Swift as Desire

Her use of language is like listening to your favorite music. It's passionate, exalted,electric and emotional. You can feel the power of love in her words. Lots of use of magical realism. I got the enchantment and magic of "everyday life". It's earthy,sensual and sparkles off the page.

Having reread `Like Water for Chocolate' after approximately 10 years, I got curious as to what else Laura Esquivel had written and came up with this. WOW! This is very different to `Like Water for Chocolate', and although this story is much simpler (essentially a love story about the lives of an ordinary couple) it is just as powerful and touching - if not more so. Definitely recommended.

During our first book club meeting, we discovered that we had a lot to say about this novel. There are many wonderful themes to discuss and ponder. At different points in the novel we felt both compassion and disdain for Jubilo and Lucha. The ending is great and we had a feeling that life had come full circle for some of the characters. We're hoping for a sequel to find out about more about the lives of Jubilo's children!

No, this book is not like "Like Water for Chocolate", but then why would you expect it to be. This book was wonderful, I could not put it down. This book has it all.....a little mysticism, some humor, and love and passion. Read between the lines and you will not be disappointed. It tells about how Jubilo is born, how much his grandmother loves him, a little about the culture of Mayan and Spanish. Jubilo falls in love with Lucha, the daughter of a wealthy mexican family. Lucha loves Jubilo also. Their passion goes on for years.....from when Lucha is 13 till they marry. Lucha is feeling such passion for Jubilo that she decides to marry him so they can fullfil their desire. But married life isn't what she expected. They go through many trials and tribulations. Their passion never seems to die. Jubilo works as a telegraph operator......he changes the messages of his customers to help them communicate what they hope to. Lucha is upset that her life isn't fullfilled enough like when she was a little girl living with her parents and had everything she wanted. They have children and somewhere along the storyline......things aren't communicated and life is not as it seems. And the passion seems to die.......or does it??? The story goes back and forth from the present to the past.......telling how Jubilo's daughter is trying to help him to communicate again since he has Parkinson's and is blind. With the help of his friends and her daughter...they do this. What did I get out of this book? The fact that many times we marry young and don't realize what we are getting into. That many times we make assumptions of what the other spouse is thinking, when it isn't that way at all. That if we just accepted life as it were......would we all have the problems we do today? I read Like Water for Chocolate and this book is not like that.......but written in the same manner that Esquivel writes. She writes in a manner for you to think about what you are reading. And her characters are so funny, loving, and entertaining. I can't wait to read her next book.

One of the best book I've read! I finished it in 3 goes! (This is by a person who has a number of books abandoned after a few chapters). And no, I haven't read Chocolate.Characters are developed well until I feel I really know them. I can understand both sides of the antagonists, and feel for both. Events are unfolded nicely in between curiosities, keeping me reading further and further.It presents the power of love in keeping hearts together, tearing them apart, and patching it all up. Deep, bittersweet and memorable. Look for the morale of it, and it definitely leaves a mark in your heart.