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icantactuallyread's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
I LOVED this book! I was very inspired by Tita's story and it was very sweet to see the progression of her life. Tita is such a great main character, and Esquivel is an extremely clever writer. The themes of women's struggles, the effects of sacrifice for others, generational trauma, and the different forms of "love" were weaved throughout the novel wonderfully. For example, the recipes at the beginning of each chapter reflected what we would read about in that chapter, and they also gave us insight into Tita's mental health and the obstacles she would have to overcome to be happy. She was born early in a kitchen on a "wave of tears," which revealed a lot of information about how Tita's life would be and who she was as a person. There were a lot of little details like that scattered throughout the story that weren't actually "little" at all.
My favorite metaphor employed in this novel is the quilt that Tita knits. She adds to this quilt whenever she is sad or grieving, and she has been doing it for almost all of her life. She also sleeps in this quilt. This metaphor was beautifully used because of how accurate it was to describing how Tita is surrounded by pain and trauma. Her surroundings are the source of her unhappiness, and that is why she creates the quilt for years. But it also shows that Tita believes that she deserves her pain and has "accepted" that this is how her life will be. Choosing to sleep in a quilt made from disappointment reveals that she is trapped by her family but also inside of herself... no one is forcing her to wrap herself in this blanket of sadness.
I recommend this book completely. I hated the ending, but whatever. I'm giving it five stars!
My favorite metaphor employed in this novel is the quilt that Tita knits. She adds to this quilt whenever she is sad or grieving, and she has been doing it for almost all of her life. She also sleeps in this quilt. This metaphor was beautifully used because of how accurate it was to describing how Tita is surrounded by pain and trauma. Her surroundings are the source of her unhappiness, and that is why she creates the quilt for years. But it also shows that Tita believes that she deserves her pain and has "accepted" that this is how her life will be. Choosing to sleep in a quilt made from disappointment reveals that she is trapped by her family but also inside of herself... no one is forcing her to wrap herself in this blanket of sadness.
I recommend this book completely. I hated the ending, but whatever. I'm giving it five stars!
juliacarbonell's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
nomichelleno's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
aus's review against another edition
challenging
funny
fast-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
3.5
jmariecapdem's review against another edition
3.0
In addition to my great love for food and cooking, I am always fascinated by the origin of herbs and spices and how to prepare them as well which got me into reading this book.
Like Water For Chocolate is a mix of romance, drama, and magical realism. It is written in a diary form which gives you an experience of the main and side dishes prepared by the main character Tita on a monthly basis on every occasion at their household, in addition to her encounters in life. Interestingly, I have also discovered a few cultures in Mexico or Latin America when it comes to marriage. Now a fair warning for all: this has plenty of drama and romance which is also a little too explicit for young adult readers so if you are not comfortable with cooking and steamy scenes then you will not be able to enjoy this.
Tita even though could be over dramatic, still plays a great character here. She represents a strong woman who is also practical and vulnerable when it comes to love not only for Pedro but her family members. I also liked how the other characters are developed including Tita’s assistants, Dr. John, his granny, and the feisty Gertrudis despite the hilarious scandal she had, lastly I hated Tita’s mother and Rosaura. I think the author had a good job in creating like a whole family telenovela in this one.
However, the reason I only gave it 3 stars was because like I said above, it can get over the top emotional which compensated for the flat, dragging parts. This can get tiring and boring from time to time because there are not much new events happening. The dishes on the hand are cool and I am not sure if the amount of ingredients stated is feasible for a banquet in real life but those were the better parts.
Overall, I still enjoyed it and it represented lessons in life so I hope the other aspiring chef bookworms out there will give this a try.
Like Water For Chocolate is a mix of romance, drama, and magical realism. It is written in a diary form which gives you an experience of the main and side dishes prepared by the main character Tita on a monthly basis on every occasion at their household, in addition to her encounters in life. Interestingly, I have also discovered a few cultures in Mexico or Latin America when it comes to marriage. Now a fair warning for all: this has plenty of drama and romance which is also a little too explicit for young adult readers so if you are not comfortable with cooking and steamy scenes then you will not be able to enjoy this.
Tita even though could be over dramatic, still plays a great character here. She represents a strong woman who is also practical and vulnerable when it comes to love not only for Pedro but her family members. I also liked how the other characters are developed including Tita’s assistants, Dr. John, his granny, and the feisty Gertrudis despite the hilarious scandal she had, lastly I hated Tita’s mother and Rosaura. I think the author had a good job in creating like a whole family telenovela in this one.
However, the reason I only gave it 3 stars was because like I said above, it can get over the top emotional which compensated for the flat, dragging parts. This can get tiring and boring from time to time because there are not much new events happening. The dishes on the hand are cool and I am not sure if the amount of ingredients stated is feasible for a banquet in real life but those were the better parts.
Overall, I still enjoyed it and it represented lessons in life so I hope the other aspiring chef bookworms out there will give this a try.
monkymarzipan's review against another edition
4.0
I tore through this book in one sitting. I loved the way the story was juxtaposed with recipes
bhalstead04's review against another edition
4.0
Very cute story. Loved they way it all revovled around the kitchen and the recipes.
rebquirks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Fantastic book, a must read for Hispanic women, but also touches on a universality for all women. Also fucking hilarious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
poppy_dandybee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Would be 5 stars but the sisters deserved better... ESPECIALLY ROSAURA. Otherwise I loved it. A creative way to tell a story.. and super dramatic like a telenovela with lots of magical realism.