Laura Esquivel regresa con una novela de gran belleza y compasión. Mientras Como agua para chocolate se basó en la vida de su mad...
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reviews
Apr 20, 2010
Nina
rated it: 
Many said that the other books that Esquivel wrote weren’t that great as ‘Water for Chocolate’. I have to agree that the first was the best, but isn’t that always the case. When you adore the first the others are just … okay. I didn’t had high hopes for this one, but when I started it everything changed.
Jubilo is such a great character, he doesn’t care about money or material things. I loved that when he gives a present it’s not a expensive gift, but a gift from the heart. Isn’t that More...
Jubilo is such a great character, he doesn’t care about money or material things. I loved that when he gives a present it’s not a expensive gift, but a gift from the heart. Isn’t that More...
Jun 07, 2009
GateGypsy
rated it: 
There were some really interesting turns of phrase in this book. I really admire when a translation can be melodic, poetic, and powerful.
Many people have said that this book isn't as good as "Like Water for Chocolate," but I don't care to make a comparison. I liked this book. That's enough for me.
I think one thing about this book that threw me for a loop, though, was the part where Jùblio's grandmother, Itzel (a Mexican of Mayan descent), forms a dislike for More...
Many people have said that this book isn't as good as "Like Water for Chocolate," but I don't care to make a comparison. I liked this book. That's enough for me.
I think one thing about this book that threw me for a loop, though, was the part where Jùblio's grandmother, Itzel (a Mexican of Mayan descent), forms a dislike for More...
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Oct 09, 2011
Maria
rated it: 
Não há palavras para descrever a descoberta dos ambientes tão presentes, luminosos e palpáveis que esta autora consegue pintar e transmitir com palavras que se iluminam...
Foi um livro que me comoveu e que li de um dia para o outro sem ter que pensar senão que há realmente uma cultura comum que irmana os povos latinos de linguas portuguesa e espanhola... Uma coloração forte, um aroma perene, um mar que perpassa como aragem tingida de maresia por entre a música das palavras...
Mar More...
Foi um livro que me comoveu e que li de um dia para o outro sem ter que pensar senão que há realmente uma cultura comum que irmana os povos latinos de linguas portuguesa e espanhola... Uma coloração forte, um aroma perene, um mar que perpassa como aragem tingida de maresia por entre a música das palavras...
Mar More...
Mar 01, 2011
Isabel
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Júbilo vem ao mundo num clima de alegria e desde cedo revela um dom para harmonizar os desavindos ao entender os sinais e vibrações que cada um emite. Para dar uso a esse dom, torna-se telegrafista numa época onde o telégrafo era o único meio de comunicação existente. A felicidade de Júbilo atinge o seu expoente máximo quando conhece Lucha, os dois casam-se e dá-se a chegada dos filhos. Mas com o tempo e os acontecimentos, nomeadamente uma infeliz tragédia, a relação dos dois deteriora-se de tal
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Mar 28, 2009
Sandy
rated it:
I just need to keep reminding myself that not everything is as wonderful as Like Water For Chocolate. But this book does have that same sort of magical realism that Chocolate had, and it did have many beautiful passages. I especially loved the beginning of Chapter 4, where we learn that "Love is a verb."
This is a tragic story of love and loss that will probably please most. It's not perfect, and it's not brilliant, and it's not Chocolate, but it's easily better than av More...
This is a tragic story of love and loss that will probably please most. It's not perfect, and it's not brilliant, and it's not Chocolate, but it's easily better than av More...
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Aug 31, 2011
Shivanee
rated it: 
Sweet, sadly redemptive and pithy, it is particularly grating to read this watery account of familial reminsicences, sacrifices and love, love eternal, having happily consumed the far superior 'Like Water for Chocolate' and 'The Law of Love' from Esquivel's pen. I know it's a different book, and isn't responsible for holding itself accountable to the fine work that preceded it, but the distance between the authoress's finer work, and this, is too marked to ignore.
Aug 11, 2009
Marvin
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This love story (of course, by the author of Like Water for Chocolate & The Law of Love) with a seemingly perfect male & an incredibly (literally) self-centered female whose every interaction is explained in wordy, self-indulgent prose & annoying New Agey terms, is almost as bad as Blessings is good. I was 3/4 of the way through this short book on tape when I arrived home from Colorado, but didn't care enough about what happened to finish it.
