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The Law of Love
Mexican novelist Laura Esquivel leapt to international fame in 1993 with Like Water For Chocolate. Her new novel strives to replicate the impact of that work with multimedia innovation in style and structure. This translation by Margaret Sayers Peden comes with a CD of arias by Puccini and Mexican danzones, and 48 pages of striking color illustrations by Spanish artist Miguelano Prado. The text by Esquivel is part science fiction, part new age spiritual journey, as she chronicles the efforts of 23rd century "astroanalyst" Azucena to find her twin soul.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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About the author
Laura Esquivel
66 books2,601 followersLaura Esquivel is a Mexican novelist, screenwriter, and former politician best known for her internationally acclaimed debut novel Like Water for Chocolate (Como agua para chocolate). Blending magical realism with deep cultural roots, the novel became a bestseller in Mexico and the United States and was adapted into a successful film that received multiple international awards. Originally trained in education and theater, Esquivel began her career writing for children’s television and later moved into cinema and literature, often weaving food, family, and emotion into her stories.
Esquivel’s fiction is known for its lyrical style and its exploration of love, tradition, and identity, frequently drawing on Mexican history and folklore. Her other novels include The Law of Love, Swift as Desire, and Malinche, which reimagines the story of the controversial historical figure linked to Hernán Cortés. She has also published essays on food and culture in Between Two Fires and returned to her most beloved character in El diario de Tita.
In addition to her literary work, Esquivel served as a deputy in the Mexican Congress for the Morena Party and has been active in cultural and environmental policy. Her writing continues to inspire discussions on gender, power, and the enduring bonds of heritage.
Esquivel’s fiction is known for its lyrical style and its exploration of love, tradition, and identity, frequently drawing on Mexican history and folklore. Her other novels include The Law of Love, Swift as Desire, and Malinche, which reimagines the story of the controversial historical figure linked to Hernán Cortés. She has also published essays on food and culture in Between Two Fires and returned to her most beloved character in El diario de Tita.
In addition to her literary work, Esquivel served as a deputy in the Mexican Congress for the Morena Party and has been active in cultural and environmental policy. Her writing continues to inspire discussions on gender, power, and the enduring bonds of heritage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 325 reviews
July 20, 2012
This is now one of my top reads of all time (my sister says its the Latina in me that loves magic realism, but it goes beyond that). A masterful blend of time, space, and instruction on how to break personal and socially inherited karma. Part graphic novel, musical score, and head trip. It requires the reader surrender their imagination to a plot that is woven through a narrative that attempts to express a holistic way of viewing and communicating the past, present, and future as they exist in every moment. I'm still reeling
June 17, 2023
داستان این کتاب بر مبنای اینه که دنیا جای عادلانهایه که من کاملا باهاش مخالفم. دنیا عادلانه نیست و هر چقدر هم برای خودمون با تصورات مختلف مثل داشتن زندگیهای پیشین و پسین توجیهش کنیم، صرفا جوریه که دوست داریم باشه. اشکالی هم نداره اینجوری ببینیم و میتونه یک احتمال هم در نظر گرفته بشه اما از دید من نمیشه بر اساسش زندگی کرد چون مدام به ناعدالتی برمیخوریم و ناامید میشیم.
ایدهی کلی کتاب، تجربهی بدنهای متفاوت و تأکید بر عشق رو دوست داشتم اما نه نوع روایت رو دوست داشتم، نه شخصیتپردازی و نه خود داستان.
⛔ هشدار اسپویل: جایی که نویسنده به تجاوز اشاره کرد، من رو کاملا نسبت به ادامهش گارد کرد. این ایده که متجاوزت رو ببخش چون خودت قبلا متجاوز بودی، خیلی بیرحمانه ست. به نظرم نویسنده اونجا ریسک بالایی کرد و نگاهش رو دوست نداشتم. قصد داشتم دو بدم اما فقط به همین دلیل یک دادم.
+ کتاب رو با صدای فرانک ملکی گوش دادم که مناسب بود.
---------------------
یادگاری از کتاب:
مردم دوست دارن که تقاضای هر چیزی رو بکنن اما اصلا علاقه ندارن براش بهاش بپردازن.
...
افکار بیثبات هستند. از یک روز تا روز دیگر دنیای اعتقادات ما میتواند تغییر کند و به ما بگوید مدت زمانی را که بر سر درستی اعتقادات خود با دیگران پافشاری کردهایم، در حقیقت به هدر دادهایم. تنها چیز ثابت عشق است.
ایدهی کلی کتاب، تجربهی بدنهای متفاوت و تأکید بر عشق رو دوست داشتم اما نه نوع روایت رو دوست داشتم، نه شخصیتپردازی و نه خود داستان.
⛔ هشدار اسپویل: جایی که نویسنده به تجاوز اشاره کرد، من رو کاملا نسبت به ادامهش گارد کرد. این ایده که متجاوزت رو ببخش چون خودت قبلا متجاوز بودی، خیلی بیرحمانه ست. به نظرم نویسنده اونجا ریسک بالایی کرد و نگاهش رو دوست نداشتم. قصد داشتم دو بدم اما فقط به همین دلیل یک دادم.
+ کتاب رو با صدای فرانک ملکی گوش دادم که مناسب بود.
---------------------
یادگاری از کتاب:
مردم دوست دارن که تقاضای هر چیزی رو بکنن اما اصلا علاقه ندارن براش بهاش بپردازن.
...
افکار بیثبات هستند. از یک روز تا روز دیگر دنیای اعتقادات ما میتواند تغییر کند و به ما بگوید مدت زمانی را که بر سر درستی اعتقادات خود با دیگران پافشاری کردهایم، در حقیقت به هدر دادهایم. تنها چیز ثابت عشق است.
