56 pages • 1 hour read
Banana YoshimotoKitchen
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1988A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto explores the themes of death, isolation, and self-forgiveness through two separate stories: “Kitchen” and “Moonlight Shadow.” In “Kitchen,” Mikage, grieving her grandmother's death, moves in with Yuichi and his mother, Eriko, where she finds solace in their kitchen. Eriko's death further complicates their journey of self-discovery and coping. In “Moonlight Shadow,” Satsuki and Hiiragi confront loss after a car accident, with the help of a mystical event. Topics of death, grief, and loss are addressed.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Banana Yoshimoto's Kitchen is lauded for its poignant exploration of grief, love, and the solace found in cooking. Reviewers praise its lyrical prose and heartfelt storytelling. Criticism largely revolves around a perceived lack of depth in character development and narrative pacing. Despite this, its emotional resonance and cultural insights make it a compelling read.
Who Should Read Kitchen?
A reader who would enjoy Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto is likely someone who appreciates themes of loss, love, and the healing power of food and place. Fans of Haruki Murakami’s emotionally resonant storytelling in Norwegian Wood or the introspective and tender narratives in The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro would find Kitchen compelling.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
710LBook Details
Asian Literature
Japanese Literature
Relationships: Friendship