October Book Club - 'Like Water for Chocolate' by Laura Esquivel

We were down on numbers at October's meeting due to various commitments of some of our members to 'life'. Everyone is very busy and sometimes it is hard to fit everything in. So, if you were unable to come to our October meeting, let me just say, you were missed and we look forward to meeting up with you at our next meeting.


The members who came to discuss Laura Esquivel's, 'Like Water for Chocolate' were very happy with this magic realism novel, with most commenting that they had enjoyed it immensely.


One comment made: "As soon as I started reading it, it reminded me of the similar style of writing as in, 'A Hundred Years of Solitude', by Gabriel Garcia Marquez."


'Like Water for Chocolate is the story of a young woman, Tita, whose mother forces her to take care of her sole needs because of the order in which she was born. Tita is the youngest daughter of Mama Elena, and is prohibited by 'family tradition' from marrying so that she will be free to take care of her mother later in life. She is awarded no life of her own to look forward to and as a result, bases her whole existence on her love of cooking, where every emotion she feels becomes a part of the recipe she happens to be creating.


The book is thought provoking with interesting images landscaped in this telling tale of tortured love for Pedro that develops and endures during the course of Tita's life, and the results of this. The story follows Tita's life from birth to death, focusing mostly on her relationship with Pedro, her angst at her mother and her struggle and eventual triumph in pursuit of love and individuality.


This book is highly recommended, especially if you enjoy magic realism or the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.


Until next time,
happy reading...