FURQUITS BOOKSWAP ROUND 2 - Caykon's Book - LWFC by LE

[Wheelybug]

Discuss !

I'd describe Like Water for Chocolate as an adult fairytale of food and passion.

Magical realism isn't generally a genre that appeals to me but I thought this was a well-written and readable example, even if I did want to kick some sense into the star-crossed lovers for most of the novel.

Oh, and all the recipes made me hungry!

I didn't realise this kind of work had its own name!

Read the book in one sitting and enjoyed it as a story. There were lots of elements I enjoyed, the alchemy of food, the actual recipes, the magical aspects. Reminded me in lots of ways of 'Chocolat' by Joanne Harris, feeding people and food as the power of nourishment for souls as well as mouths.

The characters I felt were caricatures or stereotypes rather than real people - wicked mother, warrior sister, nurturing Tita, ill-fated and somewhat weak Rosaura.

The combination of the monthly intalments, the inter-weaving of the food and the recipes with the plot were effective.

This was nostalgia for me, I read it years ago and remembered the feelings of the story but not the actual events. I think this time, the feelings it evokes were again more powerful but I also enjoyed the food elements more. Entrancing I think would be the word I'd choose.

Sorry I haven't commented before, life was getting in the way of reading.

It reminded me of Chocolate too, in a "food for the soul" way. I enjoed the way the supernatural aspects were described and accepted as reality but some of the charecters were a bit one dimensional. Still easy to read, entertaining and different.

When I looked at this book initially, I wasn't optomistic at all. It didn't appeal, and I would not have picked it up under any other circumstances.

I read the first chapter and was still not sure, but once I started on the next one, I was hooked. I read it all in one sitting, and really enjoyed it.
I have never read a book like it before but would again.

The food element was the least interesting for me. It was very alien food to me and I couldn't visualise much of it, and was happy to skip over some of the more extended foody sections

I found this a very easy read - have read it over a couple of evenings. I didn't love it - it didnt make me want to pick it up but when I did it was easy to read IYSWIM.

It definitely reminded me of something else Ive read - maybe Chocolat alhtough its been a very long time since I read that. It felt similar in tone to some other South/Central American authors Ive read.

Something very different which is always good - the recipes did float over me a bit though and I woudl agree that the characters were a bit 1 dimensional - I didnt warm to any of them particularly.

Thanks Caykon !

When I first saw this book I was not that optimistic especially as I have a couple of good books on my kindle at the moment so wanted to read them instead....

But I am sooooo glad I gave it a go

I really enjoyed it and got hooked pretty quickly and finished it in a day

Agree with the others that the characters are not particularly complex, but still a fab read