The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

For over a year I have been meaning to read The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, by Aimee Bender.  Of course as many of you know I read multiple books at once and have a precarious pile of books waiting to be read.  I finally got around to this one.

The concept of the book is what caught my interest.  The main character, Rose, is a young girl who is navigating adolesence with a family of outsiders when she discovers she has an unusual ability.   Rose can taste the feelings of the people who handle the food she eats.  Imagine that some makes you a meal out of pure love and you can taste every beat of that person's heart.  On the flip side you can taste all feelings good and bad.

Rose struggles to grow into this ability.  It helps her understand her free spirited mother, but only through painful meals.  Her father is almost nonexistent to her, until the very end of the story.  I love the relationship between Rose and her brother's best friend George. However, the story line featuring her brother, Joseph, is lost on me.  I feel this is where the book went off the deep end.

I love the concept of having an extra sense that can help or hinder you.  Especially seeing Rose beginning to understand its usefulness.  I liked the book but could do without her brother Joseph and the weirdness that surrounds him.  I did not like the ending, but I don't really like endings that leave you hanging.  If you are looking for a resolution do not read this book.

I cannot really say whether or not I would recommend this book.  I did not love it and I did not hate it.  This time you must really decide for yourself.