2021 #3: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake (Bender)

 

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I likely would have given this five stars, but the ending was a bit of a let-down. It just seemed too abrupt, too much of an important realization that is just left there, hanging. Aside from that, however, this is a wonderful -- if somewhat heartbreaking--story. Bender mixes the surreal with the all-too-real in a very genuine and compelling way. Having grown up in Los Angeles, the familiar surroundings made the more surreal elements seem like the surprise tang from the cornichons in Rose's paté sandwich -- bright contrast, but supposed to be there.

It can be read as a quirky surrealist tale, but I think that misses the important layer and the lessons about our human-ness. In any group of people, we can almost count on someone who tastes the nuances of life, someone who lives a life of avoidance in fear of the unknown, and those who wish to blend in with the scenery. They are all there, and Bender reminds us of our own potential to taste, to avoid, and to be absorbed.