Quest for Kimchi

DEBUT New York–based lawyer Rachel See is running from heartache when she boards a flight to Dublin, having accepted a mysterious job offer at the urging of her best friend. Her long-term boyfriend had suddenly bailed on her, despite 11 years together, and she is desperately seeking a new sense of belonging. As Rachel adjusts to her new job (complete with a legendarily cruel boss) and her newly adopted country, she develops an insatiable craving for kimchi. With the help of new coworkers, she navigates her way around the world and discovers herself in the process. The premise of this novel is fairly standard—a young woman travels to Europe to find herself—with a unique cultural undertone. However, it’s a frustrating read with far-fetched plot twists that can be difficult to follow. The narrator’s voice and internal monologue read like someone in their early 20s with little to no real-life experience, whereas Rachel is nearly a decade older and has been a successful professional.