I read Like Water for Chocolate about six years ago and I confess not being able to remember anything from it so I guess a re-read was long overdue. Actually with the exception of the recipes I was shocked to see how much I have forgotten.
The story takes place in Mexico , where Tita , the youngest daughter in an all female family is doomed never to marry due a family tradition. As fortune will have it she meets the man of her dreams and falls into a depression as she cannot live with him. She drowns her sorrows by practicing her one talent, cooking and each recipe she creates carries her emotions to the person eating it. Soon she meets another man whom she respects and has to make a decision. By the end of the novel things do work out but with a little twist.
As this is a magic realist novel a lot of bizarre things happen, there’s a mass vomiting, the most epic chicken fight ever and not mention ghosts and over the top sexual exploits. Usually in large doses this sort of thing is daunting but here it’s manageable and enchanting even. If you’re a fan of the genre or a foodie then go ahead and try this one out. It’s a perfect little book to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon reading.
The Bobsphere 