June 22, 2011
This book was amazing! Ms. Esquivel did an amazing job of blending science fiction, humor, Buddhism, & Catholicism into a beautiful story that quite simply is a call to mankind to come together in love. This is a book that I must own so that I can re-read it throughout my life. ;-)
Here are three of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Most people are constantly forming opinions...This creates an insurmountable barrier and we find ourselves dominated by intolerance. As soon as we meet a person, we immediately set out our opinions before him to see how he reacts; if he shares them, we accept him. If not, we try to tear down his opinions in order to impose our own, convinced that the other person is bad because he thinks differently from us. We become narrow-minded inquisitors who in the name of truth put to death anybody whose ideas do not coincide with our own." (pgs 176-177)
"No social organization will ever be able to find the one road that's good for everybody, because Azucena's everyday problems - like those of the rest of humanity - are the result of errors that were left unresolved in the past. Each case is unique...but it's not by changing the social order that one's problems are resolved. It's by changing ourselves. When that happens, society is automatically modified." (pg 204)
"Teo commented that it was precisely the smoldering resentment generated by such relationships that had given rise to revolutions throughout history. At any given moment, the outcasts, the forgotten, the mistreated banded together against the powerful. The sad part was that once the downtrodden had triumphed and replaced those in power, their only thought was revenge and they ended up being no better than the ones they'd unseated..." (pg 239)
Here are three of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Most people are constantly forming opinions...This creates an insurmountable barrier and we find ourselves dominated by intolerance. As soon as we meet a person, we immediately set out our opinions before him to see how he reacts; if he shares them, we accept him. If not, we try to tear down his opinions in order to impose our own, convinced that the other person is bad because he thinks differently from us. We become narrow-minded inquisitors who in the name of truth put to death anybody whose ideas do not coincide with our own." (pgs 176-177)
"No social organization will ever be able to find the one road that's good for everybody, because Azucena's everyday problems - like those of the rest of humanity - are the result of errors that were left unresolved in the past. Each case is unique...but it's not by changing the social order that one's problems are resolved. It's by changing ourselves. When that happens, society is automatically modified." (pg 204)
"Teo commented that it was precisely the smoldering resentment generated by such relationships that had given rise to revolutions throughout history. At any given moment, the outcasts, the forgotten, the mistreated banded together against the powerful. The sad part was that once the downtrodden had triumphed and replaced those in power, their only thought was revenge and they ended up being no better than the ones they'd unseated..." (pg 239)
June 4, 2024
Acabo de volver de correr y creo que me ayudó a que se me pasase un poco la mala sensación que me produjo este libro. Lo descubrí porque hace dos años lo recomendaron como un ejemplo de "literatura transmedia", porque incluye un CD y es parte novela gráfica, y lo leí porque lo encontré hace un año en una librería de segunda mano por 1 € (qué raro!!) y porque en vacaciones quiero leer más narrativa escrita por mujeres, porque la carrera este año han sido puros señores.
Voy a empezar por los aspectos positivos porque acabo antes. Me encantó la idea de leer la parte gráfica mientras escuchaba la ópera (por una lista de reproducción de Youtube) y los intermedios para bailar están bastante chulos. Además, las instrucciones para escuchar música clásica y música popular que se incluyen al principio del libro son muy divertidas. Y, finalmente, hay algunas frases que son interesantes. Estas son las razones por las que le doy 2 estrellas, sobre todo lo de la ópera fue increíble, ya que el personaje se ponía unos cascos para escuchar música justo en ese momento (el primero) y lo que veías eran sus recuerdos. Nunca había leído algo así y realmente me sentí dentro de la mente del personaje.
Vamos a pasar con lo malo, y ya me estoy cabreando. El libro está construido fatal. No hay por dónde cogerlo. Se contradice y se desmorona por todos lados. Los personajes tienen distintas vidas que van desde la conquista de México hasta el siglo XXIII, donde una señora que supuestamente es la reencarnación de Teresa de Calcuta domina el mundo y no sé qué movidas. Lo que yo digo es, si vas a fliparte de esta manera, coge una mitología/religión/pseudociencia solo, pero qué sentido tiene mezclar los dioses aztecas con el católico, con el karma, con los chacras, con el aura, con el príncipe de las tinieblas, con la reencarnación y con los horóscopos. Qué sentido tiene que el ángel de la guarda de la piba tenga un nombre griego y que me cuentes que si está casado y tiene problemas con su pareja, es que me la pela, de verdad.
Otro aspecto en el que se desmorona es en el tratamiento del machismo. Yo entiendo perfectamente que quieras hacer crítica social contra el machismo, pero vamos a ver, cómo van a estar estas frases en el libro "¿Cómo era posible que un par de bellas piernas siguiera trastornando a los hombres?" o "¿Cuánto tiempo más tenía que pasar para que los hombres se extasiaran contemplando la brillantez del aura de una mujer iluminada y santa?", cuando en el universo que TÚ creaste NO EXISTE LA DIFERENCIA ENTRE HOMBRES Y MUJERES. Son todo simplemente "almas". No tiene sentido, depende del cuerpo en el que reencarnes tienes un sexo asignado u otro. De hecho todos los personajes principales cambian a lo largo de la novela. Por otro lado, el tema de las violaciones. No pintan nada aquí. Son desagradables, no aportan prácticamente nada a la trama que no se pudiera aportar de otra manera y son simplemente una manera fácil de añadir expresividad. Y esto me parece caer muy bajo. Y lo mismo con la violencia doméstica. La vecina Cuquita tiene un marido que le pega palizas a ella y hasta a su abuela y se justifica porque es la penitencia que está pagando por crímenes de otras vidas!!! ¿Estamos locos? Y la Teresa reencarnada que es la mala malísima, se dice, por la cara "era una mujer divorciada", como para justificar su maldad. Que estamos ya en el 95, eh.
Otro aspecto en que se desmorona: medio libro con el rollo de que no se puede conseguir la paz porque eso es malo para el Universo y toda la movida, y acaba con "en la Tierra todo era felicidad (...) Para beneficio de todos, lo había logrado". Otro aspecto: Azucena se presenta como una mujer independiente que incluso rechaza a su ángel de la guarda y cuando pierde a su alma gemela, se dice "¿quién la iba a salvar del peligro en que se encontraba?"
La novela es autoayuda camuflada, ni más ni menos. Hay capítulos ENTEROS que son sentencias, una tras otra. Que si quieres hacer autoayuda, fenomenal, pero véndelo como lo que es. Luego están los abusos de la novela, que son una jodienda. En primer lugar, la antítesis. El libro parece escrito por Beret en 2019, es infumable y simplista que te cagas. En segundo lugar, las sentencias, que ya comenté. Y en tercer lugar, las exclamaciones. Vamos a ver, ¿por qué me tienes que indicar a mí cuando tengo que sorprenderme? Pues si el libro está bien escrito, ya me sorprenderé cuando tú quieras sin que me lo tengas que indicar gráficamente. Es que esto me recuerda a cuando Unamuno escribió un artículo, lo puso del revés y subrayó palabras aleatorias para trollear a la gente y criticar justamente esto. Encima, se utilizan las exclamaciones para recalcar lo que ya pasó, como para asegurarse de que el lector lo sepa. De verdad, el libro es algo así:
Bueno, y a qué no saben cómo se soluciona el conflicto. Es que agárrense de la silla. Por una ouija cibernética. Y se da el lujazo. Yo entiendo que sea fantasiosa en muchos aspectos, pero eso no implica que deje de ser verosímil. Porque hay muchas cosas que se notan que están escritas de determinada manera por desconocimiento. Viendo las reseñas que tiene este libro, está claro que no soy el tipo de público que lo lee. Lo único bueno de la novela son ciertos aspectos formales, porque de resto es malísimo. Y esto es lo primero que se me está viniendo a la cabeza, porque si me pongo a mirar hay más. Pido disculpas si he sido demasiado borde, pero te invito a leerlo y lo comentamos.
