2018/11/12

BOOK REVIEW:
SWEET BEAN PASTE BY DURIAN SUKEGAWA

Title: Sweet Bean Paste
Author: Durian Sukegawa, Alison Watts (translator)
Published: 2013
Language: English (translated from Japanese)
Pages: 216
Rating: 5/5


Summary:
This is the story of a man who is not doing so great; he has a criminal record, he drinks too much and his dreams of becoming a writer are a distant memory, so he's spending his days working in a tiny shop making and selling dorayaki, but then one day, he finds his whole world changed when an elderly, disfigured woman comes into the shop and teaches him how to make the best sweet bean paste he's ever tasted.


Review:
I loved this so much that I read it in one sitting.

This is a short and sweet story on its surface, but it also ends up being a thought-provoking read. It deals with loneliness and friendship, but it also brings up a certain part of history that very much surprised me and that brings another element into this story that made me love it so much.

I loved the characters in this and reading about the relationships between them. I really felt like I was there with them in the little, tiny kitchen and I could almost taste the bean paste and the pancakes. I could also feel the seasons shift, which I adored. The writing is direct and simple, but lovely at the same time.

It's a heartwarming, sentimental and wonderful book about life and what gives it meaning. It's perfect if you like quiet, slow-moving and character based stories.
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You can read more about it on Goodreads
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