بدون اینکه متوجه باشم از اول پائیز تا الان،یعنی حدود ۵ ماه ، توی یه ریدینگ اسلامپ بودم و وقتی این کتاب برام جذاب بود و سخت بود زمین بذارمش تازه فهمیدم که این چند وقت چقدر کم خوندم!
ایده داستان خیلی نو بود، تلفیق آشپزی با زندگی پر از درد یه دختر مکزیکی به اسم تیتا. به عنوان کسی که هم از آشپزی و غذا لذت می‌بره و هم از داستان، این کتاب دوسر برد بود. البته اگه میخواستی ازش ایراد بگیری و دقیق بشی کلی کم و کاست داشت، قضیه عشق آتشین در نگاه اول و اینا که من درکش نمیکنم و رئالیسم جادویی که خوب توی داستان ننشسته‌ بود، ولی شخصیت ها و فضا انقدر خوب پرداخته شده بودند که واقعا توی داستان غرق میشدم و متوجه گذشت زمان نمی‌شدم.
یه چیز خیلی خوبی که درباره ترجمه فارسی وجود داشت سانسور خیلی کمش بود که باتوجه به اروتیک بودن فضا قابل قبول بود.
و فیلمش! فیلم واقعا خوش‌ساختی بود و خیلی به کتاب وفادار بود که باعث میشد دیدنش بلافاصله بعد از خوندن کتاب لذت مضاعف داشته باشه.
یه سری نقاشی هم درباره‌ی کتاب پیدا کردم که بنظرم قشنگ بودن :



n  n
n  n
n  n

n  n

Her şey o kadar gerçek ki; Tita’nın yemeklerinin tadı ağzımda, kokuları burnumda okudum. Gül yemeği beni de erotikaya boğdu. Nefret ile ben de ağzımda acı tadı hissettim.
Çok lezzetli bir kitap. Bir yanda gelenekler bir yanda insan olmak.. Anne’nin nefreti, gaddarlığı beni çok kızdırdı. Her şeye hakkı var çünkü anne, nasıl bir bencillik bu ? Bunu hala yapıyoruz ama, çocuklarımızı birey olarak del malımız olarak görüyoruz, açık açık olmasada biz de çocuk yapıyoruz ki bize baksın.
İnsan kendi yaşarken her şeyi normal görüyor ama başkası aynısı yaparsa ne şerefsizliği kalıyor ne de namusu. Anne’nin Tita’ya yıllarca dem vurduğu sözde namus ve eğitimden nasıl nasibini aldığını görüyoruz. Pedro’num gözümde bir kuruşluk değeri yok. Nedenini yazmayayım spoiler olmasın ama anlarsınız. Aşk, gerçekten tüm kapıları açıyor. Cesaret lazım istediğimizi almak, istediğimiz olmak için. zaten en zoru kendimiz olmak..
Yer yer bana Yüzyıllık Yalnızlık’ ı hatırlatsa da ( iki kitabın büyülü gerçekçilik ekolünden olması ya da ikisinin de Latin Amerikalı olması buna sebep olabilir.) bu benzerlik anne-çocuk benzerliği gibi tatlı geldi bana. Son dönemlerde okuduğum en tatlı kitap. 220 sayfa satır satır oya işlemiş gibi, her şey yerli yerinde.

I couldn't help but fall for this short novel that encapsulates vividly yet simply the lives of these women in Mexico during the Pancho Villa Years. The family unit is both necessary AND a culminating curse-- it's hardly fair that our heroine must not live out the life she desires but the one that is handed down to her. A stupid family tradition (it is true-- mine's a bit like Tita's clan, sure, though not at all) dictates that the youngest daughter gets to take care of the matriarch and never marry nor fall in love. Tita does, of course, fall in love & her longing, desperation, & hope all are ingredients for the eleven dishes she prepares and shares with the reader. More than the story itself about shitty circumstances imprisoning a beating heart & a stunting of a passion that soon after becomes nothing else but a heavy burden... the mixture of recipe with story... the book is actually revolutionary in taking a vastly different approach about the way we look at the culinary aspect our (especially us Mexicans') lives. Whereas I got a sour flavor disgusting my palate watching such drivel as "Julie and Julia," this book (the movie does it little justice, by the way) masterfully employs a type of rare literary alchemy* by mixing elements as one would mix ingredients to give rise to something as tasty as it is nourishing.

