Book Club Report #14: Sweet Bean Paste
Jan. 9th, 2023 06:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceruleanhailDiscovery:
I first saw the book in Kinokuniya. The cover that has an old woman, a female high school student and a chef standing together to admire the cherry blossoms. I was drawn to the wholesome cover and convinced the rest to try this peaceful book for December. Little did I know, the book is not as peaceful as it seemed.
What's It About?:
Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa is a standalone Japanese novel, translated by Alison Watts. Ex-convict Sentaro works in a small confectionary shop that sells dorayaki. An old woman named Tokue inquired about the shop's hiring poster in hopes to work with Sentaro, and she makes a mean sweet bean paste for dorayaki. The story mostly focuses Sentaro's POV and how his life is enriched by his friendship with Tokue, and how he has to weather some twists and turns life offered.
General Thoughts (Mild Spoilers):
I first saw the book in Kinokuniya. The cover that has an old woman, a female high school student and a chef standing together to admire the cherry blossoms. I was drawn to the wholesome cover and convinced the rest to try this peaceful book for December. Little did I know, the book is not as peaceful as it seemed.
What's It About?:
Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa is a standalone Japanese novel, translated by Alison Watts. Ex-convict Sentaro works in a small confectionary shop that sells dorayaki. An old woman named Tokue inquired about the shop's hiring poster in hopes to work with Sentaro, and she makes a mean sweet bean paste for dorayaki. The story mostly focuses Sentaro's POV and how his life is enriched by his friendship with Tokue, and how he has to weather some twists and turns life offered.
General Thoughts (Mild Spoilers):
- The first half of the book was wholesome and nice, especially when Tokue starts working in the shop with Sentaro.
- Love the subtle dorayaki representation; Tokue's deep flavours shaped by her past, Sentaro's barely passing dorayakis.
- Love Tokue and Sentaro's conversations.
- Tokue's departure was a sad turning point.
- Felt that Wakana's relationship wasn't well-developed, had expected more between her and Sentaro... but I guess it shows the hidden social barriers, and that Tokue is able to transcend them, and that they were only able to transcend these social barriers FOR her.
- Mixed feelings with latter half of the book, which felt a bit more like a hidden biography on how leprosy patients were historically treated in Japan.
- A beautiful message despite the bittersweet ending: on finding little joys/pleasures of life, on keeping kindness despite hardships, on endless possibilities if one is willing to listen and open their heart.
