Like Water for Chocolate

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of gender discrimination and emotional abuse.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Like Water for Chocolate blends magical realism with a love story set during the Mexican Revolution. How effective did you find this combination of genres? Did the magical elements enhance the story or distract from it?

2. Each chapter of the novel begins with a recipe that becomes central to that month’s events. How did this structural element affect your reading experience? Did it enhance your connection to the story and characters? Did you use any of the recipes?

3. The title Like Water for Chocolate refers to a state of intense emotion or arousal. How effectively does Esquivel explore repressed desire throughout the novel? Does her approach remind you of other works about forbidden love, such as Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Tita channels her emotions into her cooking, creating magical effects. How do you express your emotions through creative outlets? Have you ever noticed how using your emotional state enhances expression?