Voy a empezar por los aspectos positivos porque acabo antes. Me encantó la idea de leer la parte gráfica mientras escuchaba la ópera (por una lista de reproducción de Youtube) y los intermedios para bailar están bastante chulos. Además, las instrucciones para escuchar música clásica y música popular que se incluyen al principio del libro son muy divertidas. Y, finalmente, hay algunas frases que son interesantes. Estas son las razones por las que le doy 2 estrellas, sobre todo lo de la ópera fue increíble, ya que el personaje se ponía unos cascos para escuchar música justo en ese momento (el primero) y lo que veías eran sus recuerdos. Nunca había leído algo así y realmente me sentí dentro de la mente del personaje.
Vamos a pasar con lo malo, y ya me estoy cabreando. El libro está construido fatal. No hay por dónde cogerlo. Se contradice y se desmorona por todos lados. Los personajes tienen distintas vidas que van desde la conquista de México hasta el siglo XXIII, donde una señora que supuestamente es la reencarnación de Teresa de Calcuta domina el mundo y no sé qué movidas. Lo que yo digo es, si vas a fliparte de esta manera, coge una mitología/religión/pseudociencia solo, pero qué sentido tiene mezclar los dioses aztecas con el católico, con el karma, con los chacras, con el aura, con el príncipe de las tinieblas, con la reencarnación y con los horóscopos. Qué sentido tiene que el ángel de la guarda de la piba tenga un nombre griego y que me cuentes que si está casado y tiene problemas con su pareja, es que me la pela, de verdad.
Otro aspecto en el que se desmorona es en el tratamiento del machismo. Yo entiendo perfectamente que quieras hacer crítica social contra el machismo, pero vamos a ver, cómo van a estar estas frases en el libro "¿Cómo era posible que un par de bellas piernas siguiera trastornando a los hombres?" o "¿Cuánto tiempo más tenía que pasar para que los hombres se extasiaran contemplando la brillantez del aura de una mujer iluminada y santa?", cuando en el universo que TÚ creaste NO EXISTE LA DIFERENCIA ENTRE HOMBRES Y MUJERES. Son todo simplemente "almas". No tiene sentido, depende del cuerpo en el que reencarnes tienes un sexo asignado u otro. De hecho todos los personajes principales cambian a lo largo de la novela. Por otro lado, el tema de las violaciones. No pintan nada aquí. Son desagradables, no aportan prácticamente nada a la trama que no se pudiera aportar de otra manera y son simplemente una manera fácil de añadir expresividad. Y esto me parece caer muy bajo. Y lo mismo con la violencia doméstica. La vecina Cuquita tiene un marido que le pega palizas a ella y hasta a su abuela y se justifica porque es la penitencia que está pagando por crímenes de otras vidas!!! ¿Estamos locos? Y la Teresa reencarnada que es la mala malísima, se dice, por la cara "era una mujer divorciada", como para justificar su maldad. Que estamos ya en el 95, eh.
Otro aspecto en que se desmorona: medio libro con el rollo de que no se puede conseguir la paz porque eso es malo para el Universo y toda la movida, y acaba con "en la Tierra todo era felicidad (...) Para beneficio de todos, lo había logrado". Otro aspecto: Azucena se presenta como una mujer independiente que incluso rechaza a su ángel de la guarda y cuando pierde a su alma gemela, se dice "¿quién la iba a salvar del peligro en que se encontraba?"
La novela es autoayuda camuflada, ni más ni menos. Hay capítulos ENTEROS que son sentencias, una tras otra. Que si quieres hacer autoayuda, fenomenal, pero véndelo como lo que es. Luego están los abusos de la novela, que son una jodienda. En primer lugar, la antítesis. El libro parece escrito por Beret en 2019, es infumable y simplista que te cagas. En segundo lugar, las sentencias, que ya comenté. Y en tercer lugar, las exclamaciones. Vamos a ver, ¿por qué me tienes que indicar a mí cuando tengo que sorprenderme? Pues si el libro está bien escrito, ya me sorprenderé cuando tú quieras sin que me lo tengas que indicar gráficamente. Es que esto me recuerda a cuando Unamuno escribió un artículo, lo puso del revés y subrayó palabras aleatorias para trollear a la gente y criticar justamente esto. Encima, se utilizan las exclamaciones para recalcar lo que ya pasó, como para asegurarse de que el lector lo sepa. De verdad, el libro es algo así:
Azucena fue a la nave espacial y vio que el depósito estaba vacío, lo que imposibilitaba llegar a Júpiter. "¡Diantres!", exclamó Azucena, "¡esto significa que no podremos llegar a Júpiter porque no hay combustible suficiente en la nave espacial! ¡Por las barbas de Merlín, ¿y ahora cómo podremos conseguir X para salvar a mi alma gemela, que fue el violador de mi madre en otra vida, y que en otra vida fue violado por mi madre?!"De verdad, ¿por qué me tratas como si fuera tonto? No es una novela para niños, ¿por qué está escrita como si lo fuera? Es que hasta lo pone en mayúsculas a veces jajajaajajajaa (a ver, que yo las he usado en esta reseña pero porque estoy gritando mentalmente, no para que ustedes le pongan más atención a esos trozos). Porque si empiezas la novela con un relato de la conquista de México, llámame loco, pero no me va a sorprender cuando esté todo conectado con el futuro, no me lo puedes vender como si hubieras descubierto la penicilina ni esperar que me ponga a dar volteretas en mi cuarto.
Bueno, y a qué no saben cómo se soluciona el conflicto. Es que agárrense de la silla. Por una ouija cibernética. Y se da el lujazo. Yo entiendo que sea fantasiosa en muchos aspectos, pero eso no implica que deje de ser verosímil. Porque hay muchas cosas que se notan que están escritas de determinada manera por desconocimiento. Viendo las reseñas que tiene este libro, está claro que no soy el tipo de público que lo lee. Lo único bueno de la novela son ciertos aspectos formales, porque de resto es malísimo. Y esto es lo primero que se me está viniendo a la cabeza, porque si me pongo a mirar hay más. Pido disculpas si he sido demasiado borde, pero te invito a leerlo y lo comentamos.
May 23, 2018
No, no, no. Los diseños internos sólo traen imágenes de una violación en la época colonial Argentina. Si!! Inentendible.
January 9, 2021
I'm still not quite sure what to make of this novel, and I'm still swaying between 3 and 4 stars.
The story itself is part sci-fi and part magical realism, with a big chunk of karmic lore thrown in. It also features pages of quite 'graphic' graphic art, supporting stanzas of poetry and 'intermissions for dancing' in which the reader is invited to listen to a particular track from a selection of folk songs and operatic arias from the CD that accompanies the book. The CD is missing from my otherwise beautifully presented hardback edition, but fortunately there's a comprehensive list of all the musical interludes, which can easily be found on You Tube.
