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devria's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
drownbythoughts's review against another edition
4.0
im cryingngng this book is sooo heartwarming ahh
ginggrr's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was a quick read that was both relaxing and thought provoking. No romance here at all, just intergenerational friendships that are mutually beneficial. Philosophical musings about the meaning of life sit side by side with the practical realities of living in an imperfect and often cruel world…and all of it comes to us through dokayaki. Really a delightful read!
lost_jade's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
toriauricht's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
adr0128's review against another edition
5.0
This was absolutely precious and a perfect comfort read. Sweet sweet sweet.
kyleejor's review against another edition
5.0
A sweet sweet book that centers around a dorayaki shop in Japan. It touches a great deal on Hansen’s disease and the way in which we treat people with stigmatized illnesses.
A fantastic book.
A fantastic book.
dawnlovesthelibrary's review against another edition
5.0
An absolutely beautiful story written (and translated) in very real feeling, soulful, poetic language. Tokue will stay with me for a very long time. Sweet Bean Paste is a much deeper, meaningful story than it appears to be at the beginning. It's not just about an old woman who helps a young man who lost his way and is trying to make a life for himself. It is much, much more. It's also-fair warning-more heartbreaking than I imagined. I'll avoid spoilers and say only that this bit of history was completely unknown to me as an American (and made me curious how much the Japanese people in general are aware of it).
If you are the sort of person who needs all the loose ends wrapped up by the time you finish, you will be slightly (but not overly) disappointed at the ending here. Personally, it felt more real leaving things a bit ambiguous at the end and it fit just right for the lessons of this painful, yet absolutely beautiful and joyful story.
If you are the sort of person who needs all the loose ends wrapped up by the time you finish, you will be slightly (but not overly) disappointed at the ending here. Personally, it felt more real leaving things a bit ambiguous at the end and it fit just right for the lessons of this painful, yet absolutely beautiful and joyful story.
_tink_'s review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
faerieslib's review against another edition
4.0
i too would want to have a talk with tokue, maybe a little chat with her would help me sort out my life :(( recommended to those who feel a bit lost, who feel like they no longer have purpose, and those who struggle with going on.
not quite satisfied with the where we left off with sentaro but oh boy, tokue already suffered a lot in isolation in her younger years and it feels right for her to rest after sharing her experiences and story to the outside world, to someone like sentaro who very much struggled like her, who continues to question his purpose in life :)))
side note: did not made me shed a tear until the part wakana gave her back the blouse her mother made her !! that part HITS T.T given what happened to tokue in her youth :((
tw: bits of graphic descriptions
not quite satisfied with the where we left off with sentaro but oh boy, tokue already suffered a lot in isolation in her younger years and it feels right for her to rest after sharing her experiences and story to the outside world, to someone like sentaro who very much struggled like her, who continues to question his purpose in life :)))
side note: did not made me shed a tear until the part wakana gave her back the blouse her mother made her !! that part HITS T.T given what happened to tokue in her youth :((
tw: bits of graphic descriptions