Like Water For Chocolate (Audiobook)
(Backdated post)I actually have never 'read' many audiobooks (this is my second one), but after the exposure of experiencing audiobooks, I am hooked. Narrators - I think - play an important role in fleshing out the characters, as well as the pacing of the story and tone of the book.
The story basically tells about Tita, the youngest daughter in a very influential family, who is not allowed to marry because she has to take care of her mother until she dies (a family tradition, apparently). This would be hard for her, as she already has a suitor by the name of Pedro. He does everything he can to be near her, albeit through some weird, unnecessary and outlandish ways. Along the way too, Tita finds herself being in a position where she finds her experiences becoming miraculous (or, to put it bluntly, magical) up till the end.
The whole story itself seems such an outlandish thing once you have read it (like, how weird it is for people to start throwing up simultaneously and create this whole 'river' of it at a wedding? Read it, and you'll get what I mean), but aside from the many magical events, the story - I think - is rather cool, interlaced with some Mexican traditions (which I hope are real!!) and lip-smacking delicious recipes. The pace of the book comes off rather slow at first, but towards the middle,you'll find yourself immersed into the whole love story of Tita and Pedro. By the end, you might find the ending a little anti-climatic, but it is in line with the whole fantasy-meets-real-world theme that I think the author is trying to achieve.
I like the fact that there are recipes interwoven in between parts of the story. Makes it very tempting, because from the way the recipes are prepared (I don't know, maybe I have an overactive imagination!), I always find myself imagining how it would look like, and how tasty it would be once it is prepared....makes my mouth water sometimes, especially the Christmas Bread.
All in all, I quite enjoy this audiobook. Although rather weird and illogical at times, the book has some rather cool and sexy twists in it. The voice of Yareli Arizmendi is great, with her Mexican accent just right to set the tone of the book and fleshing out the characters in the book. I especially liked the way she potrayed Mama Elena (who in my mind is this huge, quite old-ish woman with a constant frown in her face) to perfection. She certainly made Mama Elena come to life like that woman in my mind..Go and get the audiobook if you can, or if you want to settle for the cheaper alternative, read the book!
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