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69 pages 2 hours read

Like Water for Chocolate

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1989

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Book Brief

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Laura Esquivel

Like Water for Chocolate

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1989
Book Details
Pages

256

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Mexico • 1910s

Publication Year

1989

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

1030L

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Super Short Summary

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is about Tita De la Garza's quest to regain her lost love while fighting cultural and familial forces set on traditional femininity in a northern Mexican village during the Mexican Revolution. Enhanced by magical realism, each of the novel's twelve chapters features a family recipe that relates to the plot or themes of the story.

Romantic

Emotional

Bittersweet

Fantastical

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

4.3

377,876 ratings

71%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate blends magical realism with Mexican culture, creating an enchanting tale of love and tradition. Critics praise its vivid imagery and emotional depth, but some note a perceived lack of character development. Overall, the novel is celebrated for its innovative structure and evocative, culinary-linked storytelling.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Like Water for Chocolate?

Readers who enjoy Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel typically appreciate magical realism, historical romance, and rich cultural settings. Fans of Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits or Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude will likely find this novel captivating.

4.3

377,876 ratings

71%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

8%

Not a fan

Character List

Tita De La Garza

The youngest of three sisters, Tita is deeply connected to food and cooking, which play a significant role throughout her life as she navigates family traditions and personal desires.

The elderly cook of the De la Garza family serves as a surrogate mother and mentor to Tita, sharing her culinary wisdom and providing comfort throughout Tita's life.

The strict and authoritative matriarch of the De la Garza family, whose strong will and traditional values create conflict and challenge for her youngest daughter, Tita.

Tita's first love, whose marriage to her sister Rosaura presents an obstacle for Tita's personal happiness while maintaining a complex romantic tension throughout the story.

Tita's adventurous and independent middle sister, whose life decisions defy traditional constraints and embody a spirit of freedom and resilience.

Book Details
Pages

256

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Mexico • 1910s

Publication Year

1989

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

1030L

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