The Kitchen Daughter

I read the charming book The Kitchen Daughter over the past two days. Jael McHenry's book is easy to read and pleasant to think about. The protagonist is Ginny who likes to cook. She finds that the smell of food or the textures of food is calming. When upset she thinks up the smell and taste of caramelized onions and that helps her calm down. Ginny doesn't like to be in crowds or look people in the eye. Her sister, Amanda, is determined to pin a label (Asperger's syndrome) on her for her own good. But is it really necessary for Ginny to have a label? What is normal anyway except a setting on a dryer? The book is sprinkled with recipes that sound delicious. The relationship between Ginny and her sister Amanda develops during the conflict and they come to realize things about their parents and family that will surely come in helpful in the future.