Set in the 23rd century, it's essentially a struggle between good and evil, represented by protagonist, Azucena and antagonist, Isabel. The story plays out across the many centuries of reincarnation that every mortal must go through in order to find their twin soul, life's ultimate goal. Much of the narrative moves along at a lively pace, with some passages making me laugh out loud. However, the chapters narrated by the Guardian Angel and the Demon, who respectively accompany Azucena and Isabel and provide much of the karmic exposition, seemed rather laboured and really slowed the pace.
Overall, it's a great concept and I thoroughly enjoyed the accompanying music, but for me this novel is not nearly so engaging as either 'Like Water for Chocolate' or 'Swift as Desire'.
The story itself is part sci-fi and part magical realism, with a big chunk of karmic lore thrown in. It also features pages of quite 'graphic' graphic art, supporting stanzas of poetry and 'intermissions for dancing' in which the reader is invited to listen to a particular track from a selection of folk songs and operatic arias from the CD that accompanies the book. The CD is missing from my otherwise beautifully presented hardback edition, but fortunately there's a comprehensive list of all the musical interludes, which can easily be found on You Tube.
Set in the 23rd century, it's essentially a struggle between good and evil, represented by protagonist, Azucena and antagonist, Isabel. The story plays out across the many centuries of reincarnation that every mortal must go through in order to find their twin soul, life's ultimate goal. Much of the narrative moves along at a lively pace, with some passages making me laugh out loud. However, the chapters narrated by the Guardian Angel and the Demon, who respectively accompany Azucena and Isabel and provide much of the karmic exposition, seemed rather laboured and really slowed the pace.
Overall, it's a great concept and I thoroughly enjoyed the accompanying music, but for me this novel is not nearly so engaging as either 'Like Water for Chocolate' or 'Swift as Desire'.
November 24, 2018
Este libro fue una experiencia para los sentidos: Música, imágenes y la narración de una latina maestra en realismo mágico. Entonces, ¿Por qué 3 estrellas y no 4 o 5? Pues, hay cosas que personalmente no me gustaron tanto, pero que se vieron compensadas por la experiencia sublime que se vive con la convergencia de Puccini, las viñetas y la imaginación de Laura Esquivel.
En serio (necesito recalcarlo) fue extrasensorial el ver viñetas y escuchar la música y que ambas cosas se sobrepusieran de manera perfecta, al punto de hacerte ver las imágenes pasar en movimiento ante tus ojos y sentir a mayor escala todo lo que se quería traspasar. Pero, digamos que a pesar de esto, la historia no me pudo convencer del todo. Era como estar leyendo a Ray Bradbury (por Crónicas Marcianas) y Douglas Adams (por la guía del autoestopista intergalactico), pero de una forma que empezó muy bien, pero que fue decayendo a lo largo de la historia.
Esta decadencia fue lo que me hizo no poder ponerle más de 3 estrellas a este libro con tanto potencial, además desde un inicio me imaginaba algo totalmente diferente, por lo cual, ya tenía una idea preconcebida que no aporto positivamente a mi opinión sobre el libro. Tampoco quiero dar a enteder que lo único bueno fue experiencia de leer un libro acompañado de música, porque también me gusto mucho el concepto de las almas gemelas y como en un futuro nos acompañan incluso nuestras vidas pasadas para lo que queramos emprender... pero, no me gusto el concepto del castigo que recibían quienes en sus vidas pasadas habían obrado mal.
No quiero desanimar a nadie, ya que sin duda es un libro que vale la pena leer, ya que tiene un gran valor imaginativo y sobre todo espiritual y sensorial, lo cual lo convierte en una obra única y preciosa, que seguramente traspasara generaciones.
En serio (necesito recalcarlo) fue extrasensorial el ver viñetas y escuchar la música y que ambas cosas se sobrepusieran de manera perfecta, al punto de hacerte ver las imágenes pasar en movimiento ante tus ojos y sentir a mayor escala todo lo que se quería traspasar. Pero, digamos que a pesar de esto, la historia no me pudo convencer del todo. Era como estar leyendo a Ray Bradbury (por Crónicas Marcianas) y Douglas Adams (por la guía del autoestopista intergalactico), pero de una forma que empezó muy bien, pero que fue decayendo a lo largo de la historia.
Esta decadencia fue lo que me hizo no poder ponerle más de 3 estrellas a este libro con tanto potencial, además desde un inicio me imaginaba algo totalmente diferente, por lo cual, ya tenía una idea preconcebida que no aporto positivamente a mi opinión sobre el libro. Tampoco quiero dar a enteder que lo único bueno fue experiencia de leer un libro acompañado de música, porque también me gusto mucho el concepto de las almas gemelas y como en un futuro nos acompañan incluso nuestras vidas pasadas para lo que queramos emprender... pero, no me gusto el concepto del castigo que recibían quienes en sus vidas pasadas habían obrado mal.
No quiero desanimar a nadie, ya que sin duda es un libro que vale la pena leer, ya que tiene un gran valor imaginativo y sobre todo espiritual y sensorial, lo cual lo convierte en una obra única y preciosa, que seguramente traspasara generaciones.
April 15, 2017
After all the hype regarding Like Water for Chocolate, and in view of my deep interest in reincarnation in fiction, I had greatly anticipated this book. It had a compelling start, in detailing the karmic events set into motion with Rodrigo and Citlala, but the switch to the futuristic setting, with all its fantastical and foreign new technologies and philosophies, was too much far, far too soon.
Problems I identified were: poor, scanty characterization; almost total lack of blocking (description of setting); and comprehensive, almost omnipresent 'telling' instead of 'showing'. We are never allowed to draw our own conclusions about the characters from their actions and words-- Esquivel informs us, either through her narration or that of a guardian or demon, exactly what we are to think of everyone. And both the preachiness and massive breadth of the metaphysical 'stuff' was intrusive and annoying, giving the impression she's telling us what to believe, as well.
The ending is, as with so many novels nowadays, rushed and insufficient, a mere wrap-up chapter telling us what happened to all the main characters after the fact, the lazy man's (woman's?) way of getting the damned thing over with. We aren't shown how any of these things occurred, though it would have been both interesting and satisfying to see how these people came to their rewards or punishments.
And worst of all is the pat and ludicrous resolution of the distance between Azucena and Rodrigo. After their initial meeting at the start of the book, they are separated, and the story basically details (with many flourishes) Azucena's travails in finding him again. But when they do find each other, he doesn't remember her any more, and only has eyes for the reincarnation of Citlala, of whom his violation in a prior life was so lovingly recounted in the first chapter.
Azucena, then, finds love with Teo, and enthusiastically copulates with him at every opportunity. This is explained away with a few convenient sentences by Esquivel, who gives Azucena's reunion with Rodrigo the same treatment in her rushed ending. "Oh, Rodrigo remembers Azucena and leaves Citlala and now only has eyes for his soul mate." Just that easy, was it?
