Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies

by Laura Esquivel | Humor |
ISBN: 0385420161 Global Overview for this book
Registered by mairzydotes of Rockford, Illinois USA on 7/12/2004
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3 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by mairzydotes from Rockford, Illinois USA on Monday, July 12, 2004
This was such a great book. It's divided into 12 chapters, each of which is named after a month (January - December), although what happens in each chapter doesn't necessarily happen in that month, and the story spans 22 years, not just one. Each chapter begins as a recipe, and that recipe is prepared for the main event in that chapter.

The story is told from the viewpoint of a character who's not really in the story, but the story involves her ancestors from a few generations back, in Mexico. The main character is the 15 year-old Tita, who falls in love with a guy named Pedro. But because Tita is the youngest daughter in her family, she is expected (rather, demanded) to never marry or have children, so that she can take care of her mother (Mama Elena) for the rest of her life. When Pedro comes to ask for Tita's hand in marriage, Mama Elena tells him she is not allowed, but offers her eldest daughter, Rosaura, for him to marry. Pedro accepts, MUCH to Tita's chagrin. Tita believes that he has lied to her about his lis love. In Pedro and Rosaura's wedding day, Pedro says privately to Tita that he is only marrying Rosaura so he can be closer to Tita (the new couple will live at the ranch where Tita and her family live).

It's really interesting to me the way that the emotions and feelings that are going through the cook's mind are transferred to the person who eats the meal, by way of the food. For instance, if you feel sorrow or rage as you make the meal, those who eat it will feel sorrow or rage when they eat it.

Many of the stories in the book are tall tales in the vein of Paul Bunyon, such as a river that flows down the stairs when Tita has been crying a great deal, or the circumstances of her birth.

As a whole, I really enjoyed the story. It was written in Spanish by Laura Esquivel, a native Mexican, and translated into English by Carol and Thomas Christensen.

I have released this book to someone in my workplace.

Journal Entry 2 by Pantherus from Rockford, Illinois USA on Monday, July 19, 2004
It was "Under the Tuscan Sun" meets "Chocolat".
Recipes with magic/mystic traditions. Loved it !*! Found it on the break table at work-passing it on to another co-worker reader.

Journal Entry 3 by BarbRN from Caledonia, Illinois USA on Sunday, July 25, 2004
I received this book from one of my reading buddies at work. It is a short read so I read it twice. The first time I thought it was a little quirky but I liked it. The second time I read it I got more of the story and really liked it. I am going to give it to another friend at work who lives in Byron, IL. BookCrossing.com is a great idea !

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