Name: Ms Ice Sandwich
Rating: 3.792857142857143 (105 reviews)
ISBN: 9781782273301

Mieko Kawakami

A boy is obsessed with a woman who sells sandwiches. He goes to the supermarket almost every day, just so he can look at her face. She is beautiful to him, and he calls her "Ms Ice Sandwich", and endlessly draws her portrait

Ms Ice Sandwich

The whole day I don’t really feel like myself (though, to tell the truth, I don’t really know what it means to feel like myself)

Which is the real Grandma? The Grandma who used to pick me up from nursery school? The Grandma who made me her special veggie meatballs? Breakfast-time Grandma when she dipped her bread in coffee before eating it?

ayoni

“Why are you painting a gunfight? wasn’t a good one. It was probably too nosy, and it was none of my business. Nobody should have to explain what they choose to paint and how they feel about painting it. And this makes my heart turn one shade darker.”

“The Grandmas I have in my head and the Grandma lying here with her eyes closed, quietly sleeping. Which is the real Grandma? The Grandma who used to pick me up from nursery school? The Grandma who made me her special veggie meatballs? Breakfast-time Grandma when she dipped her bread in coffee before eating it? Gentle Grandma who, whenever Mum scolded me and pushed me away, would sit next to me and let me talk? When Grandma goes away from this earth, where will she go? It’s not happened yet, but I’m thinking about it now because I know that one day it’s definitely, for sure, going to happen.”