I guess a scene of such power and emotion wasn't important enough for her to render for her readers, but I was left wondering if he felt shame for forgetting Azucena was his soul mate and taking up with Citlala, if Azucena harbored resentment for it. Of course, knowing how Esquivel prefers to tell us what to think, she'd have just informed us with a sole paragraph how it all went down, so I suppose that we're not missing anything by her leaving it out.
Also ludicrous is how easily Azucena forgives Isabel's transgressions against her and the others-- again solved with a convenient telling instead of showing. Esquivel proves how poor her grasp of human nature, and how inadequate she is at rendering it in words for her readers, if she thinks that being murdered and abandoned repeatedly by the same person over multiple lifeties can be erased with a sentence or two.
The multimedia aspect of the book feels gimmicky. The music is redundant in style and theme, and the graphic novel parts feel more like Esquivel couldn't be arsed to describe the scene herself, so got someone else to draw it. If a picture is worth a thousand words, she saved herself about 25,000 of them with the artwork. Convenient for her, but ultimately dissatisfying for us.
In general, this book felt like a wacky sci-fi concept that Esquivel wanted "out there" but didn't feel like bothering to put any effort into. Her heavy-handed treatment of both the story and philosophical issues too many 'WTF' moments, where we have to stop and think hard about what in the world is happening, gives her an overlooming presence that prevents the reader from becoming absorbed in the book; we're too aware it's written, rather than unfolding before us.
Problems I identified were: poor, scanty characterization; almost total lack of blocking (description of setting); and comprehensive, almost omnipresent 'telling' instead of 'showing'. We are never allowed to draw our own conclusions about the characters from their actions and words-- Esquivel informs us, either through her narration or that of a guardian or demon, exactly what we are to think of everyone. And both the preachiness and massive breadth of the metaphysical 'stuff' was intrusive and annoying, giving the impression she's telling us what to believe, as well.
The ending is, as with so many novels nowadays, rushed and insufficient, a mere wrap-up chapter telling us what happened to all the main characters after the fact, the lazy man's (woman's?) way of getting the damned thing over with. We aren't shown how any of these things occurred, though it would have been both interesting and satisfying to see how these people came to their rewards or punishments.
And worst of all is the pat and ludicrous resolution of the distance between Azucena and Rodrigo. After their initial meeting at the start of the book, they are separated, and the story basically details (with many flourishes) Azucena's travails in finding him again. But when they do find each other, he doesn't remember her any more, and only has eyes for the reincarnation of Citlala, of whom his violation in a prior life was so lovingly recounted in the first chapter.
Azucena, then, finds love with Teo, and enthusiastically copulates with him at every opportunity. This is explained away with a few convenient sentences by Esquivel, who gives Azucena's reunion with Rodrigo the same treatment in her rushed ending. "Oh, Rodrigo remembers Azucena and leaves Citlala and now only has eyes for his soul mate." Just that easy, was it?
I guess a scene of such power and emotion wasn't important enough for her to render for her readers, but I was left wondering if he felt shame for forgetting Azucena was his soul mate and taking up with Citlala, if Azucena harbored resentment for it. Of course, knowing how Esquivel prefers to tell us what to think, she'd have just informed us with a sole paragraph how it all went down, so I suppose that we're not missing anything by her leaving it out.
Also ludicrous is how easily Azucena forgives Isabel's transgressions against her and the others-- again solved with a convenient telling instead of showing. Esquivel proves how poor her grasp of human nature, and how inadequate she is at rendering it in words for her readers, if she thinks that being murdered and abandoned repeatedly by the same person over multiple lifeties can be erased with a sentence or two.
The multimedia aspect of the book feels gimmicky. The music is redundant in style and theme, and the graphic novel parts feel more like Esquivel couldn't be arsed to describe the scene herself, so got someone else to draw it. If a picture is worth a thousand words, she saved herself about 25,000 of them with the artwork. Convenient for her, but ultimately dissatisfying for us.
In general, this book felt like a wacky sci-fi concept that Esquivel wanted "out there" but didn't feel like bothering to put any effort into. Her heavy-handed treatment of both the story and philosophical issues too many 'WTF' moments, where we have to stop and think hard about what in the world is happening, gives her an overlooming presence that prevents the reader from becoming absorbed in the book; we're too aware it's written, rather than unfolding before us.
April 8, 2009
A beautiful cover, an included CD, and pages and pages of pastel paintings couldn't make this a book worth reading. It was truely awful. I picked it up because I am a big fan of the magical realism often found in the South American literary tradition, but Esquivel just doesn't have it!
February 11, 2022
El juicio de Isabel era una rompedera impresionante de la Ley del Amor. Anacreonte asesoraba a Azucena. Mammon a Isabel. Nergal, el jefe de la policía secreta del Infierno, a la defensa. San Miguel Arcángel a la fiscalía. Los Demonios y Querubines se encargaban por igual de los jurados. Mammon rezaba. Anacreonte maldecía. Y todos trataban de romperse la madre a como diera lugar. La batalla era sangrienta. Sólo el más fuerte iba a sobrevivirla. Pero era imposible dar un pronóstico. Desde el inicio de la lucha había quedado demostrado que los dos bandos tenían las mismas posibilidades de obtener la victoria.
¡Lo bien que me lo pasé leyendo este libro (y escuchando su música)!
April 26, 2018
Me ha encantado este libro: su ritmo e historia te atrapan con la justa medida de comedia, amor y aventura, con un toque de ciencia ficción y reflexión espiritual, haciendo que la energía del universo siga fluyendo bajo la “Ley del Amor”. La experiencia de los cómics con la música de ópera en verdad que fue una experiencia diferente y gratificante. Lo único que hizo que no obtuviera el máximo número de estrellitas fue el final tan apresurado, que en mi opinión, la historia tuvo.
January 28, 2019
Loved the ideas and concepts, but it was horribly rushed and the story just wasn't well put together. Slapdash, at best. Perhaps her publishers were pushing her? I don't know. This had the potential to be a great book, but it was rushed and oversimplified, as if a child had written it. The characters were very one dimensional with no real redeeming qualities about them, even the heroine.
October 6, 2011
I found this book several years ago in the hallway of my first apartment building in New York (the one that also frequently had chicken bones littering the halls). It had been discarded by my neighbor across the way; she had put out many books over the time I lived there, mostly of a semi-mystical, feminist bent (for example, this is also where I found a copy of Women Who Run With the Wolves). I was kind of fascinated by the neighbor, as she designed clothes and had a fabulously overstuffed living space and wrote things in the blank back matter pages of the books, like drawings of plans to redesign her apartment, and as in this book, a recipe for lemon bars.
I took one look at the cover of this book and was appalled by it, but upon reading the description was so intrigued by how insane it sounded. I have kept the book for the last 6 years, through 3 subsequent apartments and therefore, several culls of my book collection. I just finally read it, today.
