This is a lovely book served in 12 courses (of meal). When it came out, it became a best seller right away; a 'first timer's luck' for Laura Esquivel. Even 2o years after being first published, it is still an intriguing story, knowing that many young girls around the world are still forced to obey illogical rules of tradition. The saddest part is; these undertakings are done by women onto women, mostly mother to daughter..

Esquivel's novel written in Magic Realism style, tells us the story of de La Garza Family, where the youngest daughter Tita is not allowed to marry to keep with tradition of looking after her mother. Growing up in an all women household where showing emotions were severely punished, Tita first loses and in the end regains her soul and self back. Her emotions are expressed through her cooking, which results in surprising outcomes.

The analogy of making good chocolate used in the book is the summary of human spiritual maturation where Esquivel states:
“the goodness of the chocolate depends on three things, namely: that the chocolate beans used are good and without defect, that you mix several different types of beans to make the chocolate, and, finally, the amount of toasting.”

This book is a recipe to revive the spirit and is full of wisdom, sensuality and magic..

Ovo je priča o Titi, najmlađoj kćeri u obitelji De la Garza kojoj je okrutnom obiteljskom tradicijom uskraćena ljubav njena života. Umjesto udaje za Pedra, nju će zapasti dužnost da se brine o svojoj majci do njene smrti. Kada se Pedro, u želji da bude što bliže svojoj voljenoj Titi, oženi njenom sestrom Rosaurom, strasti na imanju De la Garza proključat će kao voda za čokoladu.

Cijeli osvrt pronađite ovdje: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu.webador.c...

3.5 stars. Beautiful book about love and the forces ( positive and also distructive) it creates. Felt good to read after a long time another book written by a south american writer. Makes me want to come back to Marquez and Llosa and their magical realism.

Warning: This recipe may induce plenty of gushing. See notes below to see how severely affected this reviewer was... and still is)

1. Take one book
2. Add a few sumptuous recipes
3. Infuse with touches of magic realism
4. Add a heap full of fragrant flavours
5. Pour in a cupful of earthy, human emotion
6. Mix in a healthy dose of unresolved lust, tension and heated gazes

Pour in a bowl, mix them all together and watch as the perfect love story unfolds. Allow it to simmer, heat and send your system into a seductive frenzy that will leave you feeling dizzy with its luscious writing and mouth-watering recipes.

Side notes: Be sure to flush out all superfluous ingredients such as jealous sisters, forbidding, spiteful mothers and outdated, traditional rules that threaten to spoil and get in the way of a happy ending.

Chained to Mexican tradition at the time, Tita, the youngest of three daughters is gifted with an exquisitely unique cooking skill.

Confined to a dreary future of serving and attending to her mother's needs till her death, she is forbidden the right to marry (according to the staunch rules amongst traditional Mexican families at the time).

Naturally tradition finds itself flailing in mid-air upon the arrival of the forbidden - which just so happens to come in the form of the very delicious Pedro.

Enchanted by the utterly beguiling Tita, it doesn't take him long to fall in love with the extraordinarily talented cook.

When he tries to win her hand in marriage, his request is vehemently refused by Mama Elena, Tita's staunch, unyielding and spiteful mother. To try and soften the blow, Mama Elena offers her older daughter Rosuara to him instead.

Out of sheer desperation Pedro agrees to marry her - only doing so to remain close to Tita.

For the next 22 years, Tita and Pedro are forced to move in the same circle, swathed in their unconsummated passion for each other – and kept apart by ensuing events which affects everyone in the family…

Review:

This book is the book that introduced me to a genre that to this day still leaves me enchanted. I actually read this years ago, but the contents of it are still as vividly imprinted into my mind as if I just finished it yesterday.

One has to marvel at a book with the capacity to instantly transport you into its earthy, vibrant and voluptuously decadent world, even though you haven't read it in years.

The element of magic is a very strong feature in this novel and is written in monthly instalments of magical and sumptuous recipes – each of which plays a pivotal part in the events that follow within the story.

