Bossy Italian Book Review: Garlic And Sapphires

Ruth Reichl's books never disappoint, but this one was my favorite so far. Her tenacity is ever-present, but in new and exciting ways as she takes on the biggest job of her life: Restaurant Critic for the New York Times. When the book starts, she doesn't want the job and so she goes haughtily through the interview as if to flub the thing... she's amazing and so she gets the job anyway, and off her family goes to the big Apple--her hometown!

It was clear she had big shoes to fill, but she was determined to get to work and bring herself to the table. What is funny, then, is that in the process she decides to take on a number of other personalities, quite literally. As the Times critic, she quickly became the most recognizable face in the restaurant world, and so she devised a plan to disguise herself as different people.

This is perhaps what makes the book so interesting... the disguises are diverse, interesting, and VERY entertaining. But Ruth is ever-present in the book, even through the disguises she dons, and it isn't long before she realizes what had kept her heart from wanting the job in the first place: she didn't want to become that person. The one she fears the most--the critic that no one wants to be around--the tool of the industry.

It's funny, though, how when you are seeking to become your version of a dream, you can sometimes turn into the exact opposite, and her honesty in this regard is refreshing and reassuring. Her voice remains true, and her mission steadfast.

One criticism, though, the formatting for Kindle on this book was Awful (with a capitol A). There were misspellings. There were paragraphs that became confusing. Sometimes I thought a chapter ended and yet, no, it was not even close to over. There were quotation marks missing everywhere! Luckily these points didn't ruin the book for me because I was determined not to let it. And by the time you get to the third book, you're likely hooked anyway.

All in all, this was a great book. I loved watching the progression over the three books and I am still hooked enough to read the fourth book. Ruth Reichl's language is delicious and her stories are filled with colorful characters who enchant you along the way! And, of course, you must read to see what she decides....will she stay at the Times? Will she leave? I'll never tell!