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Skip links Skip to content Skip to footer. Do you live in the Nicest Place in America? Lindsay Tigar Sep In case you want to remind her—just because—here are some perfect quotes for perfect pairs. Sign Up for Our Newsletters Get articles sent right to your inbox. This book might not be as confusing if you can sit down and read it in its entirety.

But, for me, it was hard to pick up again and try to figure out where I was. Kudos to the author for making me care about so many people and about the unanswered questions. The contemporary references to music, fashion, and the "foodie" trends are really fun. Including the ending - which easily could have been botched. It was not anything I would have anticipated. Recommended for those who are looking for something very different to read. View all 7 comments.

It is but also much, much more. We first get to know Eva as a baby and from there each chapter is narrated by a different character and highlights a different food. Almost more like connected narratives, than one continuing story. We learn about Eva, and her wonderful palate as well as her cooking talent from others, connected to her either loosely or personally. Found this to be a novel concept and c 3. Found this to be a novel concept and construct. This is a novel about friends, family and acquaintances, about loyalty and trying new things and ideas. I loved how this all came together, hearing about bits and pieces of Eva's life.

I did not feel close to this character, but I did feel I knew her, what she stood for and whom she valued. The ending I thought tied everything and everybody together. Also liked that it was left somewhat open, not a typical cliched ending. Kept, I thought with the spirit of the book.

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Love the shot list idea. Kitchens of the Great Midwest has promise but could have used a strong editor to really push Stradal's story into something amazing. Try to remember when photographing women - of virtually any age - but particularly those over 30 - Never have them look DOWN to a camera lens. Also what is better to take? In the beginning I felt I had a clear sense of Eva, particularly in her love for spicy pepper jelly as an unborn child and her revenge with peppers she grew in her closet as a child. I love stories about found family and found community. I want to thank you so very much for the information you have posted here.

Well written, first novel about the ties that bind, the things that matter and the importance of the people who enter our lives, however fleetingly. Looking forward to seeing what this author tackles next. Aug 08, Jaclyn Day rated it it was amazing. I told a friend yesterday that this book is almost perfect. The book starts and ends with food, and in the meantime, each chapter focuses on a particular fami I told a friend yesterday that this book is almost perfect. I want to give this book to everyone I know. Thanks to Penguin for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

Apr 16, N. Moss rated it it was amazing. Oh my god I love this book.

It careens in a way that has kept me in a tense place where I don't want to stop reading, but I don't want to rush the book either. The voice of each chapter is unique and hilarious and touching, and I am in love with Eva, the protagonist who grows and eats and cooks with incredibly hot peppers, and turns into this weird, goth, cool chef chick and more. I don't want to give anything away, but this is one of those books that I can't believe I get to be "in on" before i Oh my god I love this book.

I don't want to give anything away, but this is one of those books that I can't believe I get to be "in on" before it hits the big time. It's going to be a huge hit, and J. Ryan Stradal is going to be a huge star, and it's going to be a movie some day mark my words. Aug 04, MomToKippy rated it it was ok Shelves: The title and cover of this book give the false impression that it will encompass a warm and maybe historical feel of the food traditions and people of the midwest. The only reason I read over 80 pages in this is because I grew up on some of the streets mentioned and the places that provided the setting for this abysmal story.

The adults have few redeeming qualities, the college student was just so trashy the attitude toward her pregnancy was pretty revolting too and the food aspect of this is The title and cover of this book give the false impression that it will encompass a warm and maybe historical feel of the food traditions and people of the midwest.

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The adults have few redeeming qualities, the college student was just so trashy the attitude toward her pregnancy was pretty revolting too and the food aspect of this is really weak to me. I get no feel of "kitchens" or the "great midwest. View all 6 comments. Aug 02, Jessica rated it it was amazing Shelves: What can I say, this book was perfectly tailored to all of my literary tastes. No pun intended, I swear. I always have the hardest time writing reviews for books that I fall in love with.

