Aimee Bender, The Particular Sadness Of Lemon Cake

[Deborah]

Our book starting Sunday. I am free all weekend so I plan on finishing a book I just started and delving into this one.

[Carol]

Oh great! I'm on pg 78 but I went to the library today and got a few other books so I will put Lemon Cake aside for now...let me now when you are approaching 78??

[Lilith]

That's what I like about these short-story books, You can put them down and pick them right back up any time!

[Carol]

I took notes already to jog my memory : )

[Carol]

Is anyone besides me reading this?

[Deborah]

I am. Sorry I haven't posted. I am planning on reading the book tomorrow on my day off. I know Lilith had a delay in getting it from the library. Once I catch up I will respond to your posts. Sorry for any confusion.

[Lilith]

Ceecee I'm so unhappy...I reserved it from the library...apparently too late...I thought I'd have it by now, but when I checked its availability, there were hardly any copies...and one person had JUST taken it out, so it was only going t be back in a few weeks, When the library calls me to go pick it up, I am going to read it for sure!! because Amy Bender is so awesome and I already know it's going to be a fantastic book...When I do read it, I'm going to be posting on this thread even though we will most likely have moved onto the next book. Lets just say I have learnt my lesson and I will no longer wait at the last second to check out a book. Thankfully a a whole bunch of libraries here have We are Water, by Wally Lamb, so I will most certainly be reading that one on time!

[Carol]

Thanks, ladies - no apologies needed. I'm a library person too, Lilith, so I totally get it. I am ready to discuss this one whenever you are and am on disc 3/19 of We Are Water. I'm spending a lot of time on the road these days so figured audio would be a good way to conquer that one!

[Lilith]

Audio! I have never tried that!

[Deborah]

Sorry for the delay. My weekend was so hectic. I'm working two jobs through March. I am starting this book tonight. Had planned on reading yesterday, but napped most of it. Argh

[Lilith]

You better be sorry.

[Carol]

Lilith wrote: "Audio! I have never tried that!"

I find that I follow non-fiction better by audio. Often with fiction my mind wanders and it can be difficult to go back to listen again. For 500+ pages though, I figured it was a good idea.

Sometimes the popular titles are easier to get from the library in audio or large print.

[Deborah]

I just realized this is not like her other book we read. This is actually more of a novel rather than a bunch of short stories. Just the detail in the first chapter of the cake makes me want to bake.

[Deborah]

Okay this book is starting to make sense. Someone's mood impacts the food they are cooking. To be honest her other book was a lot easier to read. This is taking a bit longer to get into. Also, sorry for being behind. I'm working two jobs for the next month or so. I do though enjoy her writing style. I don't think I've read any authors like her.

[Deborah]

Okay I just finished the book. The way Joseph changed was so rapid. I don't feel like it had the same flow as the other book we read of hers. I am curious what other people thought of the ending.

[Carol]

This is the first book I have read by this author - and I absolutely loved it! I thought her writing style was lovely. Please tell me more about her other books; after reading this one I would be interested in reading others.

As far as the ending goes - if I had liked the ending more, I would have given this one 5 stars. Instead it got 4 1/2. That I gave it this many says lot thought because usually I prefer realistic fiction. This book introduced me to the genre of magical realism, which I will also now be more interested in reading in the future.

[Deborah]

Cee Cee wrote: "This is the first book I have read by this author - and I absolutely loved it! I thought her writing style was lovely. Please tell me more about her other books; after reading this one I would be i..."

I would recommend her Flammable book. It is a bunch of short stories and her writing is amazing. I had never read anything like her at the time. I think I was expecting the same type of book with this one, but this was more of a novel. What I also liked about this book was at first it seemed like it took place in the 70's or 80's then when you fast forward you are introduced to computers and other modern technologies. I still want to know where Joseph went.

[Carol]

Thank you for the recommendation.

(view spoiler)[
I think Joseph became one with the chair. (hide spoiler)]

[Lilith]

I like this book so far...I'm only on page 30, but I'm really getting into it. The character development for Rose is so well done...I can just see the way she acts and speaks as I'm reading it. It's so different than The Girl in the Flammable Skirt in many ways...one way being that it's not quirky and funny. Overall, I can tell The Girl in the Flammable Skirt is better, but I still enjoy this one too!

[Carol]

Deborah - did my answer about Joseph make sense to you??

[Lilith]

Hahaha! The conversation at the family supper on page 43/44! Typical Aimee Bender style dialogue!

[Lilith]

I'm on page 259. I'm almost done!! So...I made a note in reference to the story that Rose tells about the boy who had bad vision and got glasses. It' starts at the very end of page 170 and ends at the last paragraph of page 172...After Rose tells the story, her father asks her if she's trying to tell him something and if so, just tell him because he can't figure it out...I am frustrated because I can't figure out what she was indirectly trying to tell him. If it was something in relation to her and someone else, I can't figure out what it might be. I'm going crazy trying to figure this out. Does anyone have any interpretations about what she may have been trying to indirectly say?

[Carol]

Lilith wrote: "I'm on page 259. I'm almost done!! So...I made a note in reference to the story that Rose tells about the boy who had bad vision and got glasses. It' starts at the very end of page 170 and ends at ..."

