Review: Like Water for Chocolate

Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies

Source: bought from a used bookstore

I love books that are about a different culture or heritage.  I had heard good things about this book, but never got the chance to read it.  I picked it up at a used bookstore and read it in one sitting.  It is short, but there is still a great deal of character development, especially the main character.  I really liked how the story was told in monthly installments.  Each month had a recipe preceding it, and recipe was made throughout the chapter.  I thought it was a really unique way to incorporate food into the story and told how important the meals were to this family.  The main story line was really sad.  Two people fall in love, but when the man goes to ask for the woman's hand in marriage, her mom says no because it is her duty to take care of her mother until she dies.  The mother offers her other daughter, and the man agrees, thinking he could get closer to the woman he really loves.  Of course, it does not work out like he thinks.  This book is a short, light read, but big on impact.  I really liked it and would highly recommend it to anybody.