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Book Review of Like Water for Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate, Bk 1)

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Mexican novelist Laura Esquivel's Like water for chocolate is a light, quick read. Tita, the youngest daughter, is bound by tradition to stay single and take care of her mother in her old age. When Pedro falls in love with her and asks for her hand in marriage, Tita's mother suggests that an older sister is available instead. To be near his true love, Pedro marries the sister. Tita, a wonderful cook, prepares meals that with effects tinged with magical realism as the love triangle progresses. Subtitled as "a novel in monthly installments, with recipes, romances, and home remedies," the story arc is pretty easy to follow, although some of the characters are not. This was a whimsical debut novel on the list of 1001 books you must read before you die.