Reviews

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

sdraws's review against another edition

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2.0

I’ve never felt like a book wasted my time as much as this one. A meandering plot with little substance, with all conflicts being resolved by cooking with emotion. The amount of characters killed/motivated by Tita’s food is absurd. It didn’t feel much like a story - it felt more like a meandering sequence of events told with little thought, much like a child’s story without any of the youthful charm. There were also plenty of moments that had me rolling my eyes and had me thinking “God, the straights are at it again…”

jesslolsen's review against another edition

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5.0

How to make an American quilt X Love in the time of cholera

karuzelanakoparce's review against another edition

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2.0

-Mamo, kup mi Sto lat samotności.
- Mamy Sto lat samotności w domu.
Sto lat samotności w domu:

tewzkq's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

cyrenasea's review against another edition

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4.0

Only took me a couple of hours to get through, but it was a moving story with magical/mythical elements treated matter of factly. Might have inspired the delicious experimental enchiladas I made tonight.

vbroes's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

mariapds's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

casspro's review against another edition

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5.0

Good example of some magicial realism (in terms of magic being an integral part of reality, I'm not so sure about the theory behind it). Heartbreaking and romantic and sensual, I'd love to try the recipes that are included in the beginning of the chapters.

milo0o0o's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

sksrenninger's review against another edition

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4.0

Very unlike anything I've read before; I'll have to try some more magical realism. Are you supposed to (be able to) make the recipes? Personally, I read it as more of a fairy tale / fable, and I didn't have the problems that other readers seemed to have, but then again, I love fantasy. I don't know *almost any* Mexican history, so if the story parallels that, I missed it, but I'm assuming the domineering, witholding, demanding mother vs originally submissive, hopeful, determined daughter setup stands in for the two forces in the Mexican revolution. Does the "last daughter must take care of her mother forever without marrying" tradition mirror the social-class situation in Mexico pre-Revolution?
SpoilerAnd then, the way she vanquishes her mother by refusing to give in, but her mom lights Pedro on fire: the time it takes for Pedro to recover is a stand-in for the time it takes for society to pull itself back together after a kind of catastrophic fight (like a war)?
I would think so, but I don't know; someone who knows better, please feel free to chime in! I did like the idea of food expressing all the things Tita couldn't say, because I'm obsessed with food and I like whimsy and mysticism. Maybe it's because food is such a basic and everyday need, it's a reminder that life continues in all kinds of circumstances? I don't know--someone have this conversation with me. But anywho, I thought it was cute, and if you can read it without needing it to be perfectly realistic, you might enjoy it as well.