Julie Powell thought cooking her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking was the craziest thing she'd ever do--until she embarked on the voyage recounted in her new memoir, CLEAVING.
Her marriage challenged by an insane, irresistible love affair, Julie decides to leave town and immerse herself in a new obsession: butchery. She finds her way to Fleischer's, a butcher shop where she buries herself in the details of food. She learns how to break down a side of beef and French a rack of ribs--tough, physical work that only sometimes distracts her from thoughts of afternoon trysts.
The camaraderie at Fleischer's leads Julie to search out fellow butchers around the world--from South America to Europe to Africa. At the end of her odyssey, she has learned a new art and perhaps even mastered her unruly heart.
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (December 1, 2009)
ISBN: 9780316003360
My review for Julie & Julia
My Opinion:
I really loved Julie Powell's debut novel and thought this would be a delight also. Have to be honest, I was a little disappointed.
It had the same, great storytelling, but it lacked some magic that made you want to keep reading. I found myself having a hard time finishing it. I love meat, but wasn't really interested in the graphic nature of what was in this book. I should have expected it, by the title, but wasn't prepared for how candid Julie gets with the butchering process.
There are some recipes in there too, though I have yet to try any.
Fans of hers may enjoy this, if they can get over the graphic nature of the meat business. Others clearly will not. You really have to decide for yourself with this one.
2.5/5
Recommend? No, sadly.
~I won my copy. I was not compensated for my opinion.~
I've got to be honest, this doesn't sound like something I'd usually read but it does sound sort of interesting but maybe a bit graphic for me. Sorry it disappointed you!
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