Each dish that Tita prepares speaks of the emotions that she cannot always express when around her family and is used as a means to express her love to Pedro and often has comic and heartbreaking effects on everyone else who consumes her dishes.

The writing, the characters - everything about this novel has a sensuality about it that always leans on the precipice of something greater. It's not what is said that makes the novel so fantastic, but how the author invites you to use your imagination with her sensual, decadent words.

Every word is smooth as velvet chocolate, melts on your tongue and lulls your system into a drug-induced state of hazy, hedonistic pleasure.

In short, the book is an aphrodisiac.

And if you don't quite believe me, I'd highly recommend reading that shower scene. (*Tammy pauses to recover from a bout of swooning*)

I'd love to reveal more about the characters, but for once, I'm going to just tell you that this is a book where the characters, their emotions, interactions and connections need to be experienced firsthand - especially the electric chemistry between Tita and Pedro.

What I can say though, is that their love story is a story I would want for my own... except without the horrible mother and evil sister of course.

Part mythical and partly historical, Like water for chocolate is an enchantingly magical, sumptuous feast of a novel touched with a quality of earthiness and idiosyncratic grandeur that makes for a delicious read…

Yes, yes... I abuse the word earthy. It's completely and utterly the book's fault. Still, you should go out and read it this instant. It's a timeless classic every die-hard romantic should experience.

كالماء للشكولاتة لذيذة بقدر ما فيها من وصفات وتحضيرات مطبخية وروائح الطعام ، استندت على الخيال والعاطفة المتطرفة التي لا تعرف قيودا كقيود العائلة أو الدين أو التقاليد .. فكسرت كل الأعراف التي تقف في وجه حب عاصف .. عندما تقرأ هذا النص تعرف إنك تقف أمام روائية قادرة على شد انتباهك بطريقتها الغرائبية الشيقة التي ربطت ما بين المطبخ والطعام وبين الحب والخيال ، الضوء والدفء والعاطفة .. هذه الفنتازيا السحرية لقصة امرأة لم تكن تملك سوى مهارتها في المطبخ لتناضل بها ولتعالج بها ولتحب بها إنها وصفة غريبة ولكنها متدفقة وعالية المستوى !

الماء .. القوة ، النقاء ، الشفافية ، يختلط بالشوكولاتة ، الشكولاتة اللون الرائحة الطعم لذة الحياة ولذة الحب ، العاطفة التي حرمت منها تيتا بسبب سيطرة أمها التي تبدو كزوجة أب شريرة . تبدأ الرواية بتلك الأشغال الشاقة التي كانت تيتا تقوم بها دون كلل أو ملل من قبل أم لمتسلطة تشبه زوجة أب سندريلا ، تتمسك بالتقليد الذي يقضي بأن تكون الإبنة الأخيرة في رعاية أمها حتى وفاتها ، يبدو الأمر سيئا بما يكفي إلا إن الأمور تزداد سوءا عندما تلتقي تيتا بحبها الحقيقي ، تيتا الممنوعة من الحب والمنذورة لخدمة الأم

القصة مناسبة جدا لأجواء الواقعية السحرية المحيطة بها وظفت فيها الأساطير والأعراف وحكايات الجدات فابتدعت لاورا قصصها الخاصة فلاتملك إلا أن تبتسم لتلك التي ماتت بنفس الطريقة التي ماتت بها أول مرة ، الموت مرتين يا له من عذاب تلقته أوسادورا لتموت عقابا لها على خيانة شقيقتها ، إن الخيانة عند لاورا أمر غير مستساغ وغير مقبول في محيط العائلة لذلك ما فتأت إيلينا حتى بعد موتها تلعن تيتا التي ردت على الخيانة بخيانة ، وبالرغم من إن الروائية أكدت على قدسية العائلة في مشاهد مطبخية كثيرة لكنها أيضا ثارت على التقاليد التي تكبل المرأة لتختار شريك حياتها إن الرواية تدور حول فكرة التنفيس عن الرغبات والإنتصار لها بالدرجة الأولى لذلك ينتصر الحب في النهاية..