Social anxiety is exhausting. But, nevertheless, I fell head over heels in love with this book. I read it in a day and a half. Each chapter relates a scene from a different period of her life, related to the reader through the narrative of another person in her life and framed around essential dishes that informed her tastes and her memories. We start with her father, who grew up cooking lutefisk in Minnesota and passed on his obsessive foodieness to his infant daughter.

The characters were almost all incredibly likable, even the ones who were doing unlikable things. Stradal is nothing if not full of empathy for these characters. I really connected pretty hard with a lot of the notes that Stradal was striking, and the book frequently made me laugh out loud. It was a wonderful way to spend two days, and I do so very much recommend it. Jul 28, Evan rated it liked it. For me this book is just one of those that starts off great and just slowly keeps sliding downhill.

I also didn't get why it even included recipes, it's like the author thought that would be cool but it doesn't add anything to the story at all. I don't want to say too much about the ending so I don't spoil anything but let's just say I thought it was bad. Kitchens of the Great Midwest has promise but could have used a strong editor to really push Stradal's story into something amazing. Jul 23, Esil rated it really liked it Shelves: Kitchens of the Great Midwest made me hungry. It's not a cookbook, but interspersed amongst these connected stories are a few recipes and descriptions of really tasty sounding dishes.

The link between all of the stories is Eva, who has a rough start in life when her mother abandons her as a baby and her father dies soon after from a heart attack. She is then raised as their own by her father's brother and his wife. The book consists of a series of interlinked stories told from the perspective of people somehow connected to Eva, starting in her childhood and running through to her adulthood.

From an early age, Eva has an unusually developed palate and love of food and cooking. Some of the stories are very closely connected to Eva and in others she is only referred to tangentially. But the stories are connected thematically -- they deal to a large extent with ordinary people coping with relationships, financial troubles and illness, and the comfort provided by love, friendship and nourishment.

Oddly, we never get to know Eva particularly well, but within a world that is at times harsh or indifferent, she is portrayed as a resilient graceful presence -- strong, generous, and self-assured despite her own personal circumstances. This is a relatively quick read. I liked some stories more than others, but I liked the concept and generally enjoyed the execution. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read Kitchens of the Great Midwest. View all 4 comments. Just as your first steaming cup of coffee of the morning, sweet butter melting on freshly baked bread, a brilliant red heirloom tomato, a slice of carrot cake, and wine, great wine, are meant to be savored, so are these stories of Eva Thorvald.

Born to a woman who chose a sommelier over her and a man who cherished her more than life itself, she grew up in our great Midwest learning about fresh food and family through osmosis. The descriptions made me hungry for farm stand produce and Peanut Butt Just as your first steaming cup of coffee of the morning, sweet butter melting on freshly baked bread, a brilliant red heirloom tomato, a slice of carrot cake, and wine, great wine, are meant to be savored, so are these stories of Eva Thorvald. The descriptions made me hungry for farm stand produce and Peanut Butter Bars from the Lutheran church's bake sale.

I'm craving bi-color corn and a huge juicy vine-ripened tomato picked fresh this morning, still warm from the bright sunshine so missing from this January day here near Chicago. Food truly is a language we can all speak, even when there are no words for what's in our hearts.

You did an excellent job, J. Your mother taught you well. Thanks for the memories, for this was a great experience I won't soon forget. View all 19 comments. From my Bookmarks review: His unique structure takes what are essentially short stories from different perspectives and time periods and links them loosely through Eva Thorvald, an intriguing character who remains hard to pin down.

What actually happens is rather different, though the time lapse between chapters means you get to fill in some of the intervening plot for yourself. Quick marketing question that I ask out of curiosity: Perhaps the difference is simply that his chapters are not chronological? Jun 20, Susan Elizabeth Phillips rated it it was amazing. Quirky and courageous with an absolutely fascinating structure. A few elements of magical realism. This would be a terrific book club book. It will especially resonate with Midwesterners. Oct 11, Jennifer Lane rated it liked it Shelves: The writing is top notch with unique characters.

