alexandra's Reviews > The Kitchen God's Wife

4.5/5 ☆ THE KITCHEN GOD'S WIFE is overwhelming, beautiful, and will always have a special place in my heart.

trigger warning: this book contains an abusive relationship and rape.

i started this novel not knowing what to expect. but right off the bat, i knew this book would be unforgettable. the story is told in alternating POVs. it starts with Pearl, speaking of her situations now, and moves onto Winnie, Pearl's mom, telling her daughter of what happened in the past. most of the story follows Winnie, but at the very end, we flash back to the present and Pearl's POV.

the characters and situations were so relatable. at first, it almost felt as if it were my mom telling her life story to me. i could see parallels between myself and the character's life, which made everything much more real and, in turn, made the story more impactful for me. both my parents are from Shanghai, China and since Winnie begins her story there, it was like i was seeing things in the lens of my parents. there would often be references in Shanghainese and Mandarin Chinese that made me feel nostalgic for my childhood and home. it seemed to me that Pearl wasn't very proud of her Chinese background at first, which is how i felt/feel sometimes. this story made me appreciate where i come from and my culture; it allowed me to see the hardships my mom/parents had to endure for me to live a better life in America. because i read this book, i feel a stronger connection with my elders and that's something i'll forever be grateful for.

but moving on to things about the story itself... the plot is so intricate and intense. it's really unexpected and indescribable, so i'll just leave it at that. as i mentioned earlier, there's an abusive relationship in the novel and this book really shows what it means to be in an abusive relationship. i've read other novels that touch the topic but i didn't really understand what it meant until this book. i truly felt the characters and, i'll admit that at times it was difficult for me to read. if you want to open your eyes to situations like this, read this book.

but what i love the most is that the novel isn't just "a book with an abusive relationship" because it is SO MUCH MORE than that. it's about finding hope and understanding friendships and learning the meaning of family. it's about all those things and so much more. amy tan's writing is so also beautiful; she couldn't have executed this story better.

the one complaint i have is that it was a slow read. maybe it was because i'm in a reading slump, but it took me longer than usual to finish this book. but that's not to say i wasn't hooked with the story and/or its characters.

all in all, i loved THE KITCHEN GOD'S WIFE despite its tough topics and slow pacing. even though i've never encountered situations as dire as the character's, everything was scarily relatable and realistic. i think everyone should take a chance and read this book because the message is so strong. this is the kind of book i'd want my daughters and sons to read, and their children as well.