في أدب الواقعية السحرية الموت أمر لا مناص منه إنه أمر يقارب السحر بغموضه وماهيته الغير معروفة ، في الموت هناك الكثير مما يمكن الخيال من الجنوح إليه ، كما هو المطبخ فللموت أسرار كما للمطبخ أسرار ، وهؤلاء اللاتي لا يدخلن المطبخ يفتقدن معرفة هذه الإسرار الصغيرة التي تجعل من المطبخ مكانا حميميا ممتلىء بالروائح والنكهات والكثير من المشاعر والعواطف والتقلبات كما يظهر هنا في هذه الرواية البديعة فالوصفات مرتبطة إرتباطا كليا بمشاعر وتقلبات عواطف تيتا ، فتيتا حين تحزن يحزن كل المدعوين وحين تفرح تسكب كل مشاعرها السعيدة في كعكة من الفرح فيبتهج الآخرين ...

يبدو العمل في مشاهد كثيرة أمرا مستفزا ، ليست وصفات الطهي من بينها بلا شك وهي جزء كبير من القصة ، ولكن إذا رأينا هذا العمل من منظار ساخر فإن الفكرة تصبح أكثر قبولا ، كالشخصيات الجامحة ذات الإيقاع المجنون خيردوتس مثال على الرغبة في كل أشكالها الحرية ، بلا قيد ولا شرط ، الشقيقة التي ضربت عرض الحائط بكل القيم والأعراف لأجل رغباتها ، تيتا وعلاقتها ببنت أختها ، والرضاعة التي حدثت من ثدي لم يعرف الأمومة ليحضر ذلك الرابط الذي ربطها ببيدرو والذي ظل قائما مليئا بالحب ومترعا بالحليب بينما كان صدر أختها جافا ، الحمل الكاذب الذي توهمته تيتا من بيدرو والذي لعله كان يشير إلى علاقة الحب الغير مشروعة التي حدثت بينهما هناك رمزيات كثيرة في النص أجملها كان مشهد الاحتراق البديع في نهاية الرواية

الغريب إنني لم انتبه أن هناك راويا قريبا من شخصيات الرواية في النص إلا في نهايته !
الترجمة بارعة للغاية للدرجة التي تود أن تأكلها أكلا

4,5/5

La escritora y política mexicana Laura Esquivel, fue internacionalmente conocida gracias a su obra más famosa «Como agua para chocolate» que publicó en 1989. Esta, fue adaptada al cine y se tradujo en más de 30 idiomas. Partiendo de la base de que soy una gran amante y fanática del realismo mágico, necesitaba darle una oportunidad y adentrarme en esta historia tan especial.

La premisa que nos presenta Laura es sencilla, se sitúa durante la revolución mexicana y nuestra protagonista es Tita. Una joven que se enamora a primera vista de Pedro, pero su amor es imposible. La madre de Tita, obliga a su hija menor a permanecer soltera, impidiendo que pueda casarse y esclavizándola hasta su muerte.

Una parte fundamental de esta novela es el valor que se le da a la gastronomía, las descripciones detalladas de las recetas que incluye logran traspasar las páginas, aromas que ambientan y endulzan la lectura. También se le da mucha importancia a la sexualidad, mucho más allá del amor.

Los personajes son fabulosos, algunos inolvidables como Tita, Gertrudis, Chencha y Nacha, otros odiosos como Pedro (personaje machista y posesivo en su máximo esplendor con el que me ha sido imposible conectar) y Mamá Elena, una villana, cruel y amargada.

El estilo de Laura es fabuloso, a pesar de ser una obra bastante breve desgrana una trama interesante, juega con saltos temporales y brinda escenas desternillantes que gracias al realismo mágico resultan electrizantes. La ambientación así como las costumbres mexicanas se ven bien plasmadas, la emoción es constante y finalmente ofrece un cierre épico.