It is batshit. It is not as appalling as the cover art. It was actually a really enjoyable book to read. It is about the intricate laws of a society in which people are reincarnated through 14,000 lives and must right all the wrongs and emotionally process the conflicts of the past in order to evolve to a point where they are allowed to apply for a meeting with their Soul's Twin. The hilarious parts of the ones that describe the bureaucracy of the governmental agencies that must uphold these laws; the tone of this reminds me of Douglas Adams. Amidst all of that is a lot of spouting of spiritual tenets, such as that we are all One and therefore must release all negativity in order for positivity to flow from us and therefore, be returned to us. Memories of past lives are displayed as comic panels as the characters are regressed through them to discover theirs truths and these images are recorded with a "photomental camera". Finally, there is an accompanying CD containing opera music that the text cues you to listen to at certain points. I do not have the CD, my neighbor must have kept it.
So, yeah: hot mess. But fun.
I took one look at the cover of this book and was appalled by it, but upon reading the description was so intrigued by how insane it sounded. I have kept the book for the last 6 years, through 3 subsequent apartments and therefore, several culls of my book collection. I just finally read it, today.
It is batshit. It is not as appalling as the cover art. It was actually a really enjoyable book to read. It is about the intricate laws of a society in which people are reincarnated through 14,000 lives and must right all the wrongs and emotionally process the conflicts of the past in order to evolve to a point where they are allowed to apply for a meeting with their Soul's Twin. The hilarious parts of the ones that describe the bureaucracy of the governmental agencies that must uphold these laws; the tone of this reminds me of Douglas Adams. Amidst all of that is a lot of spouting of spiritual tenets, such as that we are all One and therefore must release all negativity in order for positivity to flow from us and therefore, be returned to us. Memories of past lives are displayed as comic panels as the characters are regressed through them to discover theirs truths and these images are recorded with a "photomental camera". Finally, there is an accompanying CD containing opera music that the text cues you to listen to at certain points. I do not have the CD, my neighbor must have kept it.
So, yeah: hot mess. But fun.
January 6, 2009
This book came with a CD to listen to as you read the book, a multimedia experience that was amazing. The illustrations were interesting and added depth to the story. It was one of the most unique reading experiences in my life and I wish there were more like it! I loved the CD and still listen to it, it has some great songs by Liliana Felipe, a Mexican folk singer as well as arias from Puccini. I like most of Esquivel's writing, it can be spiritual and funny and philosophical all at the same time. This one ventured into the sci-fi territory with some reincarnation and so is not your traditional bestseller material, but that is what makes it so unique!
July 30, 2012
Mythic tale of love across the ages told from perspectives of reincarnated characters in Mexico City in 2200, 1985, and 1521. Too preachy about the karma of past transgressions and the concept of soulmates for my taste. Interesting music in a CD to be played on cue with the story and graphic art renderings of regression sequences. The sci fi on the main character's profession as an astroanalyst doing past-life regression work seems to glorify, rather than satirize, a current flaky practice. Yet, in the manner of a comic book, there is some enjoyment to be had in the playful, imaginative ride of the story.
January 24, 2018
¿Cómo te digo que es el libro que tienes que leer en algún momento de tu vida? cuanto antes mejor eh. Este libro es increíble; Laura Esquivel mezcla ciencia ficción, humor, budismo y catolicismo en una bella historia de amor. Es un llamado a la humanidad, un instructivo para romper con tu karma heredado. Tiene el perfecto balance entre novela, partitura musical y un viaje espiritual mediante una narrativa que intenta expresar una forma holística de ver y comunicar el pasado, el presente y el futuro. Definitivamente un libro para re leer toda la vida.
January 29, 2021
Me encantó. Cómo todo lo que he leído de Laura Esquivel. El tema de las reencarnaciones, mezclado con historia, mezclado con el futuro, simplemente funciona de maravilla, una lectura fantástica que te saca de lo convencional y a la vez te deja el mensaje de que lo único y lo más importante es el amor.
June 4, 2022
Está interesante, pero no me ha gustado tanto como otras de sus obras, a mi parecer no es de lo mejor, aunque está bien construido y además es futurista, esto fue sorpresivo por que no leí la sinopsis, asi que 🤷♀️.
Tenemos a Azucena nuestra protagonista que está obsesionada por llamarlo de una manera por encontrar a su alma gemela. Y cuando por fin lo consigue y pasa la mejor noche de su vida, Rodrigo desaparece sin dejar rastro, además de que se ve involucrada en el asesinato de Bush un candidato a la presidencia Mundial.
La vemos pasar por un sin fin de acontecimientos por recuperar a Rodrigo, y darse cuenta que no es la primera vez que coinciden, aunque nunca habían estado juntos.
Tambien tenemos a dos narradores particularmente especiales, un Ángel de la guarda y un Demonio.
Viajes interplanetarios, fotos auriales, y un presente dónde puedes pedir un cambio de cuerpo.
Todo por encontrar un equilibrio en sus vidas y compartir La ley del Amor.
Tenemos a Azucena nuestra protagonista que está obsesionada por llamarlo de una manera por encontrar a su alma gemela. Y cuando por fin lo consigue y pasa la mejor noche de su vida, Rodrigo desaparece sin dejar rastro, además de que se ve involucrada en el asesinato de Bush un candidato a la presidencia Mundial.
La vemos pasar por un sin fin de acontecimientos por recuperar a Rodrigo, y darse cuenta que no es la primera vez que coinciden, aunque nunca habían estado juntos.
Tambien tenemos a dos narradores particularmente especiales, un Ángel de la guarda y un Demonio.
Viajes interplanetarios, fotos auriales, y un presente dónde puedes pedir un cambio de cuerpo.
Todo por encontrar un equilibrio en sus vidas y compartir La ley del Amor.
January 24, 2023
Es de esos libros que te sacan de un bloqueo lector. La historia me enganchó desde el principio y la forma tan "mexa" de narrarla fue muy entretenida y divertida. Hay páginas en las que te pierdes un poco de quién hizo qué, pero está muy bien estructurado.
Siento que no debes leerlo de manera totalmente lógica ni tan en serio, ya que lo considero un libro de género realismo mágico, o sea, que hay cosas que no tienen mucho sentido pero encajan para seguir con la historia. Los diálogos de algunos personajes, por ejemplo, de Doña Cuquita, le dan un toque muy auténtico a la historia.
Por último, qué idea tan creativa de integrar la historia con música. Hay partes en las que son solo imágenes y debes poner las canciones que te mencionan para estar acorde a la historia. No tenía el CD pero pude encontrar la música en YouTube.
Siento que no debes leerlo de manera totalmente lógica ni tan en serio, ya que lo considero un libro de género realismo mágico, o sea, que hay cosas que no tienen mucho sentido pero encajan para seguir con la historia. Los diálogos de algunos personajes, por ejemplo, de Doña Cuquita, le dan un toque muy auténtico a la historia.