But parts of the story disappointed or disgusted me, and the ending felt anticlimactic. Eva Thorvald is just a baby when her sommelier mother abandons her. Her foodie father, who serves her gourmet delicacies, dies next. Despite this tumultuous childhood, Eva grows up to be a world-renown chef. It took me a while to figure out that she is the central character due to many different threads woven into the story. When Eva is a teenager, she dates Will Prager. Vik got up from his drum stool. He got hugged at the end of a second date!

The way Braque thinks and speaks makes me cringe. I just found her gross. My favorite part of the story is the suspenseful baking contest. Pat is a churchwoman with famous peanut butter bars, competing against gluten-free, organic, non-GMO, and local-sourced food. Finally , I thought. This is the time when the separate threads of a story weave together at the end for an exciting climax.

But the threads seemed to unravel in the realistic yet unsatisfying ending. While I appreciate the effort at realism, I felt disappointed. What a wonderful way to start my new year of reading! A touching book about "found family" that I connected to in so many ways! It is set where I live in and around The Twin Cities in Minnesota, it's about food and foodie culture and about people from all walks of life and how they connect in surprising and unexpected ways. This is the story of Eva Thorvald, born to a budding chef father and a sommelier mother.

Lars Thorvald has great aspirations for his daughter, even arguing with the pediatric What a wonderful way to start my new year of reading!

Lars Thorvald has great aspirations for his daughter, even arguing with the pediatrician about feeding her fully prepared dishes at 2 months, but her life does not play out according to expectations. As the book blurb says Each chapter in J. I had not actually noticed the "single dish" part, but the "character" part allowed Stradal to tell of Eva's story from her birth to early adulthood and how each character's life featured in the chapters intersected with Eva's life and contributed to her development.

I liked both the structure of the book and Stradal's writing. Each person comes to life fully formed and believable. His description of the food and the preparation of the dishes made my mouth water and led me to my own kitchen to cook! I love stories about found family and found community.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest stands with others favorites of this ilk. It reminded me of one of my favorite reads of The Storied Life of A. Fikry in how I felt reading it. Fikry revolved around books, Kitchens revolves around food, but both portray a heartwarming story of how people end up in the right place with the right people even when things don't go according to plan.

I had mixed feelings about the audio production. The narration alternated between Amy Ryan and Michael Stuhlbarg.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

I didn't see the rationale behind the two narrators, so the switch in narrators was distracting. While they were both good, Stuhlbarg's Minnesota accent was too over the top!

View all 8 comments. The readers were excellent giving different voices for each character. Sections were humorous - my husband, who rarely laughs aloud, chuckled several times! However, he did not appreciate the vulgar language which was used throughout much of the book. I read some reviews and based upon some 5 and 4 stars reconsidered. I wanted to know how Eva's life would turn out. Also, I wanted to know if her biological mother would ever return. This novel reads like several short stories with a common thread connecting them.

Several recipes that related to the story were included. The paring of wines with foods brought to mind some of my Goodreads friends You know who you are! I raise this from 2. Each is told from the perspective of a different person in her radar of peeps at that juncture and all will come full circle in the end. Because her father is a foodie and wants to be a chef and her mother has a love affair with wine and wants to be a somme 4. Because her father is a foodie and wants to be a chef and her mother has a love affair with wine and wants to be a sommelier my kinda parents , she is genetically predisposed to love the culinary arts, eventually channeling her inner badass Julia Child.

Throughout the pages we experience her skill with ingredients as well as my personal favorite, wine.

Highly recommend this to just about anyone for sheer enjoyment in reading. View all 15 comments. May 30, Barbara A. It is rare to find a book that meets and exceeds its pre-pub. The stories are at once restrained, involving, wry, funny, and spot-on reads of both Midwest life and foodie culture. Eva is creating, making, sharing far more that great food here. She is creating and sustaining an extended family. I am hungry for more by Stradal. And I think I am going to reread this immediately. Louise Erdrich's short stories meet Ruth Reichel's memoi Astonishing.

Louise Erdrich's short stories meet Ruth Reichel's memoir.

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Film to view after? I await Cynthia Hargreaves' suggestions. Jul 28, Beth Knight rated it liked it Shelves: To me, this book was overhyped. I was expecting it to be better. I'll write an actual review later, after I get all my thoughts together. This book consists of eight chapters, each of which stands as an independent short story that follows a different individual, time and place.