Leer «Como agua para chocolate» ha sido una experiencia sumamente emocionante: la narración te absorbe, la historia te sumerge de lleno en los entresijos de esta familia y te maravilla y sorprende con esa magia que tan bien combina con las recetas. No os dejéis engañar, esta historia es mucho más que una historia de “amor”, para mí ha sido lo de menos y lo que ha pasado más desapercibido. Amantes de este género, no os lo perdáis.

Magical realism is my favourite genre, but this didn't have quite enough ooomph for me, though it was a pleasant enough read.
There is, however, an alliterative line of such chutzpah that she sells sea shells by the sea shore is made to seem positively prosaic. Here it is, verbatim: "Unquestionably, when it came to dividing, dismantling, dismembering, desolating, detaching, dispossessing, destroying or dominating, Mama Elena was a pro".

3.5, rounded up to 4

Mientras lo leí sentía de todo: si se merecía una nota más alta, una más baja, si los personajes me gustaban o no, si las recetas de cocina eran sobrantes... Pero al final, el libro sale bien parado de todas estas cosas. Con un final que no me esperaba y que rozando el ridículo consigue encajar (es lo que tiene el realismo mágico), Laura Esquivel narra una historia muy realista y muy humana, con muchos aspectos a destacar y con mucha importancia en el amor y el sexo, en las pasiones humanas. Veré la película por tener un acercamiento a la historia, ya que hay ciertos pasajes que se me hicieron fríos.

"بگذار چیزی را بهت بگویم، دفعه دیگر که عاشق شدی، این همه بزدل نباش!"

مادرم یک کتاب آشپزی «رزا منتظمی» دارد که من از بچگی، یعنی حتی وقتی سواد درست درمانی نداشتم هم دوستش داشتم و ساعت ها به عکس هایش نگاه میکردم و غصه میخوردم که چرا غذاهای ما انقد خوش رنگ و لعاب و با تزیینات نیست.
کمی که بزرگ تر شدم در سنین نوجوانی ساعت ها مسحور دستور پخت های کتاب میشدم و هر بار یکی از دستور ها را امتحان میکردم. سوفله شکلاتی، کرم پاتیسیر، بیسکویت قاشقی و ... اما به رغم ریخت و پاش زیادی که توی آشپزخانه راه می‌انداختم، چیزهای جالبی آماده نمیکردم:)
با خواندن این کتاب یاد آن کتاب قطور آشپزی افتادم و حس آن روزها برایم تداعی شد. کتاب «مثل آب برای شکلات» تمام آن چیزی است که من از یک کتاب انتظار دارم، روان، پرکشش، جذاب و زیبا. واقعاً از خواندن اش و فضای ادبیات آمریکای لاتین آن لذت بردم.

"Within it lies the secret of love, but it will never be penetrated, and all because it wouldn't be proper" (Esquivel 58).

2023 Review: (5 stars all the way). I’ve read this in 1993 when I was a wee kid, and several times since from adolescent to now, very old adult.

I reread this as a text that I intend to teach again. This time, in my older age, I have softened towards books that many have deemed populist fiction, or books that might be seen as saccharine for the "Oprah's Book Club" crowd. But dear reader, I love this book. Even more now.

In high school, I learned that this novel is one of those works that fits into the magical realism genre, written by mostly Latinx writers made famous by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende.

But my reasons for loving this book is that it's one of the best books to return to when you need a good cry of joy, a chance to revisit a fairy tale/parable of how true love connected to food, conquers and lives on, "for a moment we are dazzled by an intense emotion. A pleasant warmth grows within us, fading slowly as time goes by" (Esquivel 115).

On this reading, narrated by heroine Tita's grandniece, I found myself attracted to the more minor characters. I was astonished that Esquivel has written a novel that focuses on women's destinies and their decision for their own fates, in spite of the ridiculous edict that Mama Elena has forced upon Tita.

