Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
Product Details
Web ID: 15661020Feels like a enduring fable
This feels like a story that would be told down through generations while gathered around a kitchen table. The magical realism makes this a splendid tale of passion and sacrifice that should be thoroughly cemented in the canon.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Good book!
The book Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquirel is more than just a typical love story, it is a story that explores themes of passion, abuse, and the struggle between tradition and freedom.The book is about Tita, a young mexican woman forced by family tradition to remain unmarried so she can care for her mother, Mama Elena. Despite this rule, she falls in love with a man named Pedro that she later has to watch marry her sister, Rosaura, leading to a heartbreaking and emotionally intense journey. Through magical realism, the author makes food into a powerful symbol of love and rebellion, making the novel more passionate and immersive. It explores themes of love and tragedy through Tita’s incredible cooking that is filled with emotion. One of the strongest aspects of the book is the author's use of magical realism. Tita’s emotions become so intense that they take shape in the physical world. For example, Tita’s cooking causes people to feel what she feels, whether it's sadness, love, or desire. In the beginning of the book, Tita is given the painful task of making a wedding cake for Pedro, the man she loves, and her sister Rosaura. As she prepares the cake, her intense emotions pour into it, with her tears mixing into the icing and batter. When the guests go to enjoy the cake during the wedding, it overwhelms them with extreme sadness. Tita’s emotions that she put into the cake reflect on everyone that has a slice. This moment is just one example of how her feelings are brought to life in the physical world through her cooking. This device makes the novel feel dreamlike and more interesting, while also reflecting its themes of love and repression. The connection between food and emotion is a central part of the story, turning Tita’s meals into symbols of passion and emotion. Through magical realism, the author emphasizes the novel's themes by showing that emotions, love, and oppression are not just internal struggles but things that shape real life. Another device that stood out to me in the book was the constant use of symbolism. The author often used symbols to deepen the meaning of the story while exploring the themes of emotion. For example, Fire is a recurring symbol that represents passion and desire. Tita’s emotions are often described with fiery terms, like when she felt intense “heat” around Pedro or when John tells her that everyone is born with matches inside them that can be lit by love. During the book's climax, Tita is consumed by flames after finally uniting with Pedro, showing just how powerful and uncontrollable passion can be. The book ends with the ranch going up in flames, representing how Tita’s passion was too big for the ranch. Food is another important symbol, serving as a form of communication and emotional release for Tita. Her cooking allows her to transfer her emotions to those who eat her meals, showing the deep connection between food, identity, and rebellion. Each chapter features a recipe which represents tradition, but Tita’s ability to infuse them with her feelings suggests that traditions don't have to be strict and can be changed for different people. Though I enjoyed reading about Tita’s story and how she communicated her emotions through cooking, I also found a few weaknesses in the love story aspect of the book. One thing that distracted me from the story was my confusion on Pedro and Tita’s love. Though I saw their story as a classic romance where they are unable to show their love, I constantly wondered why Tita loved Pedro so much. To me, Pedro was just a selfish, cowardly, excuse for a love interest. He agreed to marry someone who wasn't the woman he loved, and by doing this he put both Tita and Rosaura through trouble. While Tita was portrayed as a wonderful, passionate, and beautiful woman, Pedro was nothing out of the ordinary. I found it unbelievable and unreasonable why she loved him so much especially when the doctor, John Brown, was introduced. John was a much better man and loved Tita unconditionally, yet Tita still went running back to Pedro. A main weakness I noticed was the lack in character development of the main love interest, Pedro. I thought that if the author had a little bit of a different approach to Pedro’s Character, I would have enjoyed the story a lot more. Overall, the book Like Water for Chocolate is perfect for anyone who enjoys romance with a mix of magical realism, and for anyone that is interested in the powerful link between food and emotion. Although some of the moments do come across as unbelievable, the book's rich narrative and distinctive style make it a good read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Overall good book
Like water for Chocolate by Laura Esquirel was a captivating story that made me feel everything from despair to exhilaration all while keeping me on my toes throughout the entire book. The author's use of magical realism, connection to culture, and romance created an atmosphere that effectively linked the reader to the story. The novel goes through the months teaching the readers new recipes as well as providing a story from that time. This book had many strengths that lured me in and pushed me to keep reading. Magical realism was the first element that had a huge impact on the plot of the story. The supernatural qualities that Laura added enhanced my perception of the emotions Tita was experiencing by illustrating their intensity. A specific example of this device was when Tita cried into Rosaura's wedding cake and her immense pain about the marriage caused all the guests who ate it to experience the pain