The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Hardcover

Bender, Aimee

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385501129 ISBN 13: 9780385501125

Publisher: Doubleday, 2010

Synopsis

The wondrous Aimee Bender conjures the lush and moving story of a girl whose magical gift is really a devastating curse.

On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein, a girl at the periphery of schoolyard games and her distracted parents’ attention, bites into her mother’s homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother’s emotions in the cake. She discovers this gift to her horror, for her mother—her cheerful, good-with-crafts, can-do mother—tastes of despair and desperation. Suddenly, and for the rest of her life, food becomes a peril and a threat to Rose.

The curse her gift has bestowed is the secret knowledge all families keep hidden—her mother’s life outside the home, her father’s detachment, her brother’s clash with the world. Yet as Rose grows up she learns to harness her gift and becomes aware that there are secrets even her taste buds cannot discern.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is a luminous tale about the enormous difficulty of loving someone fully when you know too much about them. It is heartbreaking and funny, wise and sad, and confirms Aimee Bender’s place as “a writer who makes you grateful for the very existence of language” (San Francisco Chronicle).

About this title

Review:

"Moving, fanciful, and gorgeously strange." "--People
""One of the year's highlights. Intense and compelling."" --The Oregonian
"
"Marvelous. . . . Few writers are as adept as Bender at mingling magical elements so seamlessly with the ordinary." "--San Francisco Chronicle
""A richly imagined, bittersweet tale." "--Vanity Fair
""Convincing and elegant. . . . A novel with a deeply involving plot, one full of provocative ideas." "--The Boston Globe
""Extraordinary. . . . Not just a deeply felt novel but one of the most inventive pieces of food writing in recent memory."" --Time Out New York
""Profound and eye-opening. . . . You feel--that rare and beautiful gift from a truly great book--woken up and unalone." "--The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
""Rose is an irresistible narrator: warm, witty and sharply observant. . . . Exuberant, life-affirming." "--The Miami Herald
""Oddly beautiful. . . . Will tempt you to see what talented writers can do when they rip little tears in the fabric of reality." "--The Washington Post
""The fairy-tale elements in her writing, far from seeming outlandish, highlight the everyday nature of her characters' flaws and struggles. In Ms. Bender's stories and novels, relationships and mundane activities take on mythic qualities." "--The Wall Street Journal
""Charming and wistful. . . . [Rose] studies her world with the thoroughness of a scientist but records her observations with the eye and ear of a poet." "--The Atlantic
"
"The fabulist elements of "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" are stunning, but what makes this novel a keeper is the sheer beauty of the language Bender uses to describe love." --NPR, "Books We Like"
"
""["The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake"] has the narrative momentum and clockwork plotting of any good mystery, but its bleak whimsy and clear-eyed rendering of domestic sorrow are Bender's own. . . . Splendid." "--The Plain Dealer
""Rose comes of age while unraveling family secrets as strangely lucid as they are nightmarish. At its core . . ." The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" encourages us all to make the most of our unique gifts while still finding a way to live in the so-called real world." "--O, The Oprah Magazine
""A dreamy novel. . . . This is one of the most pleasant books we've read all year." "--The New York Observer
"
"Deftly written. . . . There is a . . . sweetness to the book that turns it into something out of the ordinary." "--St. Louis Post-Dispatch
""Bender is the master of quiet hysteria. . . . She builds pressure sentence by sentence. . . . A little hiss of steam comes off the novel."" --Los Angeles Times
"A very special book." --The Anniston Star
"
"Bender doesn't write of ordinary people. She writes of magical creations, the things of fairy tales gone awry. . . . Part magic, part clean prose."" --Denver Post
""If you've ever wondered why people have such a hard time looking in strangers' eyes as they walk down the street, this book, hard as it may be to face, is for you."" --LA Weekly
""There's an evocative power in Bender's work that lingers with a reader."" --The Christian Science Monitor
"
"[Bender] produce[s] stories that make one grateful for being ordinary." "--The Seattle Times
"
"[A] gentle, kindhearted novel. There's a wistful quality to the almost fable-like tale that's captured with near perfection in her understated prose. As in all fine novels, the Edelsteins' story, in Aimee Bender's telling, is one that reflects our own world back to us in a fresh and revealing way." --Bookreporter.com
"
""The ultimate fact is that "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" is probably the strangest book you'll never want to put down." "--Pittsburgh Tribune
""Aimee Bender creates a lilting, economical and finally tragic portrait of what it means to be a child in her exquisite new novel." "--Chicago Tribune
"""Lemon Cake" perfectly embodies Bender's knack for simultaneously appealing to imagination, emotion, and intellect, combining an out-of-this-world premise with very much in-this-world characters." "--Portland Mercury
""Aimee Bender is also something of a sorceress who charges her stories with pure magic, and "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" is an example of what she does best."" --Jewish Journal

