9.28.2012

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Title: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Author: Aimee Bender
Pub: 2010; Knopf Doubleday Publishing
Pages: 292
Genre: Magical Realism; Contemporary Fiction

Ever read a book and the whole time you were like, uh what the effery?

Welp that's exactly what was going on here.  And if you want to ask me in that are-you-kidding-me kindof tone Didn't you know it would be a little off, I mean the MAIN CHARACTER TASTES FEELINGS.  And to that, I answer:

OF COURSE I knew it would be a little odd...but the main character was not what was freakin' me out.  Noooooo, I was PREPARED for that.  Instead, it was the brother.  The brother had my brain's firing all shooting in every other direction except a straight line.

I'm the last person who's ever read this book; I know.  Spare me.  Everyone in the internetz had strong opinions one way or the other after reading The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.

This isn't a forgettable book, but I don't know if I'm remembering it for the right reasons? (My mind keeps rolling back to HER BROTHER!)  I dig how Rose (the emotion-eater) suffers because of her gift.  It's not as though it's portrayed in this look how clever I am; rather, Rose more often than naught hates it.  I mean, surely, wouldn't you if you knew that your mom was having an affair because you could taste it?

(But HER BROTHER!)

I also like how the book doesn't really have a resolution.  Rose doesn't wake up one morning able to deal and move on.  And it's not as if it goes away.  This book is all about her suffering and attempt at dealing.

What I do know is I'm all abouts reading another Aimee Bender book.  Are there many?  Suggestions?

(But HER BROTHER!)

11 comments:

  1. Honestly, I found this book incredibly forgettable. If it weren't for her brother - which took it so far out of the ballpark that I couldn't even look at the book without making a cynical face - I doubt I would remember anything at all about it...

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    1. I thought it was a cool concept but the brother thing rubbed me the wrong way for sure. So obscure and out there. I'm still okay with checking out other stuff by Bender because I do like reality bending fiction overall.

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  2. Her brother! Yes, this book was weird. And a weird I wasn't in love with.

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    1. Seriously! I just want to have a convo with Bender and say: BUT HER BROTHER?! *le sigh*

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  3. I really really didn't like this book (although, I know, her brother right?! What the actual fuck?) and I just thought it was like... ok, Bender's got this concept, but she doesn't actually DO anything with it, and she doesn't know who she wants to focus on, and BASICALLY it all just became a giant mess, imho.

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    1. Good point. There did seem to be a lot going on in different directions. Saving grace for me was really the struggle of emotion-eater. I thought that was done fairly well.

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  4. The brother thing was just too much. I had one of those ARE YOU F&*(&#!KIDDING ME moments with it.

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  5. I really liked her An Invisible Sign of My Own. I started listening to this on audio and made a it through a disc or two before it was due back at the library. Never felt compelled to check it out again!

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  6. What an odd little family, huh? I kept thinking about the brother too. I mean, how can you not?

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  7. OMG yes...HER BROTHER!! Except I got to the end and was all what the hell??!!?? Those legs creeped me the hell out. Totally not what I was expecting, and not in a good way.

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  8. I have not felt compelled to read this particular book.

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