as well. When combining the normality of cooking with this magical essence, it creates a more surreal setting that is more engaging to readers. This story also elaborates on Mexican culture and traditions that pass from generation to generation. We get to see family recipes that tell the story and history of their ancestors. It showcases the importance of food in culture and the diversity of the heritage that comes from Latin America. One example of an important tradition is the youngest daughter, in this case Tita, being required to never marry and stay at home to take care of her mother. This conflict adds to the plot since Tita is torn with upholding standard practice and freeing herself from an unfair rule. We can also clearly see the theme of love and passion between Tita and Pedro with Laura's poetic language throughout the novel. This tone provides vivid imagery of emotions and culinary phenomena occurring in this small kitchen. Despite all of the wonderful moments in this book there were a few parts that I thought were less impactful and could have been improved to be more engaging. I thought that the character Pedro could have had a more developing character rather than staying the same for the majority of the book. Towards the end he came off as passive and rude which made me a little more sad about the ending. His actions made John seem like the better future for Tita. Though magical realism enhanced the recipes and made the emotions more apparent, I thought that it was a bit excessive at the end. I thought there should have been a happy ending where Tita and Pedro or John lived a normal and happy life together, but instead they both ended up dying. Them literally lighting on fire was a bit too surreal for me and I would have preferred a more ordinary ending. The book is filled with literary devices but some of the most used ones were imagery, symbolism, and a motif about passion, fire, and heat. The imagery was shown in each chapter by giving a detailed description of the stories that came along with each recipe. We got to further enter this world with smells, visions, and sounds of the ranch. Each recipe symbolized Tita's emotions by giving her a way to express herself through cooking, which is what she loves most. Then there is the device of a motif of passion, fire, and heat that the author used to express the theme of love, desire, and intensity. The continuous metaphors and symbolism of heat is showcased throughout almost every chapter showing just how passionate tita is about Pedro, cooking, and other aspects of life. This book was an amazing read with many ups and downs that had me wanting more. Over all this was a good book that left me satisfied even though there were a few things I would have changed.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
like water for chocolate
Like Water for Chocolate is a unique style of writing. It's a style of writing I've never seen before a novel with romance, family, drama, and magical realism. The story takes place in Mexico during the 20th century. It's about a girl named Tita de la Garza. She is in love with a man named Pedro but because of her family traditions, she is not allowed to marry him. Her mother makes her stay home and take care of the family. This leads to a love story. One of the most important parts of this story is how food is used to express everyone's emotions. Tita is a very good cook and when she makes a dish her feelings become a part of the food. Ifshe'sd when she cooks the people who eat her food are also sad. This is a connection between emotions and cooking. This adds a lot of character to the story. Each chapter in this story begins with Titata showing how important food is to her life and the story in general. The story also explores important themes such as love family tradition and freedom. Tita struggles with the expectations placed on her by her mother and society. She wants to follow her heart and be with Pedro but she does not, She just follows the rules that she can't change. Over time she learns to stand up for herself and take control of her destiny. This changes her and makes her a stronger person. Lauren Esquivel's writing style is simple but powerful. She creates a rich and detailed world filled with strong emotions. The magical elements such as food affecting people's feelings make the story feel like a fairy tale. At the same time, the novel also feels real because of the emotions and struggles that Tita faces. The relationships between the characters are also well developed making the readers feel connected to their joys and sadnesses. The story is filled with moments of passion sadness and hope keeping the readers engaged during the entire story. Overall Like Water for Chocolate is a beautiful story. It has so much emotion and passion. It holds a lot of love tradition and finding one's path in life, it's a book that is easy to read but filled with a deep meaning. The mix of romance, family, conflict,ct, and magical realism makes it a unique and unforgettable story.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Recipe for Rebellion
