Publication
Imprint: New York : Anchor Books, 1997. Responsibility: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. OCLC Number: 754768787. Physical: Text : 1 volume : 338 pages ; 22 cm.
Call number
Fiction / Divak
ISBN
038548237X / 9780385482370
Original publication date
1997
Collections
CSS Library Notes
Description: A magic realism tale on Tilo, a woman from India who is given immortality by the gods as long as she remains chaste. In her old age Tilo ends up in California, running a spice shop and helping immigrants. One day enters Raven, a handsome American, and Tilo transforms herself into a beautiful woman for a night of love. Now she must pay the price. -- from back cover
FY2017 /
FY2017 /
Physical description
338 p.; 22 cm
Awards
Women's Prize for Fiction (Longlist — 1997)
IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award (Winner — 1998)
Description
A magic realism tale on Tilo, a woman from India who is given immortality by the gods as long as she remains chaste. In her old age Tilo ends up in California, running a spice shop and helping immigrants. One day enters Raven, a handsome American, and Tilo transforms herself into a beautiful woman for a night of love. Now she must pay the price.
Language
Original language
English
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User reviews
LibraryThing member tracyfox
I wanted to love this book. I read a review of it somewhere and carried it around on a list of fiction in paperback for a few years and finally requested it off Paperbackswap. The writing itself is very lush and the organizing theme, different spices to addresses different complexities of the human
With such an imaginative setup, the actual stories of Tilo's customers and their troubles were rather dull. Even Tilo's longing for love and her attraction to a mysterious American who seems to see her inner beauty through the veil of age seemed a bit flat. The last few chapters definitely picked up the pace and caught my attention again and the ending was more in tune with the wonderful setup used to start the story. If you're a fast reader and like lush, descriptive writing you will probably enjoy this book. If you're looking for a strong tie in with Indian spice lore, you may be a bit disappointed.
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condition, appealed to me. I'm not a big fantasy fan but I love magical realism--this book sits somewhere between the two. The book tells the story of a poor Indian village girl born with the second sight and a special bond with serpents. Her powers bring her fame and she is captured by pirates. After tiring of life as a pirate queen, she is taken by the sea but saved by her beloved serpents. The serpents tell her of an island where women train to become Mistresses of the Spices. She completes the rigorous training, learning the special powers of cardamom, turmeric, ginger and more, and is magically transported to a spice shop in Oakland, California. There she lives as Tilo, a wizened crone, listening carefully to her customers and giving them the right mix of spices to mend family rifts, strengthen resolve and cope with despair. With such an imaginative setup, the actual stories of Tilo's customers and their troubles were rather dull. Even Tilo's longing for love and her attraction to a mysterious American who seems to see her inner beauty through the veil of age seemed a bit flat. The last few chapters definitely picked up the pace and caught my attention again and the ending was more in tune with the wonderful setup used to start the story. If you're a fast reader and like lush, descriptive writing you will probably enjoy this book. If you're looking for a strong tie in with Indian spice lore, you may be a bit disappointed.
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LibraryThing member zibilee
Tilo is a mistress of spices. Trained on a beautiful island by the Great Mother, Tilo is reincarnated into an old woman who must remain in her storefront spice shop, doling out blessings and assistance through the use of her spices to those who enter her shop. Her customers are Asian Indians like
I've previously read numerous books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and all of them have been amazingly interesting and full of life. I particularly loved The Palace of Illusions. This book, I discovered, was her first, and I think although it definitely had some of the hallmarks that I've come to recognize in her writing, it was by far the roughest of her books I've read to date. I found that although the premise of the story was an interesting one, the way it was written and the sometimes scattered effect of the plot was not really to my liking.
First off, I felt the sections that dealt with Tilo's time on the island got a bit of a short shrift. As a reader, I only got to know the backstory of the island in small asides that were sprinkled throughout the first sections of the book. What I did read about it was also organized a bit poorly and it was somewhat jumpy and underdeveloped. I learned that Tilo was at first a great healer and magic woman in her village, but then was captured by pirates (!) after summoning them with a calling spell. Later sections became even stranger and I had a hard time getting invested in the backstory. I think there is a fine line to be walked when writing magical realism. Too much and things become unbelievable and corny, and that's the problem I had here. When it's done right, magical realism gently brushes the story with a glittering mysticism, turning it into a world that you can almost believe exists in tandem with your own. This book didn't do that very successfully, which was something of a disappointment.
