Hungry Woman in Paris

I enjoyed reading this novel, which in some places reads like a memoir. By that I mean, the story, in many respects, feels like real life. The author, Josefina Lopez--award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and poet--is the co-screenwriter of the much-acclaimed film Real Women Have Curves, which I recently saw on DVD, and loved again. Hungry Woman in Paris is her first novel. I found it to be heartfelt and emotionally generous. Her narrator, Canela, tells the story in a prose style that is refreshingly straightforward, clear, and unpretentious. Canela--whose mother believes she's a nutcase for having called off her engagement to a Latino surgeon--decides to use her honeymoon plane tickets and Paris hotel reservation to escape LA. One reason for the getaway, is Canela wants to avoid any more flak for what her mother would call Canela's pedejadas--foolish actions Canela has recently taken. Besides calling off the wedding, Canela has quit her job as a journalist and disrespected her aunt. Her mom thinks Canela is something of a drama queen, but it's clear she (Canela) needs to work through the grief that has consumed her since the suicide of her beloved cousin, Luna. Early on in the story Canela tells of her childhood experiences with Luna, who like Canela, enjoyed living life in extremes. "When we were little girls we played like boys and hated dolls. We were a pair of mocosas, rascals always getting into trouble. We swore that when we got older we would travel the world and never marry or have children because we would always play." (p.7) Canela, now approaching thirty, still would rather play than settle down--or settle for a man she's not really into. She's having a rough time in this transitional period, and to play may be the best way she can come up with to cope with her current emotional issues. At times Canela comes across as cheerful and bold, with a livliness of spirit that would make most view her as essential to the success of their party. At other times she's obviously quite sad, and obsessively analytical about ways to end her depression. You know, keep busy, commit suicide, things like that. But even during those sad, crucial moments, her wit and self-deprecating humor come through. It happens that a friend of hers, Rosemary, is living in Paris when Canela arrives, so they temporarily share the hotel suite then later stay in Rosemary's place. A family emergency calls Rosemary back to LA, so with Rosemary's permission, Canela remains in her apartment. Rosemary calls from LA and informs Canela that she will not be returning to Paris. She gives up the apartment to Canela and provides her with the names and phone numbers of American and French friends she's made in Paris. Canela learns her way around Paris, and as her visa expiration date approaches, she realizes she's not yet ready to go home and face her family. She has much more soul searching to do. She needs to regain her self-esteem and resolve a number of other issues reg

This book hooked me right from the cover. Juicy, tempting, decadent. We've all fantasized about escaping to Paris, and the lead character, Canela, does just that. We follow her as she makes her way through French cooking school, juggles slick-talking European Romeos, and ultimately finds her place in life. This book settled in my mind for days after I finished it, it had so many haunting nuances, like La Catrina Flaca - the eerie skeleton that follows Canela are her darkest hours. I will definitely read this book again. I also suggest visiting the web site - http://hungrywomaninparis.com/ - you will also find 18 pages of the author's next novel!!

The suicide of her cousin Luna shakes Los Angeles based Mexican-American journalist Canela to her bone marrow. She needs to escape so she leaves behind her family, her fiancé Armando and her job to find passion, something that has mysteriously vanished form her life. She goes to Paris where she enrolls in the internationally famous cooking school Le Coq Rouge and rents an apartment. Canela has a string of lovers and makes friends with other students. Though she does not quite retain the passion that died with Luna she moves on in her grief for her cousin and feels her soul healing. Upon graduating from the culinary school, Canela returns to Southern California, but her life before Luna's death is no longer enough. This is a fascinating character study of a young woman who seems to have everything only to feel she has nothing and must do something about the void in her soul made self aware by her cousin's suicide. Canela is a wonderful lead character who provides a profound first hand account that is entertaining and engaging as she uses élan and sass to hide her inner doubts. Fans will appreciate Josefina Lopez's terrific contemporary while rooting for Canela to make it. Harriet Klausner

Hungry Woman in Paris Josefina Lopez Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group 237 Park Avenue; New York, NY 10017 [...] This book is a journey for one female named Canela who goes thru a crisis, similar to a man's mid life crisis. She has a falling out with her Editor, argues with her fiancé', and tries to escape the haunting death of her cousin, Luna. Throughout the book, you get a glimpse of her illegal immigration status in the United States and how she disagreed with her mother on what she should do with her life. Canela has a very low self esteem and it affects her family life. Her mother would belittle her for making mistakes in the kitchen and Canela carried this shadow over her head for a really long time. In a sense, she runs away from it all to Paris, were she and her fiancé, Armando would have went for their honeymoon. When Canela meets up with a friend in Paris, she finds out about a cooking school, Le Coq Rouge. In the beginning, she signs up for it just to kill time, to sort out what she wants to do with her life. In the long run, she needs this experience so that she can grow to be individual, instead of doing what everybody thinks she should do. While at the school, she has explicit sexual escapades with a man from the cooking school, Henry. He introduces her to a crazy world of swingers and she quickly realizes this is not for her. In between, there are a couple of other men that she has a tryst with. In the end, she realizes this was just what she needed to make her realize that she didn't need anybody and that she could be content by being alone. As she graduates from the cooking school, this act lifts her self-esteem level and makes her have more confidence in herself. It wasn't just cooking, but being appreciated for doing a job well done. The turning point is when Henry cooks her a celebratory dish, and nobody had ever done that for her. As she returns to the United States, she realizes she had grown from the experience. I really enjoyed this book and liked the glossary of terms in the back with Spanish and French words. It came in handy. Although her sexual escapades were really explicit, this novel is more geared for a mature reader.

Josefina Lopez' first novel is an inspiration to all women at emotional crossroads. The author not only explores the heart's depths of confusion and uncertainty before a woman gets married, but she also depicts what daily life is like as she explores options and lives out dreams. Taking her own destiny into her own hands, Canela opts out of marriage (for now) and goes in search of her own spirit. In the end,... she finds it. For those with a technical hankering of curiosity, the writing is crisp, descriptive and organized. Written from a Mexican-American woman's point of view, the story reaches beyond cultural barriers, allowing it to be a favorite for any woman's library. Additionally, the political references and view points the author expresses add not only contemporary flavor to Canela's story, but also provide a sense of independence and intelligence for her Canela. There are no questions left unanswered at the end, and the reader understands exactly where Canela has been, and is free to decide who Canela will become. In its bold and direct language, the story truly offers insight to a woman's heart and soul and mind at a turning point in her life. Hungry Woman in Paris vulnerable, honest and true to women everywhere... and beautiful. A MUST for every woman's book shelf.