*Speaking of alchemy, it must be mentioned that this has a similar voice and tone as that of (Madonna's fave!:) Paulo Coelho ('The Alchemist', 'Veronika Decides to Die')... but, seriously, a WAYYY more imaginative--& therefore more enjoyable--sense of storytelling.

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.

كالماء للشوكولاتة
لاورا اسكيبيل

رواية صافية كالماء، لذيذة كالشوكولاتة.

هذه المرة من المكسيك! ومع الواقعية السحرية كما يجب أن تكون! هنا الخيال الجامع والإغراق في المحلية والأحداث العجيبة والشخصيات الظريفة.

يقع بيدر في غرام تيتا، لكن هذه الأخيرة هي الابنة الصغرى في الأسرة، وبالتالي يحرم عليها الزواج حتى تعتني بوالدتها لآخر عمرها. ماذا يفعل بيدرو حيال ذلك؟ يقرر الارتباط بأختها ليبقى بالقرب منها. واقعية سحرية أليس كذلك؟

ثمة كوميديا سوداء في النص، قصص حب، مغامرات ونقد اجتماعي لا يخرج عن السياق. كذلك نبرة نسوية منصفة وغير متعالية.

أما عن وصفات الطهي فقد أضافت للنص نكهة حريفة، وهي تساهم في تغذية الخيال في الرواية واستثارة الأحداث العجيبة.

لا أود الإطالة خشية الحرق. رواية جيدة جداً لعشاق الواقعي�� السحرية والأدب اللاتيني.

(Book 195 from 1001 books) - Como Agua Para Chocolate = Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel

Like Water for Chocolate is a popular novel, published in 1989 by Mexican novelist and screenwriter Laura Esquivel.

The novel follows the story of a young girl named Tita, who longs for her lover, Pedro, but can never have him because of her mother's upholding of the family tradition: the youngest daughter cannot marry, but instead must take care of her mother until she dies.

Tita is only able to express herself when she cooks.

مثل آب برای شکلات - لورا اسکوئیل (��وشنگران) ادبیات؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز چهاردهم ماه ژوئن سال 2012 میلادی

عنوان: مثل آب برای شکلات؛ نویسنده: لورا اسکوئیل؛ مترجم مریم بیات؛ تهران، روشنگران، 1376؛ در 235ص؛ شابک ایکس - 964551276؛ چاپ سوم 1380؛ چاپ هفتم 1386؛ شابک 9789645512765؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان مکزیک به زبان اسپانیایی - سده 20م

کتاب تا به پایان آمد، داغ داغ دوباره خواندم، آشپزیم بهتر شد، اگر از احوالات داستان خواسته باشید، ملالی که ندارد هیچ، بسیار هم همچون «شیرین» ما شیرین است، انگار کنید قند عسل، و همان دوران کودکی؛ خوانش دوم که به سرانجام رسید، انگار کردم، شکلات خوشمزه ای بود، که در دهانم آهسته آب شد، بار دوم دفترچه ام را از یادداشت پر کرده بودم، برای همین بود، که سه باره خواندم؛

