The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

melancholic.
unexpected.
nostalgic.

I wasn't sure what to expect based on the title and description of this book. I had the book placed on hold a month or so before Nikki recommended it to me, and couldn't wait to read it once I heard she was dying to discuss it.

This book offers a delectable and unique plot that I couldn't have predicted at the start of the story. I enjoyed savoring Aimee's writing style and lulling off to dreamland before my eyelids closed each night.

This book wasn't uplifting or terribly depressing...melancholic, perhaps.  Yet I thoroughly enjoyed that realistic aspect, because I was able to immerse myself in the plot and soak up its raw-ness; the story wasn't showy, prideful or boastful.  It just WAS.

Hallelujah for authors like this, who write outside the box, crafting a story that defies time and logic. Nothing makes sense in this book, except for it's embodiment of the very essence of nostalgia, which I felt keenly.  Like the warmth and newness of a first love.  To sum it up, this book is about deciding what to do when life gives you lemons...and I loved it tart, fresh, and all!

5 out of 5 stars

P.S. Beware of the "F" bomb dropped a handful of times.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

vivid.
introspective.
confusing.

I love it when adult fiction is narrated first person from a child's perspective. It always reminds me how confusing this crazy world is to little ones, who often have to grapple with experiences that far exceed their understanding or ability to navigate. So, subconsciously, they translate the things they don't understand into their own language, making a sort of sense of thing that make no sense. This book is told from the perspective of a child (and on in to her teen years) who develops the ability to taste others' emotions and moods through food. From the standpoint of someone who loves food, and appreciates vivid descriptive fiction, I really enjoyed the journey, up until the climax, which was deliberately written in a vague way and left me craving answers rather than understanding a revelation. I believe the author did this on purpose--the "child" narrator didn't fully understand it herself. And often in life we don't get the real, concrete answers that movies or stories tend to provide. But the "big revelation" in the book was diminished for me because it was so confusing, I couldn't really put my finger on what actually happened. What I think happened is a very cool story. If only I could know.
3 out of 5 stars