Review: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like the way this book approaches the fantastic and blends it easily into everyday reality. Each character deals with their particular challenges (special or not) in a clean, almost spare way. The book is absolutely disconcerting when you step away from it, but I enjoyed the way the author made everything sort of make sense within the narrative.

Although the story at first seems as though it will focus on Rose, as it continues it takes on other aspects of the family, sharpening their character lines and making them more real as Rose begins to understand them more fully. Of course mysteries still remain, as with any family... I don't think any child can grow up knowing every family secret or why every relative behaves the way they do.

I was disappointed in the ending, which seemed abrupt and sort of loose; I thought it could have easily continued for another chapter or so. I would have liked more attention paid to Joseph and his father, just a little bit more focus.

It definitely has a lot of potential, but I would have liked more.

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