3.5 stars.
I always find it odd t try and review a memoir. It's not that I'm rating a person's life but the book itself, but it's still a difficult thing to do. I truly appreciated the raw honesty of Erin French’s voice. She doesn’t pull any punches, and I really appreciated that. I was very surprised when I received a copy of this book in the mail because I knew absolutely nothing about the author (or her very famous Lost Kitchen, which I now really really wish I could go to).
This was a beautiful memoir, a journey from different points, and not all of them were pretty. I felt Erin French’s words, and I really appreciated that. I have now found out that this book is also available as an audiobook, narrated by the author herself. I definitely want to pick that up and would highly encourage others to consider listening to the book of her words, /in her words/. (Does that make sense? I think it does.) I think this would especially help with the part of the book that I found made it difficult for me to get through — unending text. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know this is a book, it’s going to be full of words, but there were huge chunks of the book that delved so deep into descriptions (which I love and appreciate) that you kind of lost where you were. I know, that’s odd to say since that’s the opposite of what descriptions should do but when I see a wall of text like that, sometimes I become discouraged or want to take a break from a book. I think in the form of an audiobook, this would be less of an issue and you can really let yourself become immersed. Just a thought.
This is by no means a light book. I appreciate the cover because it’s oddly fitting. There are bursts of color but everything else is dark, French’s face is mostly hidden. I think that’s accurate. This book is tough, it deals with a lot of heavy topics, and can be mentally taxing I think that’s part of the beauty, because we can truly appreciate how far French has come and how much love, blood, sweat, and tears have gone into The Lost Kitchen, but it doesn’t make reading it any easier.
I think this book does focus heavily on the journey and not the little things that I sometimes really like to see in books, especially memoirs. You know, those little things that really sit with you that you later find yourself thinking back on even after you’ve finished a book (sometimes long after). I remember the big things, I don’t think I can forget them anytime soon, but I wish there had been more little things. I think those really add up to give a certain warmth or charm to a book that would have fit beautifully in this memoir. However, this book tends to be more introspective/reflecting, which I can understand and appreciate but does make it harder for me as a reader to fully find myself connecting to the story.
Overall, a very interesting book that I’m so glad I received because it’s not necessarily one I would have found myself gravitating towards otherwise. Thank you to the publisher’s for the advance reading copy that was provided in exchange for my honest review.
I always find it odd t try and review a memoir. It's not that I'm rating a person's life but the book itself, but it's still a difficult thing to do. I truly appreciated the raw honesty of Erin French’s voice. She doesn’t pull any punches, and I really appreciated that. I was very surprised when I received a copy of this book in the mail because I knew absolutely nothing about the author (or her very famous Lost Kitchen, which I now really really wish I could go to).
This was a beautiful memoir, a journey from different points, and not all of them were pretty. I felt Erin French’s words, and I really appreciated that. I have now found out that this book is also available as an audiobook, narrated by the author herself. I definitely want to pick that up and would highly encourage others to consider listening to the book of her words, /in her words/. (Does that make sense? I think it does.) I think this would especially help with the part of the book that I found made it difficult for me to get through — unending text. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know this is a book, it’s going to be full of words, but there were huge chunks of the book that delved so deep into descriptions (which I love and appreciate) that you kind of lost where you were. I know, that’s odd to say since that’s the opposite of what descriptions should do but when I see a wall of text like that, sometimes I become discouraged or want to take a break from a book. I think in the form of an audiobook, this would be less of an issue and you can really let yourself become immersed. Just a thought.
This is by no means a light book. I appreciate the cover because it’s oddly fitting. There are bursts of color but everything else is dark, French’s face is mostly hidden. I think that’s accurate. This book is tough, it deals with a lot of heavy topics, and can be mentally taxing I think that’s part of the beauty, because we can truly appreciate how far French has come and how much love, blood, sweat, and tears have gone into The Lost Kitchen, but it doesn’t make reading it any easier.
I think this book does focus heavily on the journey and not the little things that I sometimes really like to see in books, especially memoirs. You know, those little things that really sit with you that you later find yourself thinking back on even after you’ve finished a book (sometimes long after). I remember the big things, I don’t think I can forget them anytime soon, but I wish there had been more little things. I think those really add up to give a certain warmth or charm to a book that would have fit beautifully in this memoir. However, this book tends to be more introspective/reflecting, which I can understand and appreciate but does make it harder for me as a reader to fully find myself connecting to the story.
Overall, a very interesting book that I’m so glad I received because it’s not necessarily one I would have found myself gravitating towards otherwise. Thank you to the publisher’s for the advance reading copy that was provided in exchange for my honest review.