Published by Viking on July 28, 2015
Genre(s): Fiction, Food, Adult, Contemporary
Format: Paperback
Pages: 310
When Lars Thorvald's wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine--and a dashing sommelier--he's left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He's determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter--starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva's journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that's a testament to her spirit and resilience.
Each chapter in J. Ryan Stradal's startlingly original debut tells the story of a single dish and character, at once capturing the zeitgeist of the Midwest, the rise of foodie culture, and delving into the ways food creates community and a sense of identity. By turns quirky, hilarious, and vividly sensory, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is an unexpected mother-daughter story about the bittersweet nature of life--its missed opportunities and its joyful surprises. It marks the entry of a brilliant new talent.
I have had this book on my "to-read" shelf for such a long time and could never get ahold of a copy through the two sources I regularly use- PaperbackSwap and Audible. So when I was in NYC last week and I saw a copy at The Strand, I immediately bought it and began reading on my next subway ride.
The book tells the story of Eva Thorvald as she grows up in the midwest, gathering experiences that help to shape her future in food. Each chapter revolves around a different food and person that has an impact on Eva's life. It's unique in that each chapter tells a story from the perspective of another character, sometimes with Eva only appearing at the end or not at all. I loved how Stradal did this. It's an interesting way to construct a plot, but it worked. The layout and design of the story flowed smoothly, and learning about Eva through the eyes of multiple other people that have impacted her life really helped to develop her character as well as each supporting character involved.
Another thing I really enjoyed about the book was how it all pieced together at the end so deliberately. There were a couple of things that occurred throughout the book that were left unanswered, but I believe that was likely intentional, and the mystery to each of these pieces of the plot didn't take away from understanding the flow of the story in any way. However, at the end, in the final chapter, each chapter- having seemed so independent up until the end- finally came together in beautiful and natural way. It felt as if I, as the reader, had been leading up to the final "Dinner" all along, and the previous chapter in this book was all I needed to read in order to understand the complexity of each dish, each guest, and every other detail involved in the final story...Like there was so much more to these characters, as there is to everyone in life, but having read each of their chapters and seeing it all come together at the end, I was able to understand each of them a little better, and appreciate life and how it has a unique way of happening.
I laughed out loud more than once while reading this book, and there were parts that even brought tears to my eyes, of both happiness and sadness. It sparked so much emotion, left my mouth watering, and left my mind racing every time I had to put it down. It was a quick and easy read, but not one I will soon forget. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in a coming-of-age tale about life, love, family, and food.
