"Bryan Washington’s moving, searingly beautiful debut novel tells the story of Benson and Mike, a queer couple whose already-rocky relationship reaches a crossroads when Mike decamps to Osaka to take care of his dying, estranged father. In addition to breaking my heart in a thousand tiny pieces, Memorial was a food book at its core. It’s a love letter to the vibrant little bars and restaurants in Houston and Osaka, and it’s full of characters who have trouble saying the things they need to say to one another — so, instead, they cook udon together, or make quiet gestures, like a bowl of steamed rice left still warm on the counter." - Luke Tsai
