MINI-ARC REVIEW: Forking Good 💭Sadly I’m Not in The Good Place With It

Title: Forking Good: A Cookbook Inspired by The Good Place
Author: Valya Dudycz Lupescu & Stephen H. Segal
Pages: 160

Release Date: November 5th 2019
Publisher: Quirk Books
Format: Hardcover

Genre: Nonfiction, Cookbook, Comedy
Goodreads Rating:  4.17 (of 6  ratings)

  
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A fun, lively, and fully illustrated cookbook of 30 original and practical recipes inspired by NBC’s hit sitcom The Good Place, filled with the absurd, pun-driven food humor and accessible philosophy that makes the show so popular with fans.

With its high concept, exceptional writing, eye-popping set design, stellar cast, meaningful explorations of what it means to be a good person, and clam chowder fountains, The Good Place has captured the hearts and minds of critics and viewers alike. Known for its unique blend of existential humor and philosophy, the fantasy-comedy follows Eleanor, a young woman who finds herself in a heaven-like utopia known as The Good Place after her untimely death, even though she knows she belongs in The Bad Place. With the help of her new friends Chidi, Tahani, and Jason, Eleanor designs a self-improvement plan to earn her spot in The Good Place, even as her presence threatens the stability of the afterlife, sending jumbo shrimp flying through the sky and frozen yogurt flowing through the streets.

For the first time ever, fans can indulge their cravings for The Good Place with delicious, comforting, original recipes like “Macaroni and Socra-cheese,” “I Think Therefore I Clam (Chowder),” “Arendt You Glad I Didn’t Say Banana (Split),” “I Kant Believe It’s Not Buttermilk Pancakes,” and more. Each recipe title references a philosopher or philosophical concept from the show and uses food analogies to explain those concepts to readers who, like Eleanor, can’t always follow Chidi’s lectures.

A refreshing and entertaining twist on cookbooks, Forking Good will inspire you to brew a pot of “Moral Uncertain-tea” as you catch up on the latest episode, plan a “Hegel’s and Locke’s Brunch” for your next viewing party, or whip up a batch of “Muffin to Lose” in between seasons. And if you’re not the type to slave over a hot stove, you could always throw on your teal powersuit, make yourself a “Mindy” cocktail (rum and a lot of Coke), and re-binge your favorite show.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC courtesy of Quirk Books. I am grateful for the opportunity to review an ARC for my readers, but this will not influence my final rating. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and based solely on the book. 

This sadly wasn’t forking good.

The moment that I saw The Good Place + cookbook, I was convinced I needed this. Sha turned me onto The Good Place earlier this year, and I binge read it all in a few short weeks. It’s such a wonderful show with amazing twists and turns, humor, and heart. I love it, and Sha and I totally recommend. So a cookbook??? Based on this epic show?? SIGN ME THE FORK UP.

That being said, I wasn’t quite impressed with this read. Tbh, it felt more like a short history on philosophy?? Like, we got more information on the big name philosophers that Chidi talks about throughout the shows. I mean, there are by far 3x more information on them than talking about The Good Place. I just wanted for more fun Good Place references, and I really wasn’t that enthralled learning more about the theories, philosophers, etc.

I also wasn’t really a fan of any of the recipes. Nothing really called out to me. I was hoping for a few more desserts – um, especially a good frozen yogurt one – but most of the recipes, I really didn’t see any that I liked. A few of the dessert ones looked intriguing, and I might try them, but they just didn’t fit really with my tastes nor appealed to me to try.

Overall, this had some cute moments, but I didn’t really enjoy this. I thought it was more of a homage to philosophy than The Good Place. A few of the desserts might be worth a try.

rating: Cinderella
representation: n/a 
content warnings: n/a
read this if you: if you really love philosophy, enjoy touches of The Good Place references, and aren’t a picky eater

What do you think? Let’s discuss in the comments below!