I returned my copy of the book to the library - I wish I still it to refresh my memory...

If I remember correctly the boy with the glasses is an analogy for Rose and the insight she gleans from the food that she eats, particularly about her mom's illicit relationship. I think she told her dad the story to get his advice about whether or not she should tell him about the adultery.

Does that make sense? And how are you liking the book in general??

[Lilith]

Oh my gosh!! Of course! That is so interesting. Thank you. It was stressing me out. Haha!

I'm liking it...It's good. When I thought about what rating I would give it (and picked three on five stars), I chose while deliberately not comparing this book to her others that I have read. I like the story overall, but I find the whole book slightly overall monotonous from beginning to end. I guess I'm mixed.

[Carol]

Glad that makes sense to you. I really loved the figurative writing style and found Rose's train of thought enthralling!

[Lilith]

If you really liked this book, I'm dying to hear what you would think of The Girl in the Flammable Skirt. Honestly? One of my favourite books, hands down. One of a kind!

[Deborah]

What happened to Joseph??

[Carol]

Lilith wrote: "If you really liked this book, I'm dying to hear what you would think of The Girl in the Flammable Skirt. Honestly? One of my favourite books, hands down. One of a kind!"

Ok will try to get my hands on it soon...

[Carol]

Deborah wrote: "What happened to Joseph??"

Deborah, click on 'view spoiler' in my Feb 4 post. Let me know what you think.

[Carol]

Lilith, let us know too if you agree with my understanding of what happened to Joseph, or if you had a different interpretation.

[Lilith]

I just finished. I don't know. I'm so pissed off. I don't know why he was found face down in his apartment...I don't know why it seemed like he had no legs and they were part of the chair...I don't know why he "tried becoming the dresser, bed..etc." The outcome of Joseph's condition is inconclusive...and not in a fascinating leave it up to your imagination way. This book is very "normal" in comparison to her short story books...which are very quirky and out there....so to tie in this part about Joseph and the chair...It's just weird. It doesn't fit.

[Carol]

Lilith - You get that Joseph's condition is connected in a way to Rose's and that of her Uncle Hirsch? That was my understanding anyway...

[Lilith]

What? No, I have no clue what you're talking about. Now I feel like I missed something. Was I sleep reading?! haha! I don't remember anything about her uncle...and in reference to his condition, we still don't know exactly what his condition was....how he had missing legs, etc...and how was his condition connection to Rose's? I have never felt more lost!

[Carol]

Towards the end of the book, Rose and her dad are looking at family photo albums, and they come across a picture of Rose's Uncle Hirsch wearing what they called a 'strap'. Dad explained that Uncle Hirsch had the ability to detect people's emotions through smell.

It is at that point that Rose realizes her condition, as well as Joseph's, are not unique but rather inherited. The connection is that all three of them have unusual reactions which are beyond their control: Hirsch's is triggered by smell, Rose's by taste and Joseph's through touch.

Deborah - did you get this part??

Lilith - does that help? Do you want me to explain more??

[Deborah]

I didn't catch ant of that in the book. I'm wondering if a lot of people missed the connection since the book has a low rating on Goodreads.

[Carol]

Wow. Deborah - I think you're right. I just read several of the reviews and it seems that many readers may have missed this...so interesting as I do not consider myself to be the most insightful reader...

we haven't discussed the absence of quotation marks throughout the book. Did either of you like/dislike this??

[Lilith]

Thank you for explaining, Cee Cee! It's coming back to me. It all makes sense now. I had forgotten that detail about Uncle Hirsch. I feel like in some ways the book was a bit all over the place and inconsistent. No wonder I forgot!

I loved that there were no quotation marks! What about you guys? Cee Cee, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt is written the exact same way, with no quotation marks in the dialogue. Initially I didn't like it and I felt frustrated because I wasn't used to a book written that way. But since I had already read two of her books, the lack of quotation marks wasn't new to me and I didn't mind it

[Carol]

Lilith wrote: "Thank you for explaining, Cee Cee! It's coming back to me. It all makes sense now. I had forgotten that detail about Uncle Hirsch. I feel like in some ways the book was a bit all over the place and..."

I liked it too. Had no problem following the conversations so realized maybe they are not as necessary as we think they are!

[Lilith]

I know we've already read this book, but I just have to say this one thing...On my way to the metro today, I had this spontaneous thought about something in the book that really intrigued me. I was wondering if there was some kind of relation, significance...some kind of metaphor or symbolism for Joseph removing splinters from his mother's fingers every day and Joseph being intertwined with the chair. I got nothing. Again I'm frustrated because I feel like there's something there...I just can't figure out what it is...

[Carol]

Great point - Lilith - I missed that but I think you are right - there probably is some significance there, and in the fact that the mom's chosen hobby had to do with woodwork and furniture making??

I'm glad you are still thinking about this book - pretty sure it will be one of my favorites for 2017.

[Lilith]

Yeah, exactly...I feel like throughout the book there are probably a bunch of hidden messages like this that aren't so obvious and easy to miss.