Por último, qué idea tan creativa de integrar la historia con música. Hay partes en las que son solo imágenes y debes poner las canciones que te mencionan para estar acorde a la historia. No tenía el CD pero pude encontrar la música en YouTube.
June 4, 2024
Me gustó la prosa de la autora y todas las referencias y expresiones mexicanas; también el humor que se ve, y me divertí mucho con Cuquita.
Tiene mensajes que me gustaron y otros con los que no estuve nada de acuerdo. como con una v10L4c10n, que se ve de manera gráfica no explicita (porque el libro tiene imágenes en forma de “comics”) y entiendo que era parte de una regresión y un karma por pagar y de ahí viene otras cosas importantes de la trama. Pero no sé, no sé…
En general me agradó leer a la autora y la historia me entretuvo pero… no es lo mío 🤔. Lo que sí fue lo mío es el realismo mágico, me gustó mucho conocerlo y quiero leerlo un poco más.
Recomiendo mucho este libro a personas que gustan de temas como vidas pasadas, karma, aura, energía, espiritualidad y metafísica en general.
Tiene mensajes que me gustaron y otros con los que no estuve nada de acuerdo. como con una v10L4c10n, que se ve de manera gráfica no explicita (porque el libro tiene imágenes en forma de “comics”) y entiendo que era parte de una regresión y un karma por pagar y de ahí viene otras cosas importantes de la trama. Pero no sé, no sé…
En general me agradó leer a la autora y la historia me entretuvo pero… no es lo mío 🤔. Lo que sí fue lo mío es el realismo mágico, me gustó mucho conocerlo y quiero leerlo un poco más.
Recomiendo mucho este libro a personas que gustan de temas como vidas pasadas, karma, aura, energía, espiritualidad y metafísica en general.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2024
Das Buch hat mich zuerst fasziniert, vor allem auch deswegen, weil es sehr sorgfältig gestaltet ist mit Bildern und einer CD mit Opern Arien und mexikanischer Musik. Der Inhalt aber ist ausserordentlich abstrus und je länger die Lektüre dauerte desto mehr fühlte ich mich gelangweilt und schon beinahe angewidert. Es handelt sich um eine Science Fiction Geschichte, basierend auf esoterischen Grundlagen. Was nach einem spannenden Mix tönt, entpuppt sich letztlich als ein Dreschen von Plattitüden und einfach gestrickten Botschaften, die reichlich naiv daherkommen - schade!
October 2, 2025
I was not expecting a science-fiction story from this author, but it turned out to be fun. I liked her audacity to combine many different mediums in a literary experience. I don't think it was as much of departure from "Like Water For Chocolate" as many of the other reviews seem to think. Reading this book felt a lot like reuniting with an old friend. Although the message behind the story wasn't so deep, I didn't think it had to be. But the experience of reading this book was very enjoyable.
February 27, 2021
Es el libro más loco que recuerdo haber leído, una historia divertida de reencarnaciones y con una buena teoría de cómo pagar el karma de vidas pasadas. No sé si el libro pueda ser entendido del todo en cuanto al sarcasmo, chistes, personajes, si es leído por alguien no mexicano y quizá las próximas generaciones tampoco tengan referencia de los personajes que se mencionan.
December 22, 2024
Leí este libro hace más de 20 años cuando estaba en el colegio. Recuerdo que lo sentí muy diferente a lo que había leído hasta el momento. Reencarnación, otras dimensiones...una narración intensa y personajes muy bien perfilados. Recomendadisimo
July 25, 2025
So bizarre I don't know where to start
April 2, 2017
I enjoyed Like Water for Chocolate, her international best seller (1989) and the movie too. This was her follow-up book in 1996, which was "considered the first multimedia novel in Mexico." This a novel, a comic book and a CD to challenge the senses.
It comes with a CD with Puccini opera classics (Nessun Dorma, O Mio Bambino, to name a few) alternating with songs by Eugenia León and Liliana Felipe (Liliana has a fabulous voice). I love the opera and the funky Mexican tunes are wonderful. So how does this work? Throughout the book, the main character Azucena listens to her Walkman to chill out. Sadly I had to download it to listen on my phone. Well technology has changed even for this concept book. Still it was fun.
The comic book, illustrated by the Spaniard Miguelanxo Prado, is staggered throughout the novel to illustrate the key actions of the characters. All of the comic stories are set to the operatic arias. I was a little unsettled by the very graphic content set for the music but then, it follows the key elements of opera: love, cheating, betrayal renewal and/or death. This book has all of these plus a little comedy (that is also a genre of opera).
The novel itself is very unique - a blend of romance, science fiction, souls and reincarnation set in the year 2200. Azucena loves Rodrigo but starts to discover his past and the more she delves into into, the wilder it gets. She herself is an astroanalyst - she uncovers people's past lives to help better themselves. She is a lot neurotic but the humour through keeps the book moving along.
I was hooked by the startling initial story of the Spanish Conquistador Rodrigo whose child by Isabel is murdered by the Aztec princess Citlali. Suddenly we are in the year 2200 dealing with space travel, fixing souls, reincarnation and the whole lot and I was a little miffed. What on earth is going on here? Souls and reincarnation are not typically my thing but I did keep reading. Then I had a hard time putting the book down and the story as complicated was it was, had some great moments and reflections throughout..
Does it work? Sometimes it seemed a little hokey. Sometimes I was a little confused. Sometimes a lot weirdness happens (even for a book written 20 years ago). The comic and the CD elements work although are certainly dated. Her theme of revenge and payback, as old as they are, work. It was an enjoyable entertainment. So I would give it a 3.5.
Leí en español.
It comes with a CD with Puccini opera classics (Nessun Dorma, O Mio Bambino, to name a few) alternating with songs by Eugenia León and Liliana Felipe (Liliana has a fabulous voice). I love the opera and the funky Mexican tunes are wonderful. So how does this work? Throughout the book, the main character Azucena listens to her Walkman to chill out. Sadly I had to download it to listen on my phone. Well technology has changed even for this concept book. Still it was fun.
The comic book, illustrated by the Spaniard Miguelanxo Prado, is staggered throughout the novel to illustrate the key actions of the characters. All of the comic stories are set to the operatic arias. I was a little unsettled by the very graphic content set for the music but then, it follows the key elements of opera: love, cheating, betrayal renewal and/or death. This book has all of these plus a little comedy (that is also a genre of opera).
The novel itself is very unique - a blend of romance, science fiction, souls and reincarnation set in the year 2200. Azucena loves Rodrigo but starts to discover his past and the more she delves into into, the wilder it gets. She herself is an astroanalyst - she uncovers people's past lives to help better themselves. She is a lot neurotic but the humour through keeps the book moving along.
