Kitchens of the Great Midwest (Stradal) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
[An] appealing first novel…[and] colorful, character-driven story…. When he isn't writing, Stradal works as a producer for a number of reality television series, including Ice Road Truckers and Deadliest Catch, a profession he credits for honing "an instinct for the necessary." Here he uses this skill to construct a narrative that keeps readers turning the pages too fast to realize just how ingenious they are.
Dawn Drzal - New York Times Book Review


A tender coming-of-age story with a mix of finely rendered pathos and humor.
Washington Post


The author's gentle skewering of foodie snobs (from county fair doyennes to the vegan/gluten-free/soy-free police) is spot on, and the blend of humor, warmth, and longing that he uses to portray family relationships make the book insightful and endearing. Savor it page by page.
Oprah.com


Garrison Keillor’s got nothing on [J. Ryan Stradal]!
NPR, Here and Now


Stradal’s debut novel tackles foodie culture with all the finesse of a pastry chef…Reading Kitchens is all pleasure.
LA Magazine

[A] captivating debut novel...as surprising and satisfying as a great meal.
Tampa Bay Times


[Kitchens of the Great Midwest is] the first novel about the emergence and current state of foodie culture… Fundamentally, [it’s] about what happens when opposing personalities coexist: those who bake with real butter versus those who don’t, those who obsess over heirloom tomatoes alongside those who don’t even know what they are. It uses these categories as a way to look at one of the most confusing, liberating truths there is, which is that often the people we think we’re the least like are the ones we end up needing the most.
Book Forum


Stradal’s first novel is a refreshing and brisk read, with a sophisticated sense of such glories of foodie culture as open-pollinated heirloom corn, pan-seared Walleye and Caesar Cardini’s original Caesar Salad.
BBC.com


Stradal’s debut novel centers on Eva Thorvald, the daughter of a chef and an aspiring sommelier, who has food in her DNA.... Eva’s story unfolds more like a short story collection than a novel as each vignette, told from the point of view of a different character, reveals another facet of her personality....a compelling, deliciously flawed character.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.) Renowned chef Eva Thorvald commands $10,000 per couple for exclusive, destination dinner parties that leave guests swooning. But...[w]hat made her into the sensitive, beloved genius she is today?... Stradal is a confident first novelist, crafting characters who are singular, sometimes unlikable but always human. —Christine Perkins, Whatcom Cty. Lib. Syst., Bellingham, WA
Library Journal


The reader sees Eva through the eyes of her father, her boyfriend, a rival, a cousin, and more. Piecing together Eva's life...fleshes out her world and makes the ending feel especially rewarding. Delightful details,... [A] promising debut that features triumph, heartbreak, and even recipes.
Kirkus Reviews