I also felt that Tilo, as a character, was very immature in her attitudes and behaviors. Though she had lofty ambitions to help those around her, in reality, a lot of what she did was selfish and self-centered. Sometimes she would go out of her way to help someone in need not because of how it would help them, but because she had feelings of shame and guilt about the power she wasn't exerting on their lives. Never did Tilo seem as selfish as when the mysterious man made his entrance. At first she can only be blamed for putting off her responsibilities, but soon she began to do things that were out of character for her, such as seeking the superficial beauty she thought the man wanted. These behaviors went against all she had been taught, and there was hardly a time that she wasn't flaunting her disobedience, despite what it was costing her. I began to feel very unsympathetic for Tilo and all she was doing, and felt more disengaged from her as the book continued. I'm sad to say that Tilo's changes towards the end of the book didn't please me, and in fact, made me rather angry.
One thing I did like was the focus it drew on the Indian immigrant experience. Most of the characters who came to Tilo looking for help were at the mercy of the ideals of the America that they had relocated to. They were underpaid, overlooked and unappreciated. They dealt with these disappointments in various ways, seeking the money, acceptance and influence that sadly eluded them. I thought there was a lot of power and truth in these sections of the story, and really got an idea of how hard it could be for someone to leave the only home they've ever known to strike out for a place where they thought power, wealth and happiness resided. Not all of Tilo's customers' stories had happy endings; some were decidedly ambiguous, which I also liked because I felt it reflected the reality of the situation of the immigrant experience. In the end, there are a lot of frustrations and no easy answers for these people, and like in real life, they must forge ahead regardless.
The writing in this book was scatter-shot at best. Very little punctuation was used, and there was what I felt to be a sort of messiness of ideas trying to compete with each other in the narrative. Since there were no quotation marks, it was often hard to tell when someone was talking or just thinking to themselves. I found that this bothered me a lot more than it usually does, and instead of feeling experimental, it felt more like laziness and artificiality. I begab to lose patience early on and was glad it wasn't a long read, because while I did want to find out what happened to Tilo, I was annoyed by the style in which the book was written. One could argue that the book was written in a style that complimented its character, but I don't believe that was done successfully at all, and the way I felt about the writing style overshadowed a lot of the better aspects of the book.
Though I will continue to read Banerjee's books, I must say this one was a disappointment of a sort, though you could just chalk it up to the perils of a first time author trying to find her footing. I think if I were to recommend anything by this author, it would definitely be The Palace of Illusions, a book I gave a top notch rating. This is a book that really only needs to be read by completists, and while there were some shining moments in the story, overall it wasn't a favorite of mine. Hopefully this review doesn't turn other readers against Banerjee's work, because I feel she has a light and melodious way with most of her stories and is a wonderful author of Indian fiction.
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herself who have found life in America isn't what they hoped it would be. There is the woman who is trapped in a brutal arranged marriage, the man who puts himself into great danger in order to move up the in the ranks of the working class, and the young boy who is beginning to find acceptance from the various street gangs who crowd the city. As Tilo works her magic for the unfortunate people that visit her, she comes to love them and get involved in the small details of their lives. One day, a handsome and curious man enters her shop and Tilo finds herself entranced by his apparent interest in her. But Tilo's life is a stringent one, and due to the promises she made to the Great Mother, she's not free to become enmeshed with him. She is not even free to leave the store that she calls home. Tilo becomes more and more enamored with the strange man, and when he begins to reveal the secrets of his life to her, she decides upon a dangerous path. She begins leaving the store in order to further help some of her customers as she falls headlong into desire with the man who she believes can change her destiny, embarking on a journey that may end up costing her livelihood and possibly her life. In this work of magical realism and myth, Divakaruni tells the story of a woman who must decide which is more important, the secrets she has given her life to protect, or the longing and desires of her secret heart.I've previously read numerous books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and all of them have been amazingly interesting and full of life. I particularly loved The Palace of Illusions. This book, I discovered, was her first, and I think although it definitely had some of the hallmarks that I've come to recognize in her writing, it was by far the roughest of her books I've read to date. I found that although the premise of the story was an interesting one, the way it was written and the sometimes scattered effect of the plot was not really to my liking.
