The love of Tilo for her American is on the other side. She starts breaking one rule after another to help these people and in the meanwhile to satisfy her own desires as well. Did the spices punish her for her transgression is what this book is all about. Now, to what I felt wrong about this book. First, words. The author seems to believe that the only way to convey an emotion is to put it in as many words as possible.
As a result, you start feeling bored very soon. So many words to convey even the simplest of things. Brevity is not her forte. Everything seems so artificial, run-of-the-mill and boringly regular. You could have seen such tales in your TV soap operas. Why did she fall in love with him? Not a single reason worthy of making us feel happy for them. This guy can do no wrong, he smells great, his dresses are great, he has won a lot in life and, of course, inevitably, he has a bitter past.
He even kisses her passionately once, you see! Finally, a spoiler. They ravage most of the Oakland area through earthquake and fire, kill innocent people and destroy their property, but let go of our protagonist with just a little injury to her forehead, because you know what? She accepted her punishment in her heart.
Dafuq is the word that came to my mind here. A lot of sentimental stupidity, run-of-the-mill characterization, stereotyped depiction of US-based Indians, a senseless ending all mar such an innovative story-line. Good enough only for starry-eyed teenagers that devour adult novels in a hurry, or housewives that eat TV-serials for breakfast-lunch-and-supper, or for those movie-makers who are looking for such NRI tales with raunchy love-making scenes to create a film out of.
Here's the link to my channel if you'd like to stay tuned: youtube. Jul 17, Sk rated it it was amazing Shelves: magical-realism.
I absolutely adored this book. I've read it about ten times since I first got my hand on it, and it's been a companion all through puberty and the rocky university years. What's funny, then, is that it took me so long to realise what this book is really about, and what it was that drew me to it. First up - the writing is like jewels on a page. She evokes such beautiful imagery and a wonderful magical universe just with her words; one cannot help but be swept away in its beauty.
Secondly, it's so I absolutely adored this book. Secondly, it's sort of an allegory for a woman who is trying to marry two cultures together. Or perhaps this another layer that I saw, when I was going through some similarly tough circumstances. I guess it doesn't really matter - I identified with the central conflict of this book's main character; I felt her pain, and frustration and anger from the moment I picked up the book, and I believe this is Divakaruni's real gift: the ability to create magic with words.
I have noticed that a few of her other books tend to get weighed down with the language. For example, Sister of my Heart; Vine of Desire and Arranged Marriage - all of these books are incredibly sad and downright draining to read.
The language is just as beautiful and evocative, but perhaps overdone. In Mistress of Spices she really seems to hit her stride, and the balance is spot on. Sorry this review is a bit all over the place, but TL;DR: I loved it and would recomment it to most people! Aug 21, Susan rated it liked it. I nominated this for my f2f book group because I was curious. The author lives in Houston and is a friend of a friend. I was expecting a relatively simple, domestic novel, but was pleasantly surprised to find a dazzlingly original example of magical realism.
She grows up impatient and sullen from all the attention and wills pirates to comes and take her away. That happens and she becomes the Queen of the pirates for a while until she travels to the island to meet the First Mother to whom she apprentices herself as a Mistress of Spices, taking the name Tila.
As the novel ends she takes yet another name. The novel opens with Tila, an old, dark-skinned and wrinkled woman, the mistress of spices, who runs a small Indian grocery in Oakland, CA. But she's a rebel and impatient. About the same time a handsome American turns up in her shop, eventually tells his story and a strange love affair develops.
Using the most powerful of the spices, Tila turns herself into a beauty for one day with the Raven, as the American calls himself. Unbelievably the story is concluded satisfactorily on both the mythical and the realistic levels. Oct 09, Deborah rated it it was ok. I was expecting more of this book. I picked it up randomly at the library because I am intrigued by Indian cooking and their creative use of spices.
I liked the soft, poetic language of the first pages, but it was a weak book. The skeleton that the magical language hung on was weak and porous. It seemed immediately to be derivitive - an inferior version of "Like Water for Chocolate". If you like magical realism, read that one instead. Jul 11, Margitte rated it really liked it Shelves: reviewed , fiction , women-s-fiction , mysticism , cross-cultural-experiences , romance.