ikkychan

As I approach the big 4-0, my childhood feels so distant that I often find myself wondering what I was like as a child. Was I prone to daydreaming in class? Was I happy? Shy? Clumsy? Without concrete memories to confirm these musings, they linger as fleeting thoughts, like clouds during a siesta. Yet, one thing I vividly remember is my unrelenting curiosity—a sense of wonder that made everything feel like it was being seen for the first time. I would eagerly try to make sense of the world around me, creating a system of logic uniquely my own, unbothered by societal norms. Reading Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami feels like a delightful window back into that lost childhood, as I follow a boy’s fascination with a convenience store worker and his journey of understanding his surroundings and forging connections with others. A nameless boy, around nine or ten years old, begins his story by describing the meticulous and precise footpath map he invented to track the places he goes to around town. One particular spot, marked with nine-hundred-fifty, led to his favorite person in the world, Ms Ice Sandwich. At first glance, there is nothing special about her— just an ordinary minimarket worker managing the sandwich counter, greeting customers, and serving them like any other store employee. But through the boy’s eyes, we start to notice something different about the woman, like a side or detail that went past other people’s perception, which somehow enriches our understanding of her, allowing us to see her in a new light. He expounds a delicate recollection of bits and pieces of her disposition with care and attention only a child’s curiosity can provide: <blockquote> “Ms Ice Sandwich’s eyelids are always painted with a thick layer of a kind of electric blue, exactly the same colour as those hard ice lollies that have been sitting in our freezer since last summer. There’s one more awesome thing about her—if you watch when she looks down, there’s a sharp dark line above her eyes, as if when she closed her eyes, someone started to draw on two extra eyes with a felt-tip pen but stopped halfway. It’s the coolest thing. And then when she looks straight at me, she has these enormous eyes which are so big I feel like I get swallowed up in them.… the way she handles those pincers, everything’s so quick and neat, it’s so cool, in the blink of an eye—not one second more—the sandwich she’s grabbed with the pincers has already disappeared into a plastic bag. I have no idea how she does it, and it doesn’t matter what shape the sandwich is, long or round or normal, Ms Ice Sandwich always manages to slip it spot on, straight into the bag. I could stand there all day and watch her do that.. </blockquote> What I find particularly interesting from this is that the boy's fascination with Ms Ice Sandwich is not a mere crush but reflects a complex blend of admiration, curiosity, and emotional attachment. While compassion plays a role, it is not the sole driver of his feelings. To the boy, Ms Ice Sandwich represents something extraordinary in the otherwise mundane setting of his small town life and his routine trips to and from school. He is mesmerized by her appearance, particularly her “ice-blue eyelids,” and the effortless precision with which she handles sandwiches. Her unique demeanor and the sense of detachment she exudes—her lack of friendliness or typical customer service cheerfulness—renders her enigmatic and captivating in his eyes, inspiring deep admiration and awe in his young heart. As an elementary school student, the protagonist is likely at a stage of developing a sense of self and forming attachments to figures outside his immediate family. Ms Ice Sandwich, with her distinct individuality, becomes a focal point for his attention and affection. Through her, he learns the way of social connection and sympathizing with strangers. His routine trips to the supermarket serve as a way to establish a connection, albeit from a distance. The act of repeatedly observing Ms Ice Sandwich’s actions and buying sandwiches suggests a longing for interaction and hoping to gain recognition or acknowledgment from her, even in subtle ways like a glance, a word, or a gesture. One of my favorite parts in the story is how the protagonist articulates his feelings toward Ms Ice Sandwich through endearing metaphor and symbol, which highlight his childlike sensitivity and wonder. For instance, the "squishy, yellowy, orangey stuff" in his head brightening reflects how intensely he feels when in her presence. The “rabbit’s ear” metaphor and the associations with tactile sensations (like touching a cat’s belly or stirring jam) suggest that Ms Ice Sandwich evokes comfort, joy, and fascination for the boy. Not only that, but the transition from this euphoric state to desolation when Ms Ice Sandwich's attention shifts elsewhere also underscores how emotionally invested the boy is. This is why he is particularly affected when Ms Ice Sandwich is publicly humiliated by a rude customer who called her names and chastised her in front of him and the other customers. The man raved and yelled about how her behavior was a disgrace to the service industry, hurling insults like "ugly cow" and "butt-ugly females like you." The boy stood frozen in his spot, unable to utter a single word nor move an inch, paralyzed by shock. The situation worsened when he overheard his classmates gossiping about Ms Ice Sandwich, sneering and snickering about her appearance. They called her "so creepy," likened her to "some kind of monster," and declared they would rather die than look like her. He sat transfixed in his chair, torn between wanting to confront them for trash-talking his favorite person and his fear of speaking out, ultimately doing nothing. Soon after these incidents, he started to refrain from visiting the store like he usually does. Before these incidents, the boy's view of Ms Ice Sandwich was likely untainted by the opinions of others. He saw her through a lens of fascination and admiration. However, these negative external perspectives alter his emotional lens, introducing doubts and discomfort where there was once pure enjoyment. When the angry man berates Ms Ice Sandwich in the supermarket, the protagonist sees her subjected to unprovoked cruelty. Despite her calm and stoic demeanor, this incident likely plants the idea in his mind that Ms Ice Sandwich is vulnerable to unfair judgment. This complicates his admiration for her, as he is forced to reconcile her striking appearance and strong personality with the reality of how others perceive and treat her. He began to understand that others may not always share his perspective. Overhearing his classmates' mean-spirited remarks adds another layer of discomfort for the boy. He is confronted with the prejudice and disdain Ms Ice Sandwich faces, particularly from his peers. This shocks him, as it clashes with his own admiration for her unique qualities. The collision of two separate worlds—his school and the convenience store—also leaves him feeling unsettled, as if something is tainting his cherished possession. His classmates’ cruelty may also provoke guilt on his part, as he can do nothing but silently witness the gossip without speaking up. These deep internal conflicts cause him to distance himself from Ms Ice Sandwich. While he reflects on the happiness she once brought him, he realizes that something has shifted, making it hard to reconnect with that sense of joy. This change suggests he now associates her with complex emotions like shame, guilt, and social anxiety—feelings he cannot fully understand or navigate. This is where my favorite character takes the spotlight. Tutti, nicknamed after a funny farting incident, is the boy’s closest classmate and someone he feels most at ease with. He describes her as “not annoying like most girls,” “kind of cool,” and “easy to talk to.” Tutti’s lively and high-spirited nature contrasts sharply with the boy’s reserved and subdued demeanor, making their friendship unique. Initially hesitant to share his thoughts about Ms Ice Sandwich, the boy struggles with how much of himself he feels safe revealing to others. However, after Tutti invites him over for a movie night and impresses him with her dramatic imitation of a gunfight scene, he feels a growing sense of trust. Encouraged by her warmth and energy, he finally opens up about Ms Ice Sandwich, expressing his frustration and sadness over the unfair treatment she has faced. Through his conversation with Tutti, the boy begins to untangle his internal conflict, cautiously sharing his thoughts about Ms Ice Sandwich. In many ways, Tutti acts as a catalyst for his self-reflection. When their discussion reveals that he has been avoiding Ms Ice Sandwich, Tutti pointedly asks if he plans to never see her again. Her question startles him, forcing him to confront the possibility of her absence—something he had never considered before. To him, Ms Ice Sandwich’s presence has always felt permanent, confined to the convenience store and unchanging, regardless of whether he visits or not. Tutti, who knows the pain of losing someone dear after her mother’s passing, challenges him to see beyond his narrow perspective. Her boldness inspires him to face his reluctance, giving him the courage to meet Ms Ice Sandwich again. This turning point marks his growth, as he learns to value the connections in his life before it’s too late. The ending of the story is bittersweet, as the boy finally expresses his admiration for Ms Ice Sandwich on her last day at the convenience store. He gives her a heartfelt drawing that highlights her electric blue eyeshadow and large eyes—the two traits he has always admired. Touched by his gesture, she thanks him warmly, grateful to end her time at the store on a positive note despite past challenges. As they cheerfully bid each other goodbye, the boy feels an unexpected sense of liberation, as if breaking free from the emotional constraints he once felt. In parting with Ms Ice Sandwich, he begins to confront deeper emotions he had avoided, including the impending loss of his grandmother. Her departure teaches him how to embrace change and accept the inevitability of goodbyes, allowing him to prepare for the grief he knows will soon follow. Although brief, this 50-something-page story offers a lighthearted yet profound glimpse into a boy’s journey of self-discovery and connection. Through its vivid imagery and heartfelt moments, Ms Ice Sandwich reminds us of the beauty of seeing the world through a child’s eyes and the courage it takes to face life’s inevitable goodbyes. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