First off, I felt the sections that dealt with Tilo's time on the island got a bit of a short shrift. As a reader, I only got to know the backstory of the island in small asides that were sprinkled throughout the first sections of the book. What I did read about it was also organized a bit poorly and it was somewhat jumpy and underdeveloped. I learned that Tilo was at first a great healer and magic woman in her village, but then was captured by pirates (!) after summoning them with a calling spell. Later sections became even stranger and I had a hard time getting invested in the backstory. I think there is a fine line to be walked when writing magical realism. Too much and things become unbelievable and corny, and that's the problem I had here. When it's done right, magical realism gently brushes the story with a glittering mysticism, turning it into a world that you can almost believe exists in tandem with your own. This book didn't do that very successfully, which was something of a disappointment.
I also felt that Tilo, as a character, was very immature in her attitudes and behaviors. Though she had lofty ambitions to help those around her, in reality, a lot of what she did was selfish and self-centered. Sometimes she would go out of her way to help someone in need not because of how it would help them, but because she had feelings of shame and guilt about the power she wasn't exerting on their lives. Never did Tilo seem as selfish as when the mysterious man made his entrance. At first she can only be blamed for putting off her responsibilities, but soon she began to do things that were out of character for her, such as seeking the superficial beauty she thought the man wanted. These behaviors went against all she had been taught, and there was hardly a time that she wasn't flaunting her disobedience, despite what it was costing her. I began to feel very unsympathetic for Tilo and all she was doing, and felt more disengaged from her as the book continued. I'm sad to say that Tilo's changes towards the end of the book didn't please me, and in fact, made me rather angry.
One thing I did like was the focus it drew on the Indian immigrant experience. Most of the characters who came to Tilo looking for help were at the mercy of the ideals of the America that they had relocated to. They were underpaid, overlooked and unappreciated. They dealt with these disappointments in various ways, seeking the money, acceptance and influence that sadly eluded them. I thought there was a lot of power and truth in these sections of the story, and really got an idea of how hard it could be for someone to leave the only home they've ever known to strike out for a place where they thought power, wealth and happiness resided. Not all of Tilo's customers' stories had happy endings; some were decidedly ambiguous, which I also liked because I felt it reflected the reality of the situation of the immigrant experience. In the end, there are a lot of frustrations and no easy answers for these people, and like in real life, they must forge ahead regardless.
The writing in this book was scatter-shot at best. Very little punctuation was used, and there was what I felt to be a sort of messiness of ideas trying to compete with each other in the narrative. Since there were no quotation marks, it was often hard to tell when someone was talking or just thinking to themselves. I found that this bothered me a lot more than it usually does, and instead of feeling experimental, it felt more like laziness and artificiality. I begab to lose patience early on and was glad it wasn't a long read, because while I did want to find out what happened to Tilo, I was annoyed by the style in which the book was written. One could argue that the book was written in a style that complimented its character, but I don't believe that was done successfully at all, and the way I felt about the writing style overshadowed a lot of the better aspects of the book.
Though I will continue to read Banerjee's books, I must say this one was a disappointment of a sort, though you could just chalk it up to the perils of a first time author trying to find her footing. I think if I were to recommend anything by this author, it would definitely be The Palace of Illusions, a book I gave a top notch rating. This is a book that really only needs to be read by completists, and while there were some shining moments in the story, overall it wasn't a favorite of mine. Hopefully this review doesn't turn other readers against Banerjee's work, because I feel she has a light and melodious way with most of her stories and is a wonderful author of Indian fiction.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
Chick-lit fantasy told in chapters organized by different Indian spices. Tilo is a young woman (presently occupying an old body) who was trained on a magical island to communicate with spices and administer them according to need, which she can divine. Having been supernaturally deposited in a
Through Tilo's interaction with the characters, we get a sense of the tribulations of Indians living in America . One day a man enters the shop who seems to see through to Tilo's soul. He is an American Indian named Raven who has a bit of magic in him himself. Tilo falls in love with him, another forbidden activity. In the end, analogous to the cultural struggles of her customers, she must choose between her life as Mistress of Spices, and the pull of America.
