Conflicted -- on the one hand, I loved the blooming romance between Yarrow and Milani, and the subject of being passionate about any kind of food, loved reading about entomophagy in cultural contexts and the general excited foodie bliss. Also loved many of the characters, and their snarky, loving relationships, and the murals, and the inclusivity -- all a big yes, yes, yes.

What I did not love -- the scene where Chanda utterly rejects Yarrow's application to work in the restaurant. -- I see how the book hinges on this conflict, I see/know that there is a harsh kitchen heirarchy, where abusive/adamant behavior is allowed or expected, I see where Yarrow benefits from rethinking how she is approaching what she wants to do and why she wants to do it. I still found it triggering and upsetting, and it made it hard to enjoy the rest of the book, because of those feelings. I can intellectualize, but I still feel all my feels. ( )

*Received via NetGalley for review*

Entomophagy (eating insects) is a passion of mine, and I am incredibly excited that this graphic novel focused on it has come out.

Yarrow is also passionate about entomophagy - so much so that she's moved cross-country for the chance to work at the first prominent entomophagy restaurant. Chanda, the head chef, for unclear reasons, refuses her application. Yarrow then ropes in Milani, the cute girl who helped her move, to create a dish that will change Chanda's mind.

The characters are realistically drawn and Yarrow and Milani are very cute together. The information on entomophagy is well-researched and presented in an accessible way.

The timeline is a bit confusing at the beginning (it seems like Yarrow and Milani had just met when Yarrow offers to cook her dinner, but then they act like they've know each other for weeks?) and some of the information is a little info-dumpy (meaning it's a lot at once and stifled; no one really delivers whole paragraphs on the history of insects as food or what they've learned working at a restaurant in response to simple questions), but if that was fixed this would be 5 stars for sure. ( )

Neat graphic novel about the culture and movement of using bugs in cuisine. ( )

Interesting. A good snapshot of the various cultures and brief history of bug-eating and using bugs in the kitchen. I think this book is really trying to cement that people have been eating bugs for years before this becomes the new hipster thing.

I ended up liking this more than I thought I would.

3.5 ( )