This book has little substance to it. It is the story of a middle-class Indian boy who rises to become a top chef of French haute cuisine.

Aside from his mother being killed when he is a youth, there are no substantial obstacles to his rise. A little bit of prejudice that is lightly touched upon. Various friends and family dying as they grow old.

Crises of creativity and finance that are resolved as quickly as they come about and long before they become anything dire.

What I must give the author credit for is writing well and so compellingly that I was never tempted to set the book aside.

If you're looking for a light, summer read, this is one; if you want something to make you think, to discuss with others, this is not what to read.
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3.5 stars ( )

The movie was better.

I can't believe I'm saying that - out of the hundreds of books I've read, the movies aren't better. There is always something that the books has that the movie cannot capture properly. But in this case the movie was simply better.

This book feels like it doesn't have a purpose. While the setup would seem to involve Hassan becoming a great chef and making something of himself in Paris, in reality the novel drops off at about the point where he moves to the city and never recovers. Instead of a moving journey with the ups and downs of the restaurant business, it is a series of disconnected anecdotes stapled together. Characters like Hassan's father who should have been important and impactful are forgotten and the death of a character we only knew for a couple chapters is treated with far more importance than the deaths of two characters we spent most of the book with. Even Hassan's character simply fails to develop.

This book didn't so much end as just stop. I was surprised when I reached the end and not in a way that felt fulfilling. I turned the page and thought "oh, is that all?" Needless to say, this is not how you want your readers to react.

My advice for anyone wanting to experience this story is: do yourself a favour, skip the book and watch the movie. ( )

Pleasant enough and saturated with food, but all the bumps seemed external to the protagonist, whatever the impact on him. He just plows ahead and even the changes in direction and implied sacrifices are more events than development. Good food descriptions but any passion leaves the book when Hassan leaves Lumière. ( )

This was beautifully written with rich, make-me-hungry descriptions. The characters are well-rounded and well-drawn, and the relationships between them are complex.

I found myself enjoying the Mumbai chapters more than the ones in Europe, I think because in addition to the lush setting, the family had such a vibrancy. This got lost in the London section (quite understandably–the whole family was reeling from loss), and I think it never fully returned. Neither Lumiere nor Paris has the wealth of place or of people that Mumbai does though Lumiere is beautiful, and full of interesting characters.

I also regret that the food turns entirely French once Hassan gets to France. Perhaps this is because I infinitely prefer Indian food to French food (and though I prefer a somewhat calm, quiet dining atmosphere, I know plenty of people, especially Asians, who feel more at home in a boisterous party atmosphere).

I enjoy Hassan’s success, but I find myself wondering why it is that he must leave his culture behind–at least professionally–to achieve it. ( )