Jan 27, 2012
Célia
rated it:
First time I read it I put it aside. The first action involved a woman giving birth to her fourth or fifth children during a card game. She'd leave the cards, deliver the baby in the room and return to the game and surprise everyone "Look what I've got here"! And I literally thought "WTF???". About two yars later I tried to read it again. I was then more familiarized with the south american surrealism and it just knocked me down. Such beauty of feelings, traditions, connectio
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Jul 27, 2011
The synopsis on the back cover was 10x more interesting than the actual book. I was hoping to read details of Jubilio's empathetic power, but the author simply stated the fact and rarely ever described how he used it. And of course his marriage is going to go in the toilet -- like they always do if you don't communicate and confide in each other! For me, this was just a book about... nothing.
Oct 09, 2011
Ape
rated it:
2006 Bookcrossing comments
It's been a couple of years since I read this one actually. And whilst it is a reasonable read, I didn't like it as much as Like Water for Chocolate, and I don't feel that it's one I'm going to want to keep forever and ever. Whereas Like Water for Chocolate was original in the way it was told through the recipes, this is just your usual kind of romantic story.
It does actually give a fair picture of the two parents and explain how they see things, More...
It's been a couple of years since I read this one actually. And whilst it is a reasonable read, I didn't like it as much as Like Water for Chocolate, and I don't feel that it's one I'm going to want to keep forever and ever. Whereas Like Water for Chocolate was original in the way it was told through the recipes, this is just your usual kind of romantic story.
It does actually give a fair picture of the two parents and explain how they see things, More...
Oct 04, 2010
Rachel
rated it:
Pretty. Some parts were slow and the entire last two vignettes should have been avoided completely. I don't think it's fair to compare everything to Like Water for Chocolate and say it falters, this was lovely.
Sep 26, 2009
Teresa
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My favorite passage: "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. . . . Millions and millions of presences of beings that have lived on Earth are in that dust. Floating there are the remains of Quetzalcoatl, Buddha, Gandhi, Christ".
Jun 25, 2010
Sandy
rated it:
By the same author as "Like Water for Chocolate". I enjoy her stories. This one is about love and family of a telegraph operator in Mexico. Passion, jealousy and the importance of the telegraph in history.
May 07, 2011
Desiree
rated it:
Una historia completa, entre mis favoritas. No podía parar de reír y en otros momentos llorar, este libro es corto, pero es muy enriquecido su contenido. Pasas de la risa al llanto en 1-2-3...
Apr 13, 2011
Susan
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Interesting story...but I was a bit bored by it half way through... I read most of it on a long flight and might not have bothered to finish it otherwise
May 14, 2008
Becca
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I am a big fan of Like Water for Chocolate so I was excited to find this. Although not nearly as great as Chocolate it was a great and quick read. (Only 4 stars because of my love for Chocolate).
The story was interesting and touching. The funny thing is I was reading this on the train and a woman stopped to ask what the story was about. I explained of course about Jubilo's ability to understand and read people's (and items') feelings, desires, and hidden meanings. She then went on t More...
The story was interesting and touching. The funny thing is I was reading this on the train and a woman stopped to ask what the story was about. I explained of course about Jubilo's ability to understand and read people's (and items') feelings, desires, and hidden meanings. She then went on t More...
Aug 07, 2011
Manecita_1972
rated it:
Me encantó ,como aprendizaje " si tienes confianza y conoces a tu pareja , nada te hará dudar, o de lo contrario..... muchas desgracias pueden ocurrir
Jun 07, 2011
Joshunda
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I blame my expectations for this one. I adored "Like Water for Chocolate" and the later, less soulful "Law of Love." But "Swift as Desire" does not compare to either in terms of a cohesive narrative or lovely characters. I struggled through it.
Apr 28, 2011
Stephanie
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Not nearly as compelling as Like Water for Chocolate, Swift as Desire lacks the magical and really focuses more on the drama of a love story and marriage.
Sep 13, 2011
Teri
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Laura Esquivel has become one of my new favorite authors. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading her next one.
Apr 12, 2010
Susan
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Simple and sweet book. Easy to read in Spanish. I love Esquivel's writing style. A simple love story set in Mexico.
Aug 03, 2011
Enrique028
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The english version is SWIFT AS DESIRE. This is a beautiful book about Love and loyalty....a la latin way!
Jan 21, 2009
Kathy
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Good, but probably forgettable.
I loved the idea of a translator who translates real meaning rather than words, but was uninspired by the actual plot.
I loved the idea of a translator who translates real meaning rather than words, but was uninspired by the actual plot.
Sep 02, 2009
Carolina
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This book saw me weeping on a plane. Very honest and impossible to put down
Nov 30, 2011
Monkeyface
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I enjoyed this book by Laura Esquivel called swift as Desire. This was a good story about a man who was into numbers, able to read the mian calendar and people. Love story and good read. I give it a 5.
