Like Water for Chocolate

Hardcover, 246 pages

English language

Published Oct. 14, 1992 by Doubleday.

ISBN:: 978-0-385-42016-7
OCLC Number:: 651571798

(1 review)

To the table or to bed You must come when you are bid

The number-one bestseller in Mexico in 1990, Like Water for Chocolate is a romantic, poignant tale, touched with bittersweet moments of magic and sensuality. Evocative of How to Make an American Quilt in structure, Tampopo in its celebration of food, and Heartburn in its irony and wit, it is a lively and funny tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico.

The narrator's great-aunt Tita is the youngest of three daughters born to Mama Elena, the tyrannical owner of De la Garza ranch. While still in her mother's womb, she wept so violently--as her mother chopped onions--that she caused Mama Elena to begin early labor, and Tita slipped out in the middle of the kitchen table, amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon became a way of life, and Tita grew …

To the table or to bed You must come when you are bid

The number-one bestseller in Mexico in 1990, Like Water for Chocolate is a romantic, poignant tale, touched with bittersweet moments of magic and sensuality. Evocative of How to Make an American Quilt in structure, Tampopo in its celebration of food, and Heartburn in its irony and wit, it is a lively and funny tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico.

The narrator's great-aunt Tita is the youngest of three daughters born to Mama Elena, the tyrannical owner of De la Garza ranch. While still in her mother's womb, she wept so violently--as her mother chopped onions--that she caused Mama Elena to begin early labor, and Tita slipped out in the middle of the kitchen table, amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon became a way of life, and Tita grew up to be a master chef. Each chapter of the novel begins with one of Tita's recipes and her careful instructions for preparation.

In well-born Mexican families, tradition dictates that the youngest daughter not marry, but remain at home to care for her mother. Even though Tita has fallen in love, Mama Elena chooses not to make an exception, and instead, arranges for Tita's older sister to marry Tita's young man.

In order to punish Tita for her willfulness, Mama Elena forces her to bake the wedding cake. The bitter tears Tita weeps while stirring the batter provoke a remarkable reaction among the guests who eat the cake. It is then that it first becomes apparent that her culinary talents are unique.

Laura Esquivel's voice is direct, simple, and compelling. She has written a fresh and innovative novel, bringing her own inimitable strengths to a classic love story. --jacket

42 editions

Stephanie Jane reviewed Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

A whimsical novel for foodies

4 stars

After reading Pierced By The Sun last year I was delighted to find a copy of Like Water For Chocolate in Torquay's Indoor Market. The book stall there raises money for a homelessness charity so I am always happy to buy a book or two as well as leaving my Bookcrossing swaps for others to enjoy. Like Water For Chocolate is very different to Pierced By The Sun and includes frequent episodes of the magical realism that I love in South American fiction. In its naive fairytale style the book reminded me of Berta La Larga by Cuca Canals although this one includes incidences of rape and more extreme violence. The characters have a fairytale quality of behaving bizarrely due to unrealistic magical motivations but I felt that this worked well within the novel's world. Tita is a poignant and sympathetic creation and I liked her a lot although I …

After reading Pierced By The Sun last year I was delighted to find a copy of Like Water For Chocolate in Torquay's Indoor Market. The book stall there raises money for a homelessness charity so I am always happy to buy a book or two as well as leaving my Bookcrossing swaps for others to enjoy. Like Water For Chocolate is very different to Pierced By The Sun and includes frequent episodes of the magical realism that I love in South American fiction. In its naive fairytale style the book reminded me of Berta La Larga by Cuca Canals although this one includes incidences of rape and more extreme violence. The characters have a fairytale quality of behaving bizarrely due to unrealistic magical motivations but I felt that this worked well within the novel's world. Tita is a poignant and sympathetic creation and I liked her a lot although I wasn't convinced by her all-consuming desire for Pedro as he seemed a weak waster to me! Mama Elena is also excellent - a really vindictive and selfish woman! However my attitude towards her did soften as we learned more about her past.

Esquivel wrote Like Water For Chocolate in twelve chapters, each focused around a particular traditional recipe so this is definitely a book for foodies. If I knew what all the ingredients were I would have been tempted to make a few of the dishes myself, especially when we see the overwhelming reactions they have among family and friends when Tita cooks them!

If you like logical, realistic fiction, you will probably be more irritated by Like Water For Chocolate than entranced. If you like a sense of the whimsical though, I would certainly recommend giving this novel a try. It is a fairly quick, easy read and one with plenty of humour and romance alongside the heartbreak. A good book for a hot summer afternoon!