"

Moving, fanciful, and gorgeously strange. " People
" One of the year s highlights. Intense and compelling. " The Oregonian
"
Marvelous. . . . Few writers are as adept as Bender at mingling magical elements so seamlessly with the ordinary. " San Francisco Chronicle
" A richly imagined, bittersweet tale. " Vanity Fair
" Convincing and elegant. . . . A novel with a deeply involving plot, one full of provocative ideas. " The Boston Globe
" Extraordinary. . . . Not just a deeply felt novel but one of the most inventive pieces of food writing in recent memory. " Time Out New York
" Profound and eye-opening. . . .You feel that rare and beautiful gift from a truly great book woken up and unalone. " The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
" Rose is an irresistible narrator: warm, witty and sharply observant. . . .Exuberant, life-affirming. " The Miami Herald
" Oddly beautiful. . . . Will tempt you to see what talented writers can do when they rip little tears in the fabric of reality. " The Washington Post
" The fairy-tale elements in her writing, far from seeming outlandish, highlight the everyday nature of her characters flaws and struggles. In Ms. Bender s stories and novels, relationships and mundane activities take on mythic qualities. " The Wall Street Journal
" Charming and wistful. . . . [Rose] studies her world with the thoroughness of a scientist but records her observations with the eye and ear of a poet. " The Atlantic
"
The fabulist elements of "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" are stunning, but what makes this novel a keeper is the sheer beauty of the language Bender uses to describe love. NPR, Books We Like
"
" ["The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake"] has the narrative momentum and clockwork plotting of any good mystery, but its bleak whimsy and clear-eyed rendering of domestic sorrow are Bender s own. . . . Splendid. " The Plain Dealer
"Rose comes of age while unraveling family secrets as strangely lucid as they are nightmarish. At its core . . ." The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" encourages us all to make the most of our unique gifts while still finding a way to live in the so-called real world. " O, The Oprah Magazine
" A dreamy novel. . . . This is one of the most pleasant books we ve read all year. " The New York Observer
"
Deftly written. . . . There is a . . . sweetness to the book that turns it into something out of the ordinary. " St. Louis Post-Dispatch
" Bender is the master of quiet hysteria. . . . She builds pressure sentence by sentence. . . . A little hiss of steam comes off the novel. " Los Angeles Times
A very special book. The Anniston Star
"
Bender doesn t write of ordinary people. She writes of magical creations, the things of fairy tales gone awry. . . . Part magic, part clean prose. " Denver Post
" If you ve ever wondered why people have such a hard time looking in strangers eyes as they walk down the street, this book, hard as it may be to face, is for you. " LA Weekly
" There s an evocative power in Bender s work that lingers with a reader. " The Christian Science Monitor
"
[Bender] produce[s] stories that make one grateful for being ordinary. " The Seattle Times
"
[A] gentle, kindhearted novel. There s a wistful quality to the almost fable-like tale that s captured with near perfection in her understated prose. As in all fine novels, the Edelsteins story, in Aimee Bender s telling, is one that reflects our own world back to us in a fresh and revealing way. Bookreporter.com
"
" The ultimate fact is that "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" is probably the strangest book you ll never want to put down. " Pittsburgh Tribune
" Aimee Bender creates a lilting, economical and finally tragic portrait of what it means to be a child in her exquisite new novel. " Chicago Tribune
" "Lemon Cake" perfectly embodies Bender s knack for simultaneously appealing to imagination, emotion, and intellect, combining an out-of-this-world premise with very much in-this-world characters. " Portland Mercury
" Aimee Bender is also something of a sorceress who charges her stories with pure magic, and "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" is an example of what she does best. " Jewish Journal

""

Moving, fanciful, and gorgeously strange. People
One of the year s highlights. Intense and compelling. The Oregonian

Marvelous. . . . Few writers are as adept as Bender at mingling magical elements so seamlessly with the ordinary. San Francisco Chronicle
A richly imagined, bittersweet tale. Vanity Fair
Convincing and elegant. . . . A novel with a deeply involving plot, one full of provocative ideas. The Boston Globe
Extraordinary. . . . Not just a deeply felt novel but one of the most inventive pieces of food writing in recent memory. Time Out New York
Profound and eye-opening. . . .You feel that rare and beautiful gift from a truly great book woken up and unalone. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Rose is an irresistible narrator: warm, witty and sharply observant. . . .Exuberant, life-affirming. The Miami Herald
Oddly beautiful. . . . Will tempt you to see what talented writers can do when they rip little tears in the fabric of reality. The Washington Post
The fairy-tale elements in her writing, far from seeming outlandish, highlight the everyday nature of her characters flaws and struggles. In Ms. Bender s stories and novels, relationships and mundane activities take on mythic qualities. The Wall Street Journal
Charming and wistful. . . . [Rose] studies her world with the thoroughness of a scientist but records her observations with the eye and ear of a poet. The Atlantic