داستان زندگی زنان نسلهای گذشته ی «مکزیک» است، که به سبک «رئالیسم جادویی»، و با زبان خانگی، و فُرم زنانه (نوشتار زنانه) نگاشته شده‌ است؛ این رمان، عشقی زیبا را، در کنار مبارزه ی یک زن با سنتهای جامعه ی خود را، نشان می‌دهد؛ هر فصل از کتاب، با دستور آشپزی، یا داروسازی، آغاز شده، و به موضوع آن فصل می‌چسبد؛ کتاب در سال 1989میلادی نوشته شده، و در سال 1992میلادی، فیلمی نیز براساس آن در «مکزیک»، توسط «آلفونسو آروآ»، ساخته شده است؛ به سی زبان ترجمه شده، و میلیونها نسخه از آن چاپ شده‌ است؛ عنوان کتاب نیز معنایی دوگانه دارد نخست اشاره به دستور تهیه ی «شکلات داغ (هات چاکلت)»، که در «مکزیک» با آب و «کاکائو»، تهیه می‌شود (نه با شیر)؛ دوم، اصطلاحی در زبان «اسپانیایی»، استعاره ای از احساسات تند، و برانگیختگی است

نقل از متن: (مادر بزرگم نظریه ی بسیار جالبی داشت؛ می‌گفت هر یک از ما، با یک قوطی کبریت، در وجودمان متولد می‌شویم، اما خودمان قادر نیستیم کبریتها را روشن کنیم؛ همانطور که دیدی، برای اینکار محتاج اکسیژن و شمع هستیم؛ در اینمورد، به عنوان مثال، اکسیژن از نفس کسی می‌آید، که دوستش داریم؛ شمع می‌تواند هر نوع موسیقی، نوازش، کلام یا صدایی باشد، که یکی از چوب کبریتها را مشتعل می‌کند؛ برای لحظه‌ ای از فشار احساسات گیج می‌شویم، و گرمای مطبوعی وجودمان را، در بَر می‌گیرد، که با مرور زمان فروکش می‌کند، تا انفجار تازه‌ ای جایگزین آن شود؛ هر آدمی، باید به این کشف و شهود، برسد، که چه عاملی آتش درونش را، پیوسته شعله‌ ور نگه می‌دارد، و از آنجا که یکی از عوامل آتش‌زا همان سوختی است، که به وجودمان می‌رسد، انفجار تنها هنگامی ایجاد می‌شود، که سوخت موجود باشد، خلاصه ی کلام، آن آتش غذای روح است؛ اگر کسی به موقع درنیابد، که چه چیزی آتش درون را، شعله‌ ور می‌کند، قوطی کبریت وجودش، نم برمی‌دارد، و هیچ یک از چوب کبریتهایش، هیچ وقت روشن نمی‌شود.)؛ پایان

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 10/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 20/05/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

Bir rüyayı izler gibi okudum.
Sanırım her yaptığım özel yemekte bu kitabı hatırlayacağım.
Sevgili Gülüzar'a teşekkürlerimle :)

This is a classic love story, wrapped in a lovely shrug of magic realism.

The story takes place in Mexico just before the start of the Revolution. In the De la Garza ranch, tyrannical owner, Mama Elena has decided that Tita, her younger daughter will never married, remaining single to take care of her in her old age. Tita, who grows up to be a master chef, has only food and cooking to express herself.

Soon, Tita's relationship with food is such, her feelings soon seep into what she cooks invading all those who eat what she has prepared. The structure of the book mimics a popular edition from the 19th Century in Mexico called Calendario para Señoritas Mexicanas, (Calendar for Mexican Ladies), a sort of manual for good behavior inspired by European models, including recipes, dressing and fashion ideas, and instructions on how to behave, all with the purpose to create a profile of the desirable woman. As in the Calendario, along the book Tita shares her recipes with us (all extremely delicious if not easy to follow).

Things seem to move along nicely until Tita falls in love. The object of her affection, Pedro, asks for her hand, and—as expected—Mama Elena says no. Instead she offers her oldest daughter to him, which—cowardly—he accepts, hence staying close to Tita but unable to be with her.

Eventually, Tita must choose between marrying a loving, devoted doctor or saving herself for Pedro, her first true love. The ending is both surprising and somehow satisfactory, never as much though, as Tita’s cooking.

If you like magic realism, or are searching for a good love story, give Esquivel's first novel a chance. You may find that there's more in what we eat and like than you ever imagined.

