Believe it or not, The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee is a delightfully sweet story centered on the lives of three (and sometimes more) people who hang out at a cafe in Japan. Our story starts when narrator Momoko has just been dumped by her boyfriend after several years of her fastidious attempts to tend to his every need – especially cooking his favorite food (or so she thinks) – a dish she aptly names “Kyohei Curry.” From love to dumped to crushed to a night of drinking, she finds herself in the Amayadori cafe where she is comforted by the very handsome manager Iori, and spills her history to a complete stranger at the counter – Hozumi. But our story does not end there. Over the course of months, they become friends and comrades who turn the cafe into a successful curry shop, while also listening to the stories of various characters who have a loved-and-lost tale to share of their own. I so much appreciated what I learned of Japanese culture from author Saki Kawashiro through the vivid translation by Yuka Maeno. The gentleness and pace of this narrative is comforting, especially in a time of turmoil. Oh, yeah – about the Funeral Committee. What better way to bury a sad memory than by holding a celebratory feast with a group of friends. The idea serves as a perfect centerpiece for a book filled with food, generosity, caring and discovery. I loved every word in this unique novel!
–Linda, Auntie’s Books, Spokane, WA
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