Like Water For Chocolate tells the doomed love story of Tita and Pedro. Doomed only because Tita, the youngest of three sisters, finds out when she tells her mother that Pedro is going to ask her mother for her hand in marriage that she is destined to live her days without children and marriage. According to family tradition, the youngest daughter must take care of their mother until her death, forgoing any attempt to create a life of her own.
The book itself is written in 12 chapters or "monthly installments" by Tita's niece. Each month she brings to life one of Tita's recipes all the while telling the reader of Tita's love for Pedro and cooking, Pedro's marriage to her older sister Rosaura, arranged by their mother and the disappearance of their middle sister, Gertrudis.
I was hoping that there would be at least one recipe that I could make from this book. Um. No. I'm not that good. The recipes are incredibly in depth. And complicated. Plus, according to the novel, most are affected by the emotions of Tita while she prepares them.
I was a little surprised in the soft core porn aspect of this novel. For such a short little book, it sure does pack in the sexuality of the characters. Tita's love for Pedro, and thus her lust for him as well, become somewhat overwhelming to me at times. Although we are drawn a beautiful image of Tita both inward and out from the book's decription, Pedro seems a bit like a underdeveloped character to me. Her character is so strong and full of emotion and his is like a dead fish. I never feel that he lives up to her vivid personality and presence.
Um. Total slacker here. It's been over a month since I started this post. Doh!
I guess I'll sum up and move on since it's been that long since I've even read anything!
I liked this book but at the same time, it was a little over-the-top unbelievable for me. Woo!
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