Kitchen - Banana Yoshimoto

Recommendation pitch:
In Kitchen, we follow Mikage, a girl recently orphaned after the death of her grandmother, who finds solace in Yuichi and his mother Erico's apartment. Unsurprisingly, the story revolves around grief and loss but more importantly about the connections we form that go beyond familial or romantic, which are more human than anything- just someone's presence around a dinner table can sometimes mean more than any big acts of kindness.

That is a running theme actually, the book itself has heavy topics, but it does not go out of its way to make any statements, the world of the book feels small, simple and approachable, and the interactions rooted in its character's feelings than major plot points. The titular kitchen itself represents the safe spaces we create where we can connect with ourselves, and how they can be a respite from pain and grief. In its very short page count, the book transports you to a different world at a different time without needing to over-complicated or 'literature-like'; and it's a testament to its simplicity and skill.

If you want a short, tear inducing, touching story you can read on the weekend, then this is the one for you.