Having received “From Scratch” as a suggestion from a friend who watched and loved the Netflix series, I decided to go ahead with reading the book first. This was the best choice I could have made since I really enjoyed the book and wish I could unsee the series. It was made in a completely exaggerated, over the top, blown out of proportion, dramatic American way, whereas the story had so much more to it. It was a story of love and grief as I’ve never read it before, being so intensely touching as it was based on the author’s own life story. It left me thinking about my own relationship, reevaluating it and learning to cherish small moments more.

A lot of the story is featured in Italy, speaking about Italian food, the author’s husband being Italian, so you’ll be in for a lot of mouth-watering descriptions, as well as imagining beautiful scenery in your head. It was probably also due to personal circumstances, linked to a very remarkable trip to Florence I had in the past, that I instantly felt so connected to the story.

The reward of jet lag is a new set of coordinates, a new language, and local delicacies. Italy did not disappoint. Eating my pastries as I looked out the windows, on the bus ride from the Rome airport to Florence, I watched the passing cypress trees, hills, and farmhouses.

p. 11

The altitude at which I first started reading the book added to my emotional reaction to it (Sampson, 2019) but you should be prepared for at least a bit of a rollercoaster ride of feelings while reading. If you’re up for a releasing crying session, then pack this one along the next time you’ve got a long flight planned. The parts that moved me the most were the descriptions of grief as I have never heard them before, making you able to connect so closely to the author.

All morning it had been like having one language in my head while the world spoke another that pierced my ears like hurried gibberish through a scratchy loudspeaker. My senses were jumbled. Sound was a bitter taste stuck to the roof of my mouth, and sight was a rough touch grazed against my eyelids.

p. 46

The wound of loss had become a scar of love.

p. 305

Themes of both romantic, as well as family love, were beautifully analysed. Relations between mothers and daughters, close-knit community units, as well as support systems are shown from all their sides, revealing differences between generations, languages and cultures. Most importantly, this was an inspirational story, giving hope on ways of continuing one’s life when everything seems to have lost meaning. If those topics spark some interest in you, this might be the right book for you.

I wanted to know what will become of the people, places, and things that have meant something to me. I wanted to learn something new from someone I have yet to meet. And I wanted to be able to know that I could see unspeakable pain and know that it too, would change me but not undo me. I wanted to journey to beyond where my eye can see and greet the self who carried me forward to get there.

p. 246-247

★★★★★ (5/5)

_{Edition: ISBN 978-1-6680-2211-5
Simon & Schuster, 2020 (originally published in 2019)}

Sources:

Sampson, H. (2019): “Why your emotions and senses go haywire on a plane.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2019/06/19/why-your-senses-go-haywire-plane/. Last accessed: 20/08/2023.

Gajanan, M. (2018): “This Is Why You’re More Likely to Cry on an Airplane, According to a Psychologist.” https://time.com/5274209/airplane-cry-emotion/. Last accessed: 20/08/2023.