Mexico: Like Chocolate for Water

Book: Like Water For Chocolate 

Author: Laura Esquivel

Country: Mexico

Review: 4/5

Like Water for Chocolate: A novel in monthly installments with recipes, romances and home remedies (Como agua para chocolate) was my Mexican book in my journey to read books from every country in the world (@BeyondPageOne on Instagram). I chose this novel based on the suggestions by others who have done this challenge, and I found it was a fantastic way to round out my North American books. While looking for Mexican books I also came across many incredible Mexican-American authors, but for the purpose of this challenge I wanted a book that showcased the heart of Mexico. This novel follows the youngest daughter Tita who, according to family tradition, has been forbidden to marry and rather she must take care of her mother until she dies. From Wikipedia, Like Water for Chocolate is a common phrase in Spanish-speaking countries, meaning “one’s emotions are on the verge of boiling over. In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico, hot chocolate is made not with milk, but with near-boiling water instead.” Woven throughout the novel are family recipes and magical realism that build a passionate relationship between Tita and Pedro.

I for one loved the magical realism throughout this book, it was poetic, mystical, and slightly discomforting in the best, most interesting way possible. These hyperboles and enchanting mysteries kept the book from being too serious and aided the reader to taste each dish and feel the strong emotions from each character. Well quoted from Ann Morgan of A Year of Reading the World, “Rather than magical elements blending with the real world, these events seem to be emotional projections from the characters themselves, which may or may not be happening. ‘The simple truth is that the truth does not exist; it all depends on a person’s point of view’, explains Tita’s gutsy older sister Gertrudis, in an uncharacteristically obvious aside.” I loved the way that it was written half as a cookbook and half as a personal diary, beautifully framed around the recipes. From my time in Mexico, I think it helps to capture the strong connections that the culture links to food as well as strong family relations, both good and bad. The saying goes that you are what you eat, and I think the things that people eat and how they cook can truly tell a story or represent a culture. I’m not sure that this “rule” of the youngest daughter is representative of Mexico overall but is definitely some food for thought (get it? Haha). Overall, I think this is a fun read that shouldn’t be taken too seriously, and am in love with the ways that emotions and the storyline are tied in so closely with the recipes that frame the book. It may not be the traditional romance story, but it brings about a certain passion and independence for mature readers that is rich and builds the characters.

Stay tuned for other book recommendations for this country and other countries, and follow my journey on Instagram @beyondpageone and find more reviews on my GoodReads page: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/116494925-kaitlyn-nightingale Thank you and happy reading!

Feature image from Goodreads.