I was hooked by the startling initial story of the Spanish Conquistador Rodrigo whose child by Isabel is murdered by the Aztec princess Citlali. Suddenly we are in the year 2200 dealing with space travel, fixing souls, reincarnation and the whole lot and I was a little miffed. What on earth is going on here? Souls and reincarnation are not typically my thing but I did keep reading. Then I had a hard time putting the book down and the story as complicated was it was, had some great moments and reflections throughout..
Does it work? Sometimes it seemed a little hokey. Sometimes I was a little confused. Sometimes a lot weirdness happens (even for a book written 20 years ago). The comic and the CD elements work although are certainly dated. Her theme of revenge and payback, as old as they are, work. It was an enjoyable entertainment. So I would give it a 3.5.
Leí en español.
November 25, 2008
I am not sure that is true, but when I bought it, they told me it was the first interactive novel. The fact is that in certain parts of the book are a series of illustrations (like a story-book) wich are complemented by a CD with opera and popular music.
The main character is Azucena and the story focuses on the search for their soul mate, with which it has been involved in their past lives since pre-Hispanic times.
I read it twice, the second time, I decided not to use the interactive parts and found out that they are very necessary ..... although it can be understood without listening to the CD, music forms a very important role in the novel and helps you get involved in the story.
It is a story with dyes of comedy, fantasy, romance and adventure.
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No estoy segura de que lo sea, pero cuando lo compré, me dijeron que era la primer novela interactiva. El hecho es que en ciertas partes del libro vienen una serie de ilustraciones como si fuera un story-book que se complementa con un CD con canciones de ópera y música popular.
El personaje principal es Azucena y la historia se enfoca en la busqueda de su alma gemela, con la cual ha estado involucrada en sus vidas pasadas desde la época prehispanica.
La he leido en dos ocasiones, la segunda decidí no utilizar las partes interactivas y comprobé que son muy necesarias..... aunque puede entenderse sin escuchar el CD, la música forma un papel muy importante en la novela y te ayuda a involucrarte en la historia.
Es un relato con tintes de comedia, fantasía, romance y aventura.
The main character is Azucena and the story focuses on the search for their soul mate, with which it has been involved in their past lives since pre-Hispanic times.
I read it twice, the second time, I decided not to use the interactive parts and found out that they are very necessary ..... although it can be understood without listening to the CD, music forms a very important role in the novel and helps you get involved in the story.
It is a story with dyes of comedy, fantasy, romance and adventure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No estoy segura de que lo sea, pero cuando lo compré, me dijeron que era la primer novela interactiva. El hecho es que en ciertas partes del libro vienen una serie de ilustraciones como si fuera un story-book que se complementa con un CD con canciones de ópera y música popular.
El personaje principal es Azucena y la historia se enfoca en la busqueda de su alma gemela, con la cual ha estado involucrada en sus vidas pasadas desde la época prehispanica.
La he leido en dos ocasiones, la segunda decidí no utilizar las partes interactivas y comprobé que son muy necesarias..... aunque puede entenderse sin escuchar el CD, la música forma un papel muy importante en la novela y te ayuda a involucrarte en la historia.
Es un relato con tintes de comedia, fantasía, romance y aventura.
January 3, 2009
I must say that this really was unlike anything else I have ever read, but more because of the multimedia opportunities: straight-forward science fiction (ha!) graphic novel, poetry, arias and even an accompanying CD. Whoa!
A romance that covers a span of 14,000 past lives and a time period from Montezuma to the 23rd century-- and does it all in a plausible, manner. I'd just re-read Like Water For Chocolate and while on one hand the two novels seem so different, there is a similar touch of romance and whimsy the two share. Magical realism vs science fiction-- you be the judge.
Anyhow, once I got into the rhythm of things and was able to keep the characters straight, I really enjoyed this.
From the Publisher
The greatly anticipated new work from the author of the international bestseller Like Water for Chocolate tells a cosmic love story, a Mexican "Midsummer Night's Dream" that stretches from the fall of Montezuma's Mexico to the 23rd century. By including the music that so perfectly accompanies the story, this audio weaves and enchanting and enveloping spell that will absorb listeners in ways no novel ever has before.
A romance that covers a span of 14,000 past lives and a time period from Montezuma to the 23rd century-- and does it all in a plausible, manner. I'd just re-read Like Water For Chocolate and while on one hand the two novels seem so different, there is a similar touch of romance and whimsy the two share. Magical realism vs science fiction-- you be the judge.
Anyhow, once I got into the rhythm of things and was able to keep the characters straight, I really enjoyed this.
From the Publisher
The greatly anticipated new work from the author of the international bestseller Like Water for Chocolate tells a cosmic love story, a Mexican "Midsummer Night's Dream" that stretches from the fall of Montezuma's Mexico to the 23rd century. By including the music that so perfectly accompanies the story, this audio weaves and enchanting and enveloping spell that will absorb listeners in ways no novel ever has before.
Read
July 23, 2013I remember when this first came out I was so excited about it. The author was getting a lot of press at the time, and this book is made up of textual story, graphic representation of story, and an audio CD that contains music, which the reader is instructed to play while reading certain parts of the book. It's an interesting idea and from what I remember I did enjoy the book, but that was nearly 20 years ago and I've never re-read the book, so it's time for it to go to a new home.
Found an old "Book Lover's Journal" that I kept for a little while in the mid-1990s that was basically an ink-and-paper GoodReads, so I'm transferring reviews I wrote in it to here. This was my opinion at a much younger stage of my life.
"Absolutely fantastic! This book comes with a CD that you listen to when prompted, and some visuals, too, so I saw and heard what the characters did. It pulled me in, I couldn't put it down. When I finished, I wanted to just sit and absorb it, and didn't want to start a new book right away. It's about past lives and the connection with our soulmates and the roles we play."
Found an old "Book Lover's Journal" that I kept for a little while in the mid-1990s that was basically an ink-and-paper GoodReads, so I'm transferring reviews I wrote in it to here. This was my opinion at a much younger stage of my life.
"Absolutely fantastic! This book comes with a CD that you listen to when prompted, and some visuals, too, so I saw and heard what the characters did. It pulled me in, I couldn't put it down. When I finished, I wanted to just sit and absorb it, and didn't want to start a new book right away. It's about past lives and the connection with our soulmates and the roles we play."
April 19, 2018
Boo. I didn't finish reading The Law of Love. I got 20 pages in and was pretty mad/uncomfortable, so I decided to just put it aside and spend my precious reading time on something else. I tried. It was touted as a Mexican Midsummer Night's Dream, but the half-page diatribe about souls filling each other like a man filling a woman, like the only way to be truly whole was heteronormative, penetrative sex, and I just didn't like it. Maybe I'm being a little too obtuse, a little too reactionary, but if that was my visceral response after 20 pages, I don't think I'd be able to make it through the rest of it. If 2017 has taught me anything, it's that I don't need to hold on and slog through something that doesn't give me joy or teach me something positive. There is too much other, meaningful work to get through to waste time on something I am not going to get anything out of.
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