But the reader of this book will notice, as they progress through the book, that some of the characters from previous stories make appearances. These short story chapters build upon each other, and by the time the end of the book is reached it leaves the impression of being a complete and unified novel. It's creatively written with food and beverage playin This book consists of eight chapters, each of which stands as an independent short story that follows a different individual, time and place. It's creatively written with food and beverage playing a role in each chapter, and sometimes the recipes are even included.

The writing style emphasizes character development with a focus on different individuals in the various chapters. The final chapter titled "The Dinner" is something of a reunion with many of the characters that were developed in the previous chapters making their appearances again in this chapter. But there is one character who keeps making an appearance in each chapter, and with each appearance she's a bit older. It soon becomes apparent that the book is following this individual from her being born and gradually progressing into adulthood as a celebrity chef.

That individual's name is Eva Thorvald. Those chapters dealing with the younger years portray gritty life styles that probably reflect youth culture beyond my understanding as an old person. However, when it got the chapter titled "Bars" where the Lutheran church ladies are competing to win the baking prize at the County Fair, I knew that this was a cultural environment that I could identify with. The emphasis on food will appeal to foodie types. But the book's narrative includes plenty of satire on gourmet enthusiasts of a certain type. I'll have to admit I enjoyed those passages that I perceived as slams against those food snobs who emphasize things other than taste and freshness.

In the following excerpt from the book the down-home Lutheran Church lady character named Pat Prager is encouraged to enter her winning "peanut butter bars" into a contest in the big city sponsored by Petite Noisette , a gourmet magazine. Unknown to her, this contest was completely out of her league, sophistication-wise. The following excerpt describes the reactions of the food snobs when they encounter her food: Pat and Sam made their way across the room to platter number 49, where Oona had a big smile on her face.

It's just Land O'Lakes butter. It was what was on sale. The bile and stomach acids? I apologize to any readers of this review who think that Land O'Lakes butter is poison and are sympathetic with the concerns expressed by Oona and Dylan. I happen to not share those concerns, and for me their reactions are so extreme as to be laughable. Avivid and fresh take on the foodie novel, Kitchens of the Great Midwest tells the story of chef Lars Thorvald, who is left to raise his daughter Eva alone after her mother falls in love with a sommelier.

Reading Kitchens is all pleasure. Ryan Stradal Pamela Dorman, Jun 08, Jenny Reading Envy rated it really liked it Shelves: I received a copy of this from the publisher through the Penguin First Reads program in exchange for an honest review. The story of Eva Thorvald, a chef with a once-in-a-lifetime palate, is told through other people in her life.

It starts with her mother, her father, then moves toward people who aren't as directly connected to her. This tactic had varying amounts of success in my mind. In the beginning I felt I had a clear sense of Eva, particularly in her love for spicy pepper jelly as an unborn I received a copy of this from the publisher through the Penguin First Reads program in exchange for an honest review. In the beginning I felt I had a clear sense of Eva, particularly in her love for spicy pepper jelly as an unborn child and her revenge with peppers she grew in her closet as a child.

But as the characters get farther removed from her, we stop knowing what she thinks and feels, and instead have to deal with various people including a somewhat obnoxious Minnesotan church lady. But then again, the characters are also great. If I take away my feeling that the novel is about Eva and we should be closer to her, I can say the capture of the midwest is fantastic.

I don't know if in the final copy the publisher provides recipes but that would be a good idea who wouldn't want to try those damn peanut butter bars? In my reading around the USA challenge that I've been halfheartedly working on for a few years, I had never found a book set in Minnesota. Sep 10, Jeanette rated it really liked it. This is one of those reviews where I could go on forever or put in 5 to 8 different quotes that were spot on. But I will do neither. Well maybe 1 or 2 quotes at the end.

The form is difficult and over-used presently. Without any heads up or trailer reads, for awhile I thought I was reading a series of short stories cored on locale and food. What I needed was a chart.