این از اون کتابهایی بود که نمیخوندی، میچشیدی! همونطور که نویسنده هدفش بوده.
وقتی میشه کتاب رو در قالب نامه یا دفترچه خاطرات نوشت، چرا اونو بصورت یه کتاب آشپزی ننویسیم؟
تیتا آخرین دختر از سه خواهره. توی آغوش گرم خدمتکار و آشپز خانواده، ناچا، توی آشپزخونه بین دیگ و بخار و ادویه ها رشد کرده. طبق رسومات خانواده‌های سنتی مکزیکی، آخرین دختر خانواده هیچ وقت شوهر نمیکنه و تا لحظه‌ی مرگ از والدینش مراقبت میکنه. تیتا هم قربانی همین رسم بوده و مادرش اجازه نمیده که تیتا و عشقش پدرو به هم برسند.
این حرف چیز جدیدی نیست، توی خانواده‌های ایرانی هم زیاد شنیدیم که به خواستگار پیشنهاد میکنن که دختر بزرگتر رو بگیره

What an easily forgettable novel. The language was exceedingly childish, and the style of the novel massacred the subtlety with which magic realism is to be employed. This was my first taste of the famed Latin American style of writing, and I was sorely disappointed.

(Class discussions surrounding this book also bothered me - not only were we forced to read bad literature, we were forced to analyse it for meaningful content.)

The characters were not at all developed successfully; no motivations existed behind some of their actions. The magic realism was not artfully or subtly employed to provide significant insight into the events of the novel. As odd as this may sound, not one of the characters in that book was likeable. One character - and not the main one - had the potential to be developed into a very interesting and powerful figure, but her story was reduced to a side-thread that the author seemingly gave up on.

The plot was childish in nature, with strange sexual undertones that were jarring. Picture if you will, the story of Cinderella - but this time with sex involved. You see? The mind is jarred by the image. In that same vein, the novel attempts to reconcile a highly immature plot line with fairly adult themes.

My first experience with Latin American novels was thus a failure. I suppose I have to thank school for introducing me to better Latin American novels as time went by - this was their way of saying "ok - you've read the wrost one now, it can ONLY get better from here!"

What a wonderful, magical story. The tale of women in turn-of-the-century Mexico and how they live their lives. Tita is the main character and what a strong woman she is. This story is told in 12 month chapters though time progresses much faster. Each chapter is started with a recipe. Yes, the kitchen and food is central to this story. You get the details of the recipe and how to make and it's weaved so perfectly into this story.

In a nutshell, Tita is the youngest of three girls. They live on their ranch with their mother, Mama Elena. Let's just say Joan Crawford, ala Mommie Dearest, has *nothing* on Mama Elena. Tita is in love with Pedro, a local boy, but custom dictates that the youngest child, Tita, is not allowed to marry and must care for her mother until the day she dies. Care for really means be a slave to her and her abusive ways. Mama Elena is so cruel that she has Tita's sister marry Pedro and makes Tita cook the meal for their wedding. Tita can infuse her emotions into the food that she is cooking. As she cries and pours her tears of sorrow into the cake for her sister's wedding, something happens. Everyone at the wedding becomes sorrowful and is sick. Naturally she is accused of destroying the wedding. There are other tales of Tita's emotions being put into the food she makes. I especially loved the story of passion in the food that her older sister ate and the passion just exploded in her.

Oh there is so much magical realism in this one and I just loved it. I'm a big fan of magical realism and food. So put the two together and it's a wonderful tale. I have been wanting to read this one for so long. I picked up a copy on a library sale and started it earlier this year, but after the first paragraph I knew I had to save it. It started 'Take care to chop the onion fine' and I knew I wanted to save it for my vacation where I could just immerse myself in this story without interruptions. Though that didn't go as actually planned, as too many distractions.

I could not help but keep comparing this work to Isabel Allende's work. Both have that magical realism element to it, a sweeping family saga, such heartbreak, and just a beautiful story. I'm so glad I finally read this one as now I can actually watch the movie version.

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