Reviews tagging 'War'

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

20 reviews

belladonnashrike's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love this story so much (both the film and the book). a perfect example of latine magical realism - forever one of my favorite genres. 

the way it’s written is really unique, I loved reading the recipes sprinkled throughout the romance. 

I forgot that he died post-nut like that oh my god. the deaths in this book are so fucking funny

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death, and Rape

Minor: War, Fatphobia, Racism, and Violence

cassielaj's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This story is so fascinating. I love the inclusion of recipes and the matter-of-fact approach to the supernatural and magical elements. At its heart, this is a story of love and family, of a woman who wanted more for herself than what her family traditions dictated, and of the power of a good (or bad) meal. You won’t read anything else like it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Death

Moderate: Sexual content, Animal death, Child death, Sexual assault, and War

charlotteih's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

WOW this book was really fun and entertaining. some bits were maddening, some hilarious, some romantic, and others sad. there was a sense of poetic irony and exaggeration that gives this story the feel of a folktale. the ending was a bit wild, but after letting it simmer (haha) in my mind i’ve come to like it. (this a very food-oriented book, so pls keep that in mind if that is a sensitive topic for you)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Physical abuse

Minor: Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Rape, Vomit, Confinement, War, and Forced institutionalization

lmagie's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Matriarca egoísta y controladora gobierna sobre sus 3 hijas a extremos, con lujo de violencia física y mental.
Tita, la menor, está destinada a cuidar de ella por el resto de su vida. Pero Tita quiere casarse con Pedro.

Creando problemas innecesarios, la matriarca Elena, hace a todos miserables.

El uso de la "magia" con la comida y las emociones es muy interesante.

Es un libro muy entretenido, pero las decisiones de los personajes lo vuelven frustrante en ratos. Me alegra haberlo leído, lo disfruté, pero no lo volvería a leer.

Al no ser una trama completamente linear (muchos recuerdos y flashbacks) es un poco dificil ver el objetivo o la meta de los personajes en un determinado punto.

Los personajes tienen sus fallas, de más incluso. Tal vez faltó verlos más tiempo resaltando sus lados positivos, desarrollando sus personalidades, para así encariñarse con ellos realmente.

El único personaje con el que pude encariñarme fue

John. Honestamente, Tita debió haberlo escogido a él. La trataba bien, tenía su casa, le había dedicado tiempo y paciencia infinita, sin miedo de qué pensaran los demás. Todo lo contrario a Pedro. Pedro era un celoso inmadura y cobarde por el que no valía la pena suicidarse

Casi todos los trigger warnings fueron moderados o menores (se cuentan con metáforas o de paso en una o dos oraciones), excepto la

fatphobia. Tanto y con tanto desprecio que hace pensar si la autora comparte el mismo sentimiento

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Fatphobia, Animal death, Blood, Death, and Infidelity

Moderate: Gun violence, Child abuse, Infertility, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Vomit, Alcohol, Racism, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

The more you advance in the book the more TWs escalate

colombian_gothic's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Grief

Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Infertility, Child abuse, Sexual content, Child death, Violence, War, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Sexual assault, Racism, and Forced institutionalization

sofipitch's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book was really enchanting. I'm obsessed with the format, people joke about how online recipes will have long life stories no one wants to read but Sra Esquirel actually did an amazing book in that format. Also I would never have expected something from 89 to be so sex positive, it was extremely refreshing.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death and Infidelity

Minor: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, War, Rape, and Miscarriage

aqulia's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

This book was really good! I wasn't a fan of the recipes included inside it, but other than that it was amazing.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Infidelity

Minor: War, Death, Sexual violence, Blood, Racism, Vomit, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

cozylifewithabby's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This is not really my type of book. I am glad that I have read it, but I was not a fan of the structure or the characters. The story was tragic, but also over the top. However, I have enjoyed books that were inspired by this book. I know that it is an influential text and that is why I settled on 3 stars. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Animal death, Child death, War, Rape, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Blood

lindseygetsliterary's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Violence, War, Animal death, Death of parent, Death, and Racism

Minor: Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Grief, Forced institutionalization, and Body shaming

menomica's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

Me gustó este libro bastante. La prosa era muy buena, aunque el argumento en sí fue un poco…. básico, digamos. Me gustaron mucho los mementos de realismo mágico, habían muchos, aunque estaban muy espaciado, lo cual creo que ayudó a hacer que sintiera como realismo mágico efectivo: no sucedió demasiado que llegara a molestar ni que las situaciones parecieran demasiado ridículas (aunque sí, muchas de ellas lo eran), sino que cuando sí sucedieron esos momentos, te sorprendieron y, en algunos casos, te hicieron reír (me dio mucha risa la parte de «los tamales enojados»).
Quiero empezar con lo obvio: La Mamá Elena es la villana principal de este cuento. Es una madre egoísta, narcisista, y abusiva. A causa de ella, dos de sus tres hijas tuvieron que pasar su adultez en desprecio y miseria, también destruyó la relación entre las hermanas. Me parecía interesante ver el desarrollo de Rosaura, y cómo fue convirtiéndose en su madre. Igual de egoísta, igual de narcisista y abusiva

(a su hija Esperanza).

Al principio, quería estar a favor de ella, porque me doy cuenta que todos en la situación no eran nada más que peones en la esquema de Elena. Pero poco a poco, o es que reveló su carácter auténtico, o es que le ganó el rencor. Como sea, se convirtió igual de malvada como su madre,

y su muerte me hizo casi tan feliz como la de Elena.

Para terminar, quiero notar que este libro tiene momentos muy… sensuales, digamos. Más de una vez, las personas se ponen cachondas después de comer la comida de Tita (la comida de Tita literally made Gertudis’ pussy throb).

La escena final es en la que Tita y Pedro tienen sexo como pareja pública e inmediatamente después de llegar al orgasmo, Pedro se muere?????? Me morí de risa. Y después Elena se suicida se mata comiéndose fósforo y literalmente calentándose con memorias hot de su relación con Pedro hasta prenderse llamas??? Guat de fac. 

¿Que fue creativo? Sí. ¿Que fue ridículo y un poco perturbador? También que sí. ¿Que si me gustó este libro? Sí. ¿Que me lo voy a guardar? Quizás. ¿Que lo recomiendo? Sí, sin duda.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infertility, Child abuse, Child death, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Medical content, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: War, Rape, Body shaming, and Cancer