(JAF)
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spice shop in Oakland, California, she is not allowed to leave the premises, but we meet the patrons who come in and we learn about their hopes and sorrows: Haroun, a friendly taxi driver who gets hurt in a race crime; Geeta, who falls in love with a Chicano and alienates her family; Lalita, an abused wife; Jagjit, a boy who copes with prejudice by associating with gangs; and "the bougainvilla girls" - young, pretty, sparkling, and assimilated.Through Tilo's interaction with the characters, we get a sense of the tribulations of Indians living in America . One day a man enters the shop who seems to see through to Tilo's soul. He is an American Indian named Raven who has a bit of magic in him himself. Tilo falls in love with him, another forbidden activity. In the end, analogous to the cultural struggles of her customers, she must choose between her life as Mistress of Spices, and the pull of America.
(JAF)
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LibraryThing member npl
Once upon a time, a girl was born to a family in India. Although neither beautiful nor wealthy, she none the less became arrogant, obstinate, and merciless -- for she possessed magic. Though she wanted love, she knew only how to elicit fear. After causing the destruction of her village, she finds
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the Old One and discovers her true calling as a Mistress of Spices. Promising never to love anyone or anything above the spices, she dedicates her life and power to helping others as a sorceress of immigrant dreams from an inconspicuous and dilapidated storefront in modern-day Oakland, California. But then temptation comes in the form of an American whose loneliness matches her own. The story weaves back and forth from her present to her past, always with a hint of fragrant and enchanted spices on the air. Divakaruni has woven a modern-day fable about seeking redemption while longing for happiness and love in a world where magic is real, and spiced. Show Less
LibraryThing member CynWetzel
Book is better than the film, naturally...
I love this story. The fact that I read a borrowwed copy and it is now on my Wishlist to purchase should say a lot about how I feel about this book. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
I love this story. The fact that I read a borrowwed copy and it is now on my Wishlist to purchase should say a lot about how I feel about this book. I look forward to reading other books by this author.
LibraryThing member bexaplex
Tilo, an herbal healer/medicine woman bound to the Spices in a nun-like arrangement, dispenses Indian groceries and remedies from her shop to members of the Indian diaspora living in San Francisco.
It would take a lot of good writing to overcome the premise of this book: an Indian-American
It would take a lot of good writing to overcome the premise of this book: an Indian-American
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enchantress/American-Indian shaman love story. Add in too much fantasy (pirates? really?) and whatever good writing exists is pretty much stifled. Show Less
LibraryThing member isabelx
Hot prick of ginger, you were the last taste on my tongue when I stepped into the heart of Shampati's fire. Flametongues licked like a dream at my melting skin, flamefingers pushed down my eyelids.
And when I woke in America on a bed of ash, an age later or was it only a breath, the store already
Tilo, trained in the magic of spices on an island far away, never leaves her shop in Oakland, California, which is an oasis of Indian tastes, smells and magic in the wasteland of America. The Indian community flock to her shop, to buy cooking ingredients and assuage homesickness, but also for the help that she dispenses in the form of powerful healing spices. For some reason I had been expecting a story based in reality, so it was a surprise just how full of magic it was.
Thank you for organising the ray, Beebarf. I think it's a great choice of book for a ray, being a wonderful book by an author I hadn't heard of. I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did!
And when I woke in America on a bed of ash, an age later or was it only a breath, the store already
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hardening its protective shell around me, the spices on their shelves meticulous and waiting, you were the first taste, ginger, gritty and golden in my throat.Tilo, trained in the magic of spices on an island far away, never leaves her shop in Oakland, California, which is an oasis of Indian tastes, smells and magic in the wasteland of America. The Indian community flock to her shop, to buy cooking ingredients and assuage homesickness, but also for the help that she dispenses in the form of powerful healing spices. For some reason I had been expecting a story based in reality, so it was a surprise just how full of magic it was.