A quixotic and funny tale about first love - from the Akutagawa Prize-winning author. A boy is obsessed with a woman who sells sandwiches. He goes to the supermarket almost every day, just so he can look at her face. She is beautiful to him, and he calls her "Ms Ice Sandwich", and endlessly draws her portrait. But the boy's friend hears about this hesitant adoration, and suddenly everything changes. His visits to Ms Ice Sandwich stop, and with them the last hopes of his childhood. A moving and surprisingly funny tale of growing up and learning how to lose, Ms Ice Sandwich is Mieko Kawakami at her very best.

one of my favorite books! very short but sooooooo heartwarming :-) 

Sweet and short. I love the voice in this novel. I’m not sure what I was expecting but it’s not an action packed book. More something to ponder and leave you thoughtful and perhaps a little hopeful. 

Cecilia Bala

short, sweet and a bit sad! i kinda feel bad that the mc is already experiencing those types of grief at a very young age.. loss and heartbreak. this is such a good quick read :’) 

Eva Ströberg

First love, who can still remember it?
This book is about first love experienced by a fourth-grader who was "fascinated" by Ms. Ice Sandwich, this woman who worked at the sandwich shop where he was usually sent by his mother to do the grocery shopping. The electric-blue eyeshadow, the short haircut followed him to his dream.

It's almost like an extended short story, since the book itself is only 90-pages long, but I think it's a perfect size to describe a perfectly simple first love story. It's sweet but nothing more than that, unfortunately.

New edition of this witty, moving story of adolescent love and loss from the acclaimed, prize- winning author of Breasts and Eggs.

Mariana

Such a sweet novella. Easy to read and just so cute.

Cait🪼

Kawakami truly encompases the tumultuous nature of adolescence. This book handles deeply emotional territory in the most beautiful way. I will always love Kawakami's writing.

jess

It is an enjoyable 2 hour read book! Its about this boy growing up and learning about love and loss. However I dont really feel anything special with this book. Its just a regular book that just doesnt leave a special place in my heart. Nevertheless, still a good book. 3.5 out of 5.

charisa

3.5 rounded up! this novella had absolutely no plot, but was nevertheless charming in its own offbeat way. there's a distinct worldview that only childhood can offer in its innocence and naivety, and kawakami draws from it freely to lighten heavy moments and hint at emerging maturity. most can agree that the tender years of adolescence are full of strangeness and nonsensical infatuations, the sun just about setting on what you might be able to get away with. in this way, the curious behaviors of the characters are just understandable enough.

first love and sandwiches! a refreshing tale of a young boy as he discovers himself tied in the ups and downs of life called growing up.

Stef

Maybe it's my favorite novella that I read this year 😭😭 ~ and if saying goodbye as easy as saying Al Pacino! to your best friend. 


"Because that's what's going to happen. When you say 'see you tomorrow' to someone, it's because you're going to keep seeing them."

Ms Ice Sandwich

Reviews

Highlights