"The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake"

"The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" (Doubleday, 2010), by Aimee Bender, tells the story of a young girl, Rose, who discovers she can taste the emotions of the person who made the food she is eating. Emailing with my friend C., I discovered that we each, independently, had read reviews of this novel and were resisting reading it because it sounded gimmicky. I, however, had seen it in the library and something made me pick it up anyway, thinking I could always stop reading it if I didn't like it. To my surprise, I found the book entrancing, thoughtful, sensitive, and beautifully written. The "gimmick" of the story, Rose's ability to taste emotions in food, is really only a fresh way to explore the feelings of a young girl growing up in a family where there is much love and support but also much sadness and many secrets. Rose's father is loving but has trouble communicating, her mother is devoted but dissatisfied and vague, and her older brother is a genius who lives in his own little world of the imagination. Each character is quirky and complex, and often baffled by her or his life. I grew quite attached to Rose and her family, and was touched by the surprising, bittersweet ending. I have now pressed this book on C., and would like to press it on you as well.