Reviews

Wo Milch und Honig fließen: Roman by C Pam Zhang

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buttercat42's review against another edition

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dark mysterious

5.0

iriz_viriz's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

What did I just read? I really spent the longest time I've ever spent on trying to finish a book, on finishing this book. It was a very trustworthy insomnia companion, because the moment I read it, I would fall asleep.

lindalou22's review against another edition

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5.0

Where food is used as a manipulation; desired, sensualized, hated. A choking overflow of greed and money.
The extreme immoderation of enjoyment and how it became a twisted tool in a starving world.

carolanncrum's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

Woah

meatballhead02's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

lit_laugh_luv's review against another edition

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4.0

This book is certainly odd and cerebral, but I did end up enjoying it (especially the end)! At the heart of this novel is food and cuisine, and there's an intricate web of connections the author explores between food and culture, conservation, womanhood, wealth and nostalgia. Though it sounds like a disjoint mix of themes, they're all integrated together really well.

Dystopian literature can tend to be a bit one-note, but this takes things into a unique direction I really appreciated. We follow a commune of the ultra-wealthy who can afford asylum from a climate crisis that has destroyed the vast majority of Earth's wildlife and species. Their efforts are focused on reviving lost species and ingredients that have been lost (and entirely inaccessible to everyone else) - and the morality of this is reflected upon heavily by our narrator.

The prose in this is interesting, with a heavy emphasis on the sensorial aspects of both cooking and eating. At times it feels a little bit overdrawn, but when it connects to the broader narrative it is really effective. The protagonist is compelling but the secondary characters feel quite flat and more like archetypes than realized people. The narrative also has some issues with delivery - there's times in which the way information is presented is a bit needlessly confusing, and I found myself flipping back through pages to catch up. While not a huge detriment, it is noticeable enough to call out.

I really enjoyed this, but not sure it would be something I broadly recommend given its so experimental and odd. Certainly unlike anything I've ever read and a really unique concept that has a strong execution.