Sunday, January 1, 2012

Judging The Book By It's Cover: Kitchen Daughter



Which Cover do you prefer? The hardcover or the soft cover?
I prefer the hard cover book on the left. This is the cover that drew me in at first glance of the book. I understand why the change. Book covers can make the book or not.  I think the first cover is much more mysterious. The second one, since I read it is decieving. The daughter is not a young child. I don't get the cover. In my view it should have been a young women, not a young child messing with the pots. But, who am I just a blogger. We bloggers, are much more interested in what is inside the pages rather, than a book jacket artist cover. Or are we? I just wonder who judges the cover and who has the final say so. 

                    




The paper back version a courtesy copy from Ayelet of Simon and Schuester. Thank you so much for the paper back version. I was curious to find out, if they would keep the art work of the hard back or not. I was hoping they would leave it alone. If they want a bloggers take.
This is my only criticism, is the cover.

The Kitchen Daughter, when the story opens Ginny's parents just pass away. Her sister, and the family come home to the funeral. Ginny is different she doesn't do well in social situations.She doesn't like to be touched by others. Ginny doesn't feel comfortable after the funeral with the relatives and friends visiting. The relatives, are interferring and her sister Ginny is domineering.

After they leave it is just her sister, Amanda and her left in the house. Amanda has family of her own, and lives a distance from Ginny.

Her sister doesn't feel comfortable with Ginny left in the house by herself. Ginny has Asperger's Syndrome. But, we learn later in the story, she was not diagnosed, it was just suspected.

As anxiety starts to take over, Ginny decides she is going to stir up some recipes. Each time she makes recipes from her dead relatives their spirits come to her. As soon as the smells disappear the spirits disappear.

My Thoughts: I am not going to ruin the rest of the story. First off I loved the book cover. That got me from the start. Isn't it unique?

I wasn't sure if I was going to like the story. It reminded me of another book, The Sadness of Lemon Cake. That one I could not relate to. This one I did. I just enjoyed reading about the spirits coming forth. It worked with the book.

The only person that Ginny relates to is Gert, she is a Jewish woman that has taken care of the house since Ginny was little. Gert asks Ginny to come with her to help set up a "shiva meal". She wants Ginny to help her with the cooking. Ginny agrees. This worked in the story, in Judiasm, there is lots of mysticm in our traditions. This worked for the story with the recipes stirred up the relatives.

There is a mystery that goes along with the story as well. This caused me to keep turning the pages. Even though if you are not a great fan in the spirits, or even cooking this was a lovely story.

Mixed into the story was the acceptance of her sister having Asperger's, letting her live on her own. Ginny's parent's never let Ginny out of their sight, never let her become independent. Her sister, Amanda did not trust her living alone.

I enjoyed reading Kitchen's Daughter, this is a awesome summer read. If you have a chance pick up a copy.




2 comments:

Irene said...

Happy New Year! I love the hardcover of this book as well, I must confess though, when I first glanced at it, it reminded me of a joke, and I'm sure the young lady in the book store though this old broad has lost it...really has nothing to do with what's inside this book either, so maybe I'm losing it. Probably...
the joke it reminded me of...
A teenage granddaughter comes downstairs for her date with a see through blouse on and no bra. Her grandmother just pitched a fit, telling her not to dare go out like that!

The teenager tells her "Loosen up Grams. These are modern times. You got let your rosebuds show!" and out she goes.

The next day the teenager comes downstairs, and the grandmother is sitting here with no top on. The teenager wants to die. She explains to her grandmother that she has friends coming over and that it is just not appropriate...

The grandmother says, "Loosen up, Sweet. If you can show off your rosebuds, then I can display my hanging baskets."

An author I once talked to about the cover of books said, often times the illustrator has never even read the book, which she was particularly offended with, and that often times the author doesn't have any say in what the book cover looks like. Hmmm...sometimes I can see that.

Ari (Reading After Midnight) said...

I love both covers, and I am always picking up books based on their covers. I know it's wrong, but I can't help it ;))