment. What do you do then?

The author writes in second-person bringing the reader closer to the story. This was a brilliant choice as it added to the intimacy of the work. This is exactly the kind of sad I think a lot of people are looking to read. The sadness doesn’t come all at once instead it slowly settles within as you come to accept the events. I appreciated that the author knew when to stop. The book is well-paced making the length apt.  

There were moments throughout this book when I felt like I had to reevaluate my relationship with my family. I wonder if it is an inevitability that you will drift apart.

The epilogue really got to me. I feel like we’ve all experienced the desperation of wanting our mother to be okay, to be looked after, and to be safe.