Thank you for organising the ray, Beebarf. I think it's a great choice of book for a ray, being a wonderful book by an author I hadn't heard of. I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did!
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LibraryThing member punxsygal
I've tried and I just can't get interested in this particular book. A disappointment as I have read several others by the author that I thoroughly enjoyed.
LibraryThing member Zmrzlina
After reading about half this book, I put it down because I found myself annoyed by the magical realism, which I have enjoyed in other tales. I did pick the book up and finish it, but didn't really follow the story of immigrant life as well as I might have if told from a less mystical viewpoint.
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Still, I am glad I read it and perhaps will read again when I am ready to give the magical realism another go. Show Less
LibraryThing member mimiwi
I enjoyed this book. I did not enjoy the movie. I liked the beautiful langauge and phrasing, and the perfect willingness to suspend disbelief and follow the story. I also learned about the origins and uses of many different spices, which appealed to my foodie side.
LibraryThing member MsNikki
Lovely book. Forgive my ignorance I haven't read magical realism in an East Indian novel, but it is so well suited. Divakaruni's writing is lyrical.
A joy to read, now I need to see the movie.
A joy to read, now I need to see the movie.
LibraryThing member majorbabs
A young woman with magical powers in spices must make a decision whether to fall in love or keep her powers.
LibraryThing member bookslifenmore
This one is supposed to be one of the most acclaimed books of the author Chitra Banerjee Devakaruni and we even have a movie based on this one which was a horror story.Coming to the book...despite that fact that I have loved this author’s book I was avoiding it like a plague....the reason being
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the movie made based on this book and the lukewarm response it got....but then my better sense prevailed and I finally picked it and am glad I picked it.The Spices of true power are from my birthland, land of ardent poetry, aquamarie feathers. Sunset skies brilliant as blood.They are the ones I work with.If you stand in the centre of this room and turn slowly around, you will be looking at every Indian spice that ever was - even the lost ones - gathered here upon the shelves of my store.I think I do not exaggerate when I say there is no other place in the world quite like this.This the is the mystical world of Tilo. The story is a love story which transports you to another world. An imaginary world where the lead protagonist is a wonder kid, becomes a sea pirate & The Mistress of Spices (TMS).....Its the story of Tilo.....who runs an Indian Spice store in Oakland, California. She is endowed with magical powers, the power to know whats going on in people’s mind, its the story of her efforts to heal the Indians coming to her store....the author traces Tilo’s journey from her remote village to the island of spices & then to Oakland. Being a TMS she is not allowed to leave the store, she is not allowed to see a mirror, she is not allowed human touch...in few words she is a body with soul, she is supposed to feel for others but she can not feel for herself nor dream for herself.....she was quite happy with her restricted life Till Her American enters in her life & from here starts her journey of expecting more from life...she starts breaking rules, she is reprimanded & restricted by the spices....The book is about Tilo’s dreams, her efforts to follow rules but still breaking them, her efforts to heal people. But can she lead a normal life with her American??? Can she get out of the magical powers endowned on her??? Can she beat the spices? You need to read this book to know more....The book is divided into chapters & each chapter is named on a spice. For eg Turmeric, Cinnamon, Fenugreek, Asafoetida, Fennel....It has several parallel stories (Tilo solves the problems lying therein)my favorite is the one of Geeta. In this one the author has very beautifully captured the cultural differences faced by Indians settled abroad...at one place parents give freedom to their kids but then they are also unable to give them a free hand....there is another story of a battered housewife which will surely touch your heart....And then there is the story of the American which is the highlight of the book...it is touching, its interesting, it has something magical in it & It keeps you guessing....Though the begining is slow & the end is quite unbelievable but in totality the book is splendid....As I have always said about the Author she has magical fingers...the way she weaves fiction into facts is splendid....the book is all magic of words & thoughts which makes you believe the unbelievable.....Chitra Banerjee has a penchant of jumping from one story to another & keeps you wanting more....I recommend this book to everyone because as i have said earlier also it tarnsports you to fairy world, It is about selflessness, about dilemma’s of people settled abroad.......Its about Magic, Its About Love, Its about holding on to your Dreams till they are fulfilled & then dreaming some more.....It is like a fairy tale hard to believe but easy to dream... Show Less
LibraryThing member sketches
very slow. I had heard a lot about the book and was very eager to read it, but i was a little dissapointed. overall an okay read.
