This is a story about accepting the people we loveโthe people we have to love and the people we choose to love, the families weโre given and the families we make. Itโs the story of two women adrift in New York, a widow and an almost-orphan, each searching for someone sheโs lost. Itโs the story of how, even in moments of grief and darkness, there are joys waiting nearby.
Lorca spends her life poring over cookbooks, making croissants andchocolat chaud, seeking out rare ingredients, all to earn the love of her distracted chef of a mother, who is now packing her off to boarding school. In one last effort to prove herself indispensable, Lorca resolves to track down the recipe for her motherโs ideal meal, an obscure Middle Eastern dish called masgouf.
Victoria, grappling with her husbandโs death, has been dreaming of the daughter they gave up forty years ago. An Iraqi Jewish immigrant who used to run a restaurant, she starts teaching cooking lessons; Lorca signs up.
Together, they make cardamom pistachio cookies, baklava, kubba with squash. They also begin to suspect they are connected by more than their love of food. Soon, though, they must reckon with the past, the future, and the truthโwhatever it might be. Bukra fil mish mish, the Arabic saying goes. Tomorrow, apricots may bloom.
This book took emotional hunger to new heights in metaphor. The work led me to a dark and emotionally uncomfortable place, yet I give a huge applause to the author for getting me there. For many of the pages I just wanted to jump into the phrases and either shake some sense into a character ย or just simply hug them. Cooking, mothers and daughters, love and loss, and filling the empty spot in our souls were the paramount themes in this book. The character Blot was an awesome branch to the story and I loved his name as for me, it reminded me of cleaning up a spill and in the protagonistโs case, cleaning up her blood from her incessant and heartbreaking cutting. The food references were abundant and used not only literally, but also to describe feelings, physical attributes and more.
Thankfully, the book wrapped up in an honest way and wasnโt too rushed trying to fit all the pieces together.
Quotes I liked:ย
Sometimes, no matter how hard I tried to keep my hopes down, the popped back up like a turkey timer.โ
– โNot for a moment had I allowed myself to wither into sadness. Wouldnโt. Itโs impossible to know when sadness ends. Itโs a string I feared Iโd keep on pulling until I unraveled the carpeting of a million rooms.โ
– โFor the rest of his life, he realized, he would have a relationship with something that was what it wasnโt.”
Good Book Fairy. I loved this book, I couldn’t put it down. I too felt like the book brought me to emotional places I hadn’t even thought of. Since I am adopted this was particularily moving.
Dear My Inspired Table, Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so glad this book touched you as it reminds me that a book is worth nothing without its reader, and each reader receives something different from the book! Best, L
Review:The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar is another excellent example of creating a novel with richly layered characters while comparing Indian and American lifestyles. In this story, Remy returns to Bombay, which he has dubbed the museum of failures, as he sees his native country through the lens of his American life. Heโs there to meet his friendโs niece with the hopes of adopting her baby, as he and his wife are unable to conceive. This innocuous trip turns into a much more complex time as Remy is hit with roadblocks time and time again.Itโs the story about Remy and his mother that really got to me. He lived a life of never measuring up and feeling quite unloved by her. Through their time together in Bombay, he learns critical information that allows him to see her in a more thoughtful and understanding way. This time away has brought whatโs left of his shattered family back together.His trip extends much longer than anticipated and he realizes the value of being home. His American wife Kathy seemed too good to be true, but I did like their relationship, born of trust and equality. Remyโs life as a poet was buried away, but through his visit in India, he realizes the importance of doing work you love, not just working for a higher paycheck.Overall, this was a satisfying read and one that fans of Umrigar will appreciate. Her last book, Honor, along with The Space Between Us, are my two favorites of hers. I havenโt met an Umrigar book I didnโt enjoy!@thrity_umrigar @algonquinbooks ๐: Do you dress up for Halloween? If yes, what's your costume of choice? If not, what's a scary book you've read? ... See MoreSee Less
Good Book Fairy. I loved this book, I couldn’t put it down. I too felt like the book brought me to emotional places I hadn’t even thought of. Since I am adopted this was particularily moving.
Dear My Inspired Table,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so glad this book touched you as it reminds me that a book is worth nothing without its reader, and each reader receives something different from the book!
Best,
L