Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

10 reviews

tashtasher's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Medical content, Murder, War, Child death, Racism, Grief, and Gun violence

Minor: Alcohol, Eating disorder, Colonisation, Abortion, Animal death, and Classism

vikkisgrotto's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-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

3.25

I loved the way Laura Esquivel wove recipes into each chapter, and I thought the magical realism was really unique and fun. I unfortunately didn't love the romance between Pedro and Tita because it felt mostly based on lust, and the ending left a lot to be desired. It's a good tragic love story, but I kind of wish she had chosen John, who was the more stable choice, in my opinion. 
I also liked the fact that the story was narrated by Tita's great niece; I had forgotten about it because they only mention it at the beginning of the first and end of the last chapter, but it gave the story a more full-circle and complete feeling. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Pregnancy, Child death, Body shaming, Death of parent, Death, Fatphobia, and Rape

phantomgecko's review against another edition

emotional informative lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

This was a quick read, and I enjoyed it.

I am disappointed that Tita didn't choose John, tbh. Lusty passion and jealousy should always lose out to serenity and compassionate devotion. But whatevs fine.

I just really love magical realism. Here are some things that are impossible, but this is a true story so they happened. Great stuff.

I'll admit I mostly skimmed the cooking bits. But honestly, they were a fantastic device for storytelling.

Also, while this book is labeled as lighthearted, it had some heavy stuff. Like gut punches in one sentence and moving on with the next. Kinda disconcerting but still a likeable read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Blood, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Animal death, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury

internationalreads's review against another edition

fast-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

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

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

eunoia11's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Fatphobia, and Body shaming

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Rape

sarah984's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

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

2.0

I liked the fairy tale style and the way the recipes were woven into the narrative. Unfortunately, the narrative itself wasn't very good. The main character falls in love with a man with zero good qualities and lusts after him for years because they're forbidden to marry. He treats both her and his wife so badly and they're both so into him. There are two interesting characters and they're both hardly in the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Chronic illness, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Trafficking, and Violence