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A review by book_concierge
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
5.0
5***** and a ❤
UPDATE: Sept 2013
On her death, Tita’s recipe book falls to her grandniece, who then relates the story of her extraordinary relative. The novel takes place in the early 1900s on a ranch in northern Mexico, near the Texas border. The youngest of three sisters, Tita is destined from birth to stay at home to care for her mother, denied the option of love and marriage and her own family. But her attraction to the son of a neighbor rancher, Pedro, will not be so easily dismissed.
The poetry of Esquivel's writing is extraordinary - and especially so in Spanish. The recipes are wonderful - if incomplete in their directions. Esquivel’s inclusion of elements of magical realism is seamless – as it should be. The appearance of ghosts or elements of fantastic imagery (e.g. the flood of tears) are related as fact and rather than interrupt the story, they further it. While many see this as a love story of "all-consuming passion," I see it as a story about longing - about wanting something so desperately that you are consumed by want.
I have read this book at least 5 times - once in Spanish. The date read I listed is the first book discussion group read; but I had read it previously, and I've read it again since. In May 2007 I re-read it for the book club that reads only Latino/Latina authors. The restaurant where we met replicated the December (final chapter) wedding feast for us. YUM
If you have the chance to see the movie - be sure to get the version that is in Spanish with English subtitles. Even if you don't understand Spanish, hearing it in Spanish will give you some idea of the melifluousness of Esquivel's language.
UPDATE: Sept 2013
On her death, Tita’s recipe book falls to her grandniece, who then relates the story of her extraordinary relative. The novel takes place in the early 1900s on a ranch in northern Mexico, near the Texas border. The youngest of three sisters, Tita is destined from birth to stay at home to care for her mother, denied the option of love and marriage and her own family. But her attraction to the son of a neighbor rancher, Pedro, will not be so easily dismissed.
The poetry of Esquivel's writing is extraordinary - and especially so in Spanish. The recipes are wonderful - if incomplete in their directions. Esquivel’s inclusion of elements of magical realism is seamless – as it should be. The appearance of ghosts or elements of fantastic imagery (e.g. the flood of tears) are related as fact and rather than interrupt the story, they further it. While many see this as a love story of "all-consuming passion," I see it as a story about longing - about wanting something so desperately that you are consumed by want.
Spoiler
Tita had love with John but chose to follow longing for Pedro - to their mutual destruction.I have read this book at least 5 times - once in Spanish. The date read I listed is the first book discussion group read; but I had read it previously, and I've read it again since. In May 2007 I re-read it for the book club that reads only Latino/Latina authors. The restaurant where we met replicated the December (final chapter) wedding feast for us. YUM
If you have the chance to see the movie - be sure to get the version that is in Spanish with English subtitles. Even if you don't understand Spanish, hearing it in Spanish will give you some idea of the melifluousness of Esquivel's language.