Rachel K.
Basement Floor Staff
Rachel K. moved to New York on something of a whim about three years ago. As if making up for the ho-hum life of her small-town upbringing, she spends much of her time soaking up cultural events in the city. Though she loves a good novel, she has taken up music writing. You may have seen her reviews on Brooklyn Vegan or NPR. She also has her own music blog.
Would you like other recommendations? Email me at staff+rachel@strandbooks.com
Latest Review
The Lake
It didn’t take long for Banana Yoshimoto’s subtle, yet affecting prose to pull me in. At its core, The Lake is a love story, but one that is tinged with grief and mystery. It’s the story of Chihiro and Nakajima, two twenty-somethings who are each learning how to cope with a personal tragedy. For Chihiro, it’s the death of her mother. But for Nakajima, the source is less clear.
After months of casually waving to each other from their respective apartment windows, the two finally meet for a cup of tea, and from there, things just seem to fall into place. Before the two even seem to realize what’s happening, Nakajima has moved in.
Though a deep sadness permeates the book and its characters, the writing is graceful—never melodramatic or heavy handed. It’s a quiet stunner. One that will sneak up on you but hold on tightly through its moving and memorable conclusion.
The Lake is refreshing. Dive in.
The Lake
The Tin Drum
The Broom of the System
The Lover's Dictionary
