Friday, September 22, 2017

Review: Sweet Bean Paste

Sweet Bean Paste

Sweet Bean Paste
Durian Sukegawa

Sentaro sells pancakes with sweet bean paste from a small Japanese shop. It isn't something he enjoys, but he has a debt to pay and therefore, he endures. When an elderly lady named Tokue comes to work at the shop, all is good and sales increased due to her wonderful homemade bean paste recipe. Sentaro begins to enjoy his work for the first time. But, Tokue has a dark secret which will affect not just their friendship but the business of selling pancakes as well.

This sweet addictive tale is set in contemporary Japan and it's all about second chances and learning how to listen to the world around us. Only by listening can we recognize that all humans have value and we all do our part to validate the universe around us. While this book appears deceptively simple it's actually deeply profound and a very good read. I always enjoy discovering international writers like Sukegawa that were previously unknown to me. I can't wait to read more international fiction provided by Oneworld.

Thanks to Library Thing and Oneworld Publications for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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