First there is Gertrudis, who becomes both a sex worker and revolutionary. She is the sister that seems forgotten in the De La Garza saga. She is the one who disappears into the night naked with a man after her unabashed sexuality smelling like roses, attracts Juan Alexander, the man who would take her into the night. Gertrudis also has another man- Trevino whom she loves freely as with Juan. It seems to me that the notion of queer coded, chosen families are right here in "Like Water for Chocolate", only it seems to get lost in the drama surrounding Tita and Pedro, Pedro and Rosaura, and of course, Mama Elena.

She has an interesting declaration of feminism that I did not notice before as she asserts, "I've never needed a man for anything...all by myself. I've done all right with my ranch and my daughters. Men aren't really all that important" (Esquivel 80).

On this reading, I was attracted more to the interactions between the women: even Rosaura and Tita come to a truce when it came to Pedro deciding not to have sex with her anymore, with the decision to have Tita raise her niece Esperanza. There's the unfortunate but resilient Chencha who also is a lot stronger than she's made out to be, especially after an episode of sexual assault that is disturbing.

Dr. Brown and his son Alex seem to be complete stock characters of the cuckhold tradition, but John Brown is admirable and accepting. He is a lovely man who loves Tita and her family, and is one of the most caring in the book. He's the complete opposite of Pedro who is cowardly and is willing to use one sister to be close to the other.

It's a book that's great for hopeless romantics like myself. I have read this book in high school several times because it was one of the popular bestsellers of its time in the mid 1990s after the popularity of the film starring Lumi Cavazos and Marco Leonardi.

Funnily enough my current students asked me to teach this book soon, and I am proud to introduce them to Tita, Pedro, Mama Elena, Rosaura, John Brown, Chencha, Esperanza and Gertrudis.

Plus- I want to have one of those delicious Christmas Rolls, or a taste of one of Tita's fabulous cakes. I am lucky to work at a school that has a program that helps students learn the art of cooking and culinary skills. Perhaps I can convince students to try making one of the recipes.

It is a bittersweet, soulful little fairy tale, an escape. Sometimes as readers, all we need is an escape for romance, and romance is what one gets from having read this classic.

Postscript: in 2022 I saw a fabulous ballet adaptation of this wonderful novel at The Metropolitan Opera House which really showed the book’s flair for drama and big emotions. It was gorgeous.

This book was so excruciatingly, so disturbingly annoying. It doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it in anyway, I did enjoy some parts. However, the cons outweigh the pros. Here is why: (occasional spoilers)
The first one is Melodrama. Whenever I see a "love at first sight" plot, I start to judge. In many cases I have been patient with the book and it has satisfied me, but not this time. This is a melodramatic love story where I have a very hard time to see any reason for the protagonist to keep loving her love interest. Pedro, the lover, is immature, stupid, whiny, selfish, and all in all an abominable, horrible human. He rapes the protagonist at some point, which brings me to another one of the disturbing factors in the book: no one seems to care about consent. There is a scene where Tita is bathing and Pedro is looking at her from distance, despite having been rejected many times by Tita; later on, he grabs Tita into a dark room to have sex with her, despite knowing that she is engaged to another man and has rejected him. In both of these scenes, in my opinion, he comes off as a rapist. However no one seems to care? Everyone seems to view these scenes as passionate burning love? And everyone seems to view these incidents as factors strengthening their relationship? why?
I don't know what Tita sees in him. I was hoping for the story to be saved and for Tita to have some sense when John arrived, but apparently not. The ending made everything worse. It was a horrible, horrible ending.
This book is more like a folktale, rather than a prominent novel which is supposed to deal with women's problems. I like myths and folklore, but not in the form of novels.

Realmente me ha encantado! Es una de esas historias que cuando la terminas sólo puedes preguntarte por qué has tardado tanto en leerla!