The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

To call this book a fantasy would be a stretch, but it is indeed fantastical. The premise is simple--a young girl discovers she has a remarkable skill; she is able to taste emotions within food, emotions felt by the person who made the food. From the onset of the story, I fell in love with this book. The voice of Rose, the girl with the "gift" reaches into places that we so often avoid in our own self introspection: despair, loneliness, guilt and a realization of what happens when left with life's version of your own expectations.

To avoid feeling emotion while eating food, Rose finds solace in processed matter. Pringles and Doritoes become her lifeline, a way for her to eat without a thousand emotions running through her. During one particular meal, Rose is overwhelmed by the feelings her mother has put into stew (a mixture of guilt and insane pleasure and slight love, with a conclusion that 13 year old Rose is unable to bear) and she runs for the pantry, opening every bag of chips and package of cookies she can find. She begs doctors, at the age of nine, for someone to remove her mouth--the only solution she can come up with. It isn't until later in the story, when Rose learns to accept her fate, that we truly see her inner strength winning over the inner turmoil. It's a poignant journey, and one that is worthy of discussion.

I recommend this book because it reminds me of Perks of Being a Wallflower, another book that deals with the realities of adolescence. I believe that there is power in the theme of adolescence. Especially because these books examine what happens when all of the adults in your life disappoint you, when your friends don't understand the realities of your life, and of course, when you have to say good-bye to a first love. Teen angst makes for such a great story, and with Aimee Bender's novel, this is teen angst that a cynical adult can truly feel and remember.