Reflection of My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki

"My Year of Meats" is a novel about a documentarian/television show director whose work draws her into an intriguing study of the meat processing business. The story follows two women, Jane and Akiko. Jane is the director of the Japanese television show My American Wife, whose tough exterior and battles with health draw both criticism and sympathy. Akiko is a mistreated Japanese housewife whose character is slowly developed as she struggles throughout the story to escape her angry and demanding husband John. These two women are connected through the television show in multiple ways. For example, John is the head of the meat processing company who sponsors Jane's television show. He also forces his wife Akiko to watch the weekly show and take notes on the different meals prepared. Not only does Akiko learn about meat recipes through watching the show, but she also discovers the complex and desirable lifestyles that the "American wives" live. Jane's life back in America consists of filming the show, researching the effects of chemicals in meat, and dealing with a miscarriage and lackluster relationships with her "boyfriend" Sloan and her mother.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters in it were well developed when they needed to be and this is one of the few books I've read in which the characters actually evoked real emotion out of me. I felt a lot of sympathy for the characters, especially Akiko because of her abusive relationship. The odd thing is that I would also become angry with Akiko because she chose over and over again to comply with whatever her husband asked of her. She did not stick up for herself and this irritated me. I think that i grew to dislike her character at times just as much as I disliked her abusive husband John. He was extremely selfish and rude. Jane was a very complex character. She kept most of her feelings bottled up inside and that gave her a tough exterior. But deep down she was vulnerable and just wanted to be accepted. I did feel sorry for her. When she experienced her miscarriage, I felt very sympathetic towards her. Because of complications within her reproductive system, she wasn't even supposed to have children. When she found out she indeed was pregnant it was a welcome surprise. All of the characters seem to go through roller coasters of emotions and this book prompts the reader to do so also.

I also found the symbol of meat throughout the story to be very interesting. First, the meat seemed to be a good object because it was the basis for Jane and John's t.v. show. Plus, it was supposed to help nourish Akiko back to health, re-establish her menstrual cycle, and bring about prosperity. As the story continues, meat seems to represent the harsher realities of life. For instance, processed meat often carries the chemicals that caused Jane to not be able to have children. It also serves as the subject of a t.v. show that John forces his wife to watch and eat, (ie: it fosters their unhealthy relationship). It also is too harsh on Akiko's stomach and makes her sick all of the time. Honestly I don't know how Ruth Ozeki wishes her readers to view this symbol by the end of her novel. It seems to have picked up quite a negative connotation by the end of the story. My tendency would be to brush it off as something negative and undesirable. That's just my opinion.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend it.