The Mistress of Spices
4 journalers for this copy...
Picked up from Molyneux last night.
Update: 20/04 - I actually ended up reading this on the way to the Convention / last night before passing it to Alectoness this morning. Descriptive, imaginative story.
Update: 20/04 - I actually ended up reading this on the way to the Convention / last night before passing it to Alectoness this morning. Descriptive, imaginative story.
Amazon Editorial Review:
A first novel by the author of the short story collection, Arranged Marriage, The Mistress of Spices is a mystical tale told by Tilo, a young Indian woman in an old woman's body who has been trained in the secret powers of spices. Her special knowledge leads her to Oakland, California where she uses it to help the local Indian community by opening a spice shop from which she administers spices as curatives. Tilo can see into people's hearts and minds but it is a mistress's duty to keep herself at a distance, "not too far nor too near, in calm kindness poised." However, Tilo is unable to obey her charge, and she becomes emotionally involved with her customers as they struggle with the demands of their families, the clash of the old way versus the American way, racism, abusive husbands-all of the complexities of living in the modern world.
It is also her duty to limit her involvement to the Indian community. But Tilo finds herself mysteriously drawn to an American man named Raven, whose innermost thoughts she cannot read. Her complex and passionate relationships with her customers and Raven are in violation of her spice mistress vows, and so she finds herself forced to choose between the magical of an immortal and the vicissitudes of life in the real world. Vibrant, vivacious, headstrong and daring, Tilo is unforgettable and so is her story."
A first novel by the author of the short story collection, Arranged Marriage, The Mistress of Spices is a mystical tale told by Tilo, a young Indian woman in an old woman's body who has been trained in the secret powers of spices. Her special knowledge leads her to Oakland, California where she uses it to help the local Indian community by opening a spice shop from which she administers spices as curatives. Tilo can see into people's hearts and minds but it is a mistress's duty to keep herself at a distance, "not too far nor too near, in calm kindness poised." However, Tilo is unable to obey her charge, and she becomes emotionally involved with her customers as they struggle with the demands of their families, the clash of the old way versus the American way, racism, abusive husbands-all of the complexities of living in the modern world.
It is also her duty to limit her involvement to the Indian community. But Tilo finds herself mysteriously drawn to an American man named Raven, whose innermost thoughts she cannot read. Her complex and passionate relationships with her customers and Raven are in violation of her spice mistress vows, and so she finds herself forced to choose between the magical of an immortal and the vicissitudes of life in the real world. Vibrant, vivacious, headstrong and daring, Tilo is unforgettable and so is her story."
Journal Entry 3 by beckydore at Controlled Release in -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Friday, April 18, 2008
Released 16 yrs ago (4/18/2008 UTC) at Controlled Release in -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Convention RABCK.
Convention RABCK.
A RABCK from the lovely BeckyDore. I've enjoyed Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's short stories in the past, so I'm looking forward to reading this novel!
While Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni writes beautifully, it took me quite a while to get into this book. Might just be a personal preference thing, but I found that the 'magical' elements of this novel about a Mistress of Spices, lessened the impact of the stories of the real people that she had been sent to help.
Will take this along to the London Meetup tonight and hopefully find a new home for it there.
Will take this along to the London Meetup tonight and hopefully find a new home for it there.
Picked this up at the Camel & Artichoke last week. Looking forward to reading it.