Laura Esquival’s novel Like Water For Chocolate is a book where emotions simmer, boil, and overflow. The author blends magical realism, romance, and historical fiction to display love, oppression, and self-fulfillment. Like Water For Chocolate is set in 20th century Mexico and follows Tita De La Garza, a woman restricted by family tradition to care for her mother and never marry the man she loves. Tita has a rare connection with food, allowing her to express emotions that societal norms forbid her to show. Tita’s otherworldly cooking skills make the kitchen not only her safe place but also her battleground. One of the best features of this novel is the use of magical realism. Esquivel seamlessly weaves supernatural elements into everyday life, often connecting food with Tita’s emotions in an unusual yet poetic way. For instance, when Tita is baking the wedding cake for her sister, Rosaura, and the love of Tita’s life, Pedro, a lot of emotions stir up. When guests of the wedding ate the cake they broke into uncontrollable sorrow and illness. Esquival continues to make parallels between emotions and food throughout the novel, reinforcing the theme that no matter how hard you try to lock up your feelings, they will always find an outlet. The novel is filled with vivid imagery tied to every sense. As Tita cooks, or one of her dishes is eaten, it is extensively described making the reader feel immersed into the story. The vivid imagery turns food into a powerful symbol of passion, repression, and rebellion. Dishes like the quail in rose petal sauce are not just meals, but vessels of emotion. Reading how the flavors, aromas, and textures of the food transform the consumer creates a better experience for the reader as they can understand how every bite influences the character’s next actions. The main conflict of the book revolves around Tita’s struggle with an old family tradition enforced by her stern mother, Mama Elena. The novel effectively displays the restrictions of gender roles and familial duty, specifically in early 20th-century Mexico. Esquival presents a powerful female narrative as Tita rebels against the strict rules preventing her from experiencing love. This narrative demonstrates how love can overcome oppressive traditions. While the novel contains captivating themes, many characters weaken them due to their lack of depth. Specifically, Pedro does not have as many layers as the other characters and often comes across as indecisive or passive. His decision to marry Rosaura while still claiming to be in love with Tita makes him frustrated rather than a charming love interest. Unlike Tita, who undergoes much character development, Pedro remains stationary making it difficult for the reader to sympathize with him. I enjoyed how the novel was structured, being divided into twelve chapters that represented a month and each began with a different recipe. However, I found the pacing uneven which made the book feel slow in some areas, yet too busy in others. Some chapters were loaded with conflict and emotional depth while others felt unnecessary due to their lack of development. As I read the second half of the book, everything seemed rushed. Major plot points abruptly ended such as Rosaura's death and the rapid resolution of Tita and Pedro’s love story. Like Water For Chocolate is a novel that lingers in your mind long after the final page, just as the flavor sticks with you of your final bite of a good meal. Esquivel’s storytelling skills that combine magical realism, sensory imagery, and symbolism make this story a unique and unforgettable read. While some character dynamics are not satisfying, the novel’s themes of love, freedom, and the power of self-expression make the book worthwhile.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Amazing book!!
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is a magical, emotional, passionate, loving, and traditional book. After reading this book my perspective has truly changed about magical realism books. I don’t read often and never seem to find a book I am drawn to, but after reading Like Water for Chocolate that has changed. This book highlights the Mexican culture while still portraying a passionate romance. Tita de la Garza, the main character and a young woman, falls in love with a boy named Pedro Muzquiz. Tita wants to marry this boy, but according to Mexican tradition, the youngest daughter is not allowed to marry because they are required to devote their lives to caring for their mothers. In Tita’s family, this is non-negotiable. Tita and Pedro first met at a family gathering and immediately fell in love. Pedro asked Mama Elena, Titas mother, for Titas hand in marriage and instantly got rejected due to the tradition. Mama Elena organizes for Rosura, Titas older sister, to marry Pedro. Pedro agreed so that he could continue to be close to Tita. The only thing that kept Tita distracted from the situation was food. She learned to express her emotions in the kitchen because she couldn’t talk back to her mother. For example in chapter two called “Chabela Wedding Cake”, Tita bakes a cake for Pedro and Rosura’s wedding. As she was baking the cake, she began to cry and her tears mixed into the cake batter, and later on caused any guest that ate the cake to be drowned with sadness. Tita’s emotions became so powerful that anyone who ate the cake immediately became affected. All of the guests broke down in tears and vomited. This part of the book not only shows how she infuses her emotions into food but also illustrates the magical realism in the book. Like Water for Chocolate is more than a book, Each chapter starts with a recipe that merges with storytelling and highlights the Mexican culture. As you continue reading this book, it will continue to surprise you in different ways. Although Like Water for Chocolate was intriguing, I sometimes had trouble following it. For example, toward the novel’s end, the chapters suddenly skip forward many years without making it known. This was when Esperanza was getting married. One other criticism I have is to recommend an age restriction somewhere in the book. I would advise high school students and above to read this book. Even though there were some flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will add it to my list of recommendations!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Beautiful Work
Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate is a phenomenal showing of tradition, romance, rebellion, and magical realism. Set during the Mexican Revolution on a ranch near the Mexico-Texas border, we follow Tita de la Garza, a 15-year-old girl, on her journey to freedom. Tita is forced by unfair traditions to stay with her mother and take care of her until she dies, making her unable to marry. After the love of her life marries her sister because he can’t marry her, we see Tita start her journey. Esquivel adds elements of magical realism through Tita’s cooking, tying the story together. Tita is a brilliant chef, and in the book, Esquivel highlights the process of the foods she makes and how it is a form of art with the emotion that Tita pours into it, literally and figuratively. One of my favorite things about Like Water for Chocolate is how Esquivel sets the book up. Each chapter is one month of the year, and they each have a recipe to start them off. This styling of writing made me find myself more interested and understanding of what was happening in the book with the easy timestamps. The recipes aren’t just an extra element—they are crucial to the story, as the dishes Tita prepares carry deep meaning and emotion, often influencing the characters who consume them. I almost see them as another character with how much they had to the story. The way food connects the characters and is used as an outlet for emotions is a powerful element that strengthens the books themes. Esquivel does a fantastic job of making the reader feel immersed in Tita’s world, from the descriptions of food to the intense emotions she experiences. The way love, passion, and heartbreak are combined with tradition makes the story feel rich and layered. Even though some characters, like Pedro, can be frustrating in their actions, their flaws make them feel more real. There are strong themes of family duty versus personal happiness, which make the novel emotional and thought-provoking. Tita's struggle is one that is universal, the fight to choose your own destiny despite societies expectations. Her transformation from a weak daughter to an independent woman is inspiring, even though the path she takes is filled with suffering and heartbreak. I did find a few things that were flaws in my eyes in the book. While the magical realism adds a unique and captivating element to the book, some moments feel almost too exaggerated. Certain plot points, like Mama Elena’s harshness, at times seem overly dramatic. Some characters could also be a little more developed. I wish we couldve learned more about Tita's sisters and their feelings and thoughts beyond how Tita overlooked them. Idisliked how Pedro was Tita's true love, but we never really learned about who he is and more of his personality. Esquivel’s use of sensory language makes the novel come alive. The rich descriptions of food, textures, and smells transport the reader into Tita’s kitchen, where she mixes love and longing together with spices and ingredients. The combination of passion and cuisine makes the book powerful, highlighting how deeply personal and cultural food can be. Overall, Like Water for Chocolate is an unforgettable book that beautifully combines love, food, and tradition with powerful storytelling. It’s a book that stays with you for a long time after you finish it, and makes you think about the ways that emotions and culture can shape our lives. Esquivel skillfully wrote a story that is both heartwarming as well as heartbreaking. This book is a must-read for those who are looking for stories that include history and romance. Whether you are drawn to its magical elements or its touching love story, Like Water for Chocolate offers an experience unlike any other.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Very good
Laura Esquivel’s book Like “Water for Chocolate” is a very intresting book but i mean it in a good way. It has love, family issues, and obviously a lot of food. The book is from Tita’s point of view who is basically unlucky from birth because of her family’s tradition that says she can’t get married because shes the youngest daughter. Instead she has to take care of her mom forever but shes in love with this guy Pedro and he’s in love with her, but instead of fixing the problem or fighting for her he just marries her sister to be “close” to her. One of my favorite things in the book is how the author mixes magical realism with everyday life. In the book emotions get cooked into the food. When Tita is sad while making a cake, everyone who eats it starts crying uncontrollably it sounds crazy but it actually works because it shows how deeply Tita’s emotions are connected to her role in her recipes and family. The author also uses food as a symbol throughout the book cooking is Titas only real way of expressing herself since her mom is a dictator who controls all parts of her life. Each chapter starts with a different recipe, but the food isn’t just there for fun it’s connected to what’s happening in her life. For example the Christmas Rolls she makes are linked to memories of her childhood and lost love. Each dish has a deeper meaning which makes the food way more interesting than just something to eat. Another thing Laura Esquivel does really well is the theme development, especially when it comes to love and family. Titas mom, mama Elena, represents tradition and strict family expectations. She’s completely heartless and controls Tita’s life, proving that just because someone is family doesn’t mean they’re good for you. Then there’s the theme of rebellion she does find ways to fight back through cooking, forbidden love, and eventually by making her own choices. It’s a slow process but it makes her final moments of independence very satisfying. I also really enjoyed the writing style its pretty straightforward, but the way rhe author mixes romance, magical moments, and food descriptions makes the book feel different than others. The story is also told almost like a family legend which makes it feel more personal and nostalgic in a way. The drama makes it feel almost like a telenovela. Overall the book is strange but hard to put down. It takes something normal like cooking and turns it into a powerful form of self expression and personal growth. The themes of love, oppression, and tradition make it more than just a love story. It’s definitely worth reading, even if some parts are a little dramatic or confusing.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com