LibraryThing member astrologerjenny
I liked this book a lot. It’s kind of a well-spiced blend of “Like Water for Chocolate” and “The Lady of Shalott”.
It’s a fantasy set in a gritty urban environment. It moves very far away from reality, but then it keeps coming back and grounding itself in the hope and pain of the Indian
It’s a fantasy set in a gritty urban environment. It moves very far away from reality, but then it keeps coming back and grounding itself in the hope and pain of the Indian
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immigrant’s experience in the U.S. (It’s set it Oakland.) It’s about power, commitment and sacrifice, but then it just can’t seem to help itself, and it ends up being a love story. Show Less
LibraryThing member Smits
I enjoyed this book very much. It was poetic, dreamlike and a feast of the senses. it held mystery and magic in a clash of culture, reality and fantasy. The novel had a quality of a Indian legend
LibraryThing member Esta1923
The Mistress of Spices by Chitra Divacaruni
Here is a book that might be called “A Fairy Tale For Grown-ups.” It is Chitra Divakaruni’s first novel, and the label “Magical Realism” applies.
Downtown Oakland CA is as unglamorous a location as one can find, and yet, it is the ideal setting
Divacaruni traces events, some firmly grounded, others that require readers to “willingly suspend” their view of normal, but both varieties are woven together in a skillful fashion, and readers glide through them. Her protagonist, Tilo, is an old woman, think the customers. Some are grateful for her intervention, others barely notice it.
Unlike the people come to the shop we readers know what risks she takes for them. We readers fear the result of tempting fate. . . and we, because we’ve read this book, perhaps understand the Oakland earthquake.
Here is a book that might be called “A Fairy Tale For Grown-ups.” It is Chitra Divakaruni’s first novel, and the label “Magical Realism” applies.
Downtown Oakland CA is as unglamorous a location as one can find, and yet, it is the ideal setting
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for this tale. In her spice shop Tilo sees, hears, understands a variety of customers. Readers hear the voices, smell the spices, and perhaps wonder how it is possible that one person has so much empathy and knowledge.Divacaruni traces events, some firmly grounded, others that require readers to “willingly suspend” their view of normal, but both varieties are woven together in a skillful fashion, and readers glide through them. Her protagonist, Tilo, is an old woman, think the customers. Some are grateful for her intervention, others barely notice it.
Unlike the people come to the shop we readers know what risks she takes for them. We readers fear the result of tempting fate. . . and we, because we’ve read this book, perhaps understand the Oakland earthquake.
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LibraryThing member ursula
Here's another book that has been sitting around for a long time because I just couldn't get into the beginning. Tilo is the main character - we meet her when she is already a Mistress of Spices, someone who can use spices to help people with their troubles, whether physical or emotional. Then we
You can probably see where this is going, and you'd be right. Tilo's spice shop is in Oakland, worlds away from her experiences in many ways. She finds herself in the midst of a number of crises of conscience. She sees people who need her help, but won't come to her. She meets a mysterious young man who stirs emotions in her she didn't know she had. The young man seems to see through Tilo in a way that no one else has (literally - he doesn't believe the old woman's body is her real self), and he comes with troubles and a journey of discovery of his own. All of these things force Tilo to make decisions about what she wants in life: to follow her orders or her heart, the old ways or uncharted territory, power or love. In many ways, this is a story about culture clash told by means of magical realism. It was a pretty fast read once I got past the first 50 pages or so.