The fabulist elements of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake are stunning, but what makes this novel a keeper is the sheer beauty of the language Bender uses to describe love. NPR, Books We Like

[The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake] has the narrative momentum and clockwork plotting of any good mystery, but its bleak whimsy and clear-eyed rendering of domestic sorrow are Bender s own. . . . Splendid. The Plain Dealer
Rose comes of age while unraveling family secrets as strangely lucid as they are nightmarish. At its core . . . The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake encourages us all to make the most of our unique gifts while still finding a way to live in the so-called real world. O, The Oprah Magazine
A dreamy novel. . . . This is one of the most pleasant books we ve read all year. The New York Observer

Deftly written. . . . There is a . . . sweetness to the book that turns it into something out of the ordinary. St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Bender is the master of quiet hysteria. . . . She builds pressure sentence by sentence. . . . A little hiss of steam comes off the novel. Los Angeles Times
A very special book. The Anniston Star

Bender doesn t write of ordinary people. She writes of magical creations, the things of fairy tales gone awry. . . . Part magic, part clean prose. Denver Post
If you ve ever wondered why people have such a hard time looking in strangers eyes as they walk down the street, this book, hard as it may be to face, is for you. LA Weekly
There s an evocative power in Bender s work that lingers with a reader. The Christian Science Monitor

[Bender] produce[s] stories that make one grateful for being ordinary. The Seattle Times

[A] gentle, kindhearted novel. There s a wistful quality to the almost fable-like tale that s captured with near perfection in her understated prose. As in all fine novels, the Edelsteins story, in Aimee Bender s telling, is one that reflects our own world back to us in a fresh and revealing way. Bookreporter.com

The ultimate fact is that The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is probably the strangest book you ll never want to put down. Pittsburgh Tribune
Aimee Bender creates a lilting, economical and finally tragic portrait of what it means to be a child in her exquisite new novel. Chicago Tribune
Lemon Cake perfectly embodies Bender s knack for simultaneously appealing to imagination, emotion, and intellect, combining an out-of-this-world premise with very much in-this-world characters. Portland Mercury
Aimee Bender is also something of a sorceress who charges her stories with pure magic, and The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is an example of what she does best. Jewish Journal

"

"Moving, fanciful, and gorgeously strange." --People

"One of the year's highlights. Intense and compelling." --The Oregonian

"Marvelous. . . . Few writers are as adept as Bender at mingling magical elements so seamlessly with the ordinary." --San Francisco Chronicle

"A richly imagined, bittersweet tale." --Vanity Fair

"Convincing and elegant. . . . A novel with a deeply involving plot, one full of provocative ideas." --The Boston Globe

"Extraordinary. . . . Not just a deeply felt novel but one of the most inventive pieces of food writing in recent memory." --Time Out New York

"Profound and eye-opening. . . . You feel--that rare and beautiful gift from a truly great book--woken up and unalone." --The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

"Rose is an irresistible narrator: warm, witty and sharply observant. . . . Exuberant, life-affirming." --The Miami Herald

"Oddly beautiful. . . . Will tempt you to see what talented writers can do when they rip little tears in the fabric of reality." --The Washington Post

"The fairy-tale elements in her writing, far from seeming outlandish, highlight the everyday nature of her characters' flaws and struggles. In Ms. Bender's stories and novels, relationships and mundane activities take on mythic qualities." --The Wall Street Journal

"Charming and wistful. . . . [Rose] studies her world with the thoroughness of a scientist but records her observations with the eye and ear of a poet." --The Atlantic

"The fabulist elements of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake are stunning, but what makes this novel a keeper is the sheer beauty of the language Bender uses to describe love." --NPR, "Books We Like"

"[The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake] has the narrative momentum and clockwork plotting of any good mystery, but its bleak whimsy and clear-eyed rendering of domestic sorrow are Bender's own. . . . Splendid." --The Plain Dealer

"Rose comes of age while unraveling family secrets as strangely lucid as they are nightmarish. At its core . . . The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake encourages us all to make the most of ...

Book Description:

The unforgettable bestselling story of a girl whose magical gift becomes a devastating curse

About this edition

• Publisher: Doubleday
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0385501129
• ISBN 13: 9780385501125
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 292