I was in high school when I read this book. I had recently returned from being an exchange student in Japan and I think that contributed to my connection with the characters and setting.

The story is bizarre, almost to the point of being too farfetched, but I appreciated its whimsy.

I chose to write this entry as a review rather than as an explanation of how it changed my life, but at the time I read it I loved it so much it felt life shattering.

I’ve kept nearly all the books I’ve ever read and have even bought copies of books that were loaned to me just so I could own them, even though I don’t read books twice. But, when I finished Kitchen, I kept it because I did intend to read it again. I haven’t yet, but I still think I will. My stack of books to read is just too big to revisit old friends right now….