Recommended for: romance readers, people who liked Like Water for Chocolate, anyone not bothered by sentence fragments, and people who can read the words "earthly paradise" without giggling or rolling their eyes.
Quote: "For as you know, when I woke in this land, the store was already around me, its hard, protective shell. The spices too surrounded me, a shell of smells and voices. And that other shell, my aged body pressing wrinkles into me. Shell within shell within shell, and inmost of all my heart beating like a bird."
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go back into her past, when she was a willful and proud young woman who always knew better than those around her. She eventually finds herself on an island, where she will receive training to become a Mistress, and then be sent out into the world in a wizened old body, to live and work in a spice store that she has been instructed never to leave. Her task is to help those who seek it, but not to go beyond that, and never to try to bend the will of the spices to her own.You can probably see where this is going, and you'd be right. Tilo's spice shop is in Oakland, worlds away from her experiences in many ways. She finds herself in the midst of a number of crises of conscience. She sees people who need her help, but won't come to her. She meets a mysterious young man who stirs emotions in her she didn't know she had. The young man seems to see through Tilo in a way that no one else has (literally - he doesn't believe the old woman's body is her real self), and he comes with troubles and a journey of discovery of his own. All of these things force Tilo to make decisions about what she wants in life: to follow her orders or her heart, the old ways or uncharted territory, power or love. In many ways, this is a story about culture clash told by means of magical realism. It was a pretty fast read once I got past the first 50 pages or so.
Recommended for: romance readers, people who liked Like Water for Chocolate, anyone not bothered by sentence fragments, and people who can read the words "earthly paradise" without giggling or rolling their eyes.
Quote: "For as you know, when I woke in this land, the store was already around me, its hard, protective shell. The spices too surrounded me, a shell of smells and voices. And that other shell, my aged body pressing wrinkles into me. Shell within shell within shell, and inmost of all my heart beating like a bird."
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LibraryThing member astrologerjenny
I liked this book a lot. It’s kind of a well-spiced blend of “Like Water for Chocolate” and “The Lady of Shalott”.
It’s a fantasy set in a gritty urban environment. It moves very far away from reality, but then it keeps coming back and grounding itself in the hope and pain of the Indian
It’s a fantasy set in a gritty urban environment. It moves very far away from reality, but then it keeps coming back and grounding itself in the hope and pain of the Indian
Show More
immigrant’s experience in the U.S. (It’s set it Oakland.) It’s about power, commitment and sacrifice, but then it just can’t seem to help itself, and it ends up being a love story. Show Less
LibraryThing member jlapac
I found that this book is worth a second read. You really have to pay attention to the beginning chapters or you get lost in the subsequent chapters. It includes lots of mysticism and spiritual overtures. The novel is about an Indian girl who goes through transformations and ends up in Oakland
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helping people by using the powers of spices. Show Less
LibraryThing member niquetteb
Tilo, a mistress of spices, tells her story as well as those around her. The story kept me interested throughout. I really enjoyed this, another tiny taste of India for me.
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
This is a modern-day fairy tale, and like all fairy tales there is a lesson (or several) to be learned. Reminiscent of "Like Water for Chocolate." Makes me wish I knew more about spice lore and Indian folklore.
I read it again in Sept 1998 and it is even better on second reading. I picked up many
I read it again in Sept 1998 and it is even better on second reading. I picked up many
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more clues. FATE at work here? DESTINY? A most intriguing book. Show Less
LibraryThing member tkcs
I really liked her book Sister of My Heart, and enjoyed (just a little less) it's sequel, The Vine of Desire. I've read some reviews that compare Mistress of Spices to Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate. I liked that very much so I'm giving Mistress a try.
LibraryThing member lschiff
I liked the premise and the cast of characters, but thought it was overwrought and the relationship with Raven (and his entire depiction) quite forced. Also, I was constantly friustrated with one of the main underlying themes that making oneself happy is a bad thing, and that arbitrary
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authoritarian rules should be followed or that we should willongly accept punishment for transgressing them. If I could give half stars, the rating would have been a 2.5. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kiri
Bookring. Interesting premise and story - definitely worth reading. Engages the senses and the mind.