I picked the book up on a secondhand book sale and was intrigued by the spices which, in retrospect, should have been the protagonists in the tale! But I always enjoyed the magic flavors of the huge Asian spice markets in South Africa, where it is exhibited in heaps and weighed on ancient scales.
The memories of going to the Indian markets on a Saturday morning buying flowers, fruit, vegetables and magical spices, combined with an everlasting curiosity about other cultures and stories, got me bo I picked the book up on a secondhand book sale and was intrigued by the spices which, in retrospect, should have been the protagonists in the tale!
The memories of going to the Indian markets on a Saturday morning buying flowers, fruit, vegetables and magical spices, combined with an everlasting curiosity about other cultures and stories, got me bowing to the will of The Mistress of Spices. The book yelled at me to buy it, so to speak, and I gracefully surrendered :- You've got to believe a little bit in magic and fairy tales for this book.
But there is enough realism embedded in the story to keep you captured. Add a cup of mysticism and a few pinches of romance, and you've got the Spice shop in Oakland California. From the outside it is just another shop from an old Indian immigrant lady selling them.
However, it is soon clear that these spices are not only the exotic, culinary delights of the Indian cuisine that we love. The lady of the shop's story begins in India a few centuries before where she is born as Nayan Tara, not the prettiest of the children, a gifted child who dominates the household since her magic powers enriches the family in their small village near the river.
She has difficult relationships with her family and wishes to remove herself from the situation. She is kidnapped by pirates who soon submit themselves to her control, calling her their Queen. She lands up on an island where she becomes an apprentice Mistress of Spices. Her name changes to Tila. She get to know the secret powers of spices and that she will only be able to use those powers if she submits to the will of the spices.
It is with this name that she transcends into the modern world and opens the grocery shop in Oakland. There were strict rules in keeping her magic powers. She knows that Light hands are the wind's creatures, flung this way and that at its whim.
Heavy hands, pulled downward by their own weight, have no spirit. They are only slabs of meat for the maggots waiting underground. It worked quite well for her and her regular customers, such as the Geetha family, Lalitha, Haroun, Jagjit, Mrs. But she has a rebellious nature and soon does the same for all her non-Indian customers as well. She listens to their life stories and mixes spices for them which enhances or change their lives completely.
She is dignified, respectful, aloof and subtely demands it in return. She also tried to control her impatient nature in some incidences. Then an attractive man, Raven, half white, half Native American - "The American" - as she calls him, enters the shop. His grandfather bestowed on him some mystical powers which his mother denied him. He soon spills his guts to her about his childhood and his mother, which is vastly different from the life she knew, a totally different culture, yet a similar kind of gifted background.
Due to his background he was able to recognize the beautiful young woman in the old lady's body. Her sense of adventure as well as her rebellious nature kick in. She cannot resist his charm which he relentlessly bestow on her and the magic of a very different kind begins The potions turn nasty, one mixture of chillies causes and earthquake when she tries to destroy it in the river. Having the gift of magic does not mean that she is happy and when she tries to control her own destiny or make her own choices the repercussions are heavy.
A refrain so many women the world over have been taught to sing. However, she has to choose between a happy, yet short life with him, or remain the Spice mistress forever It is a light read, a interesting blend of realism, magic, and a modern fairy tale. It is not a perfect tale. Thankfully it does not have the surreal, earth-shattering end where the hero runs along a national highway, jumping over cars, causing accidents, yelling as he speeds along "Tilla I love you, don't go!
No, it is not that kind of story at all! It also won't dramatically change your life either, but will leave you with a feeling of growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional. Sometimes we just have to release that innocent young girl in ourselves who never actually deserted us and have her day in our minds. The "Mistress of Spices" is a delightful blend of historical Indian mysticism, modern realism, cross-cultural interpretation of life and experiences, immigration issues and magic.
If you are open for spice adventures, told in a dignified, slow motion, the little girl in you will enjoy this book on a sunny lazy day out in the fresh open air ;- I can promise you one thing, though. You will fall in love with spices all over again!
Jan 31, Sonali Ekka rated it did not like it Shelves: popsugar. I picked up this book after a recommendation at a feminist book club, and also because i had the loved the author's work The Palace of Illusions.
But I very disappointed by this book. It's horrible! It has no message. The plot sucks. The language is verbose. It felt more like an American's guide to Indian spices. It annoys me when Indians try to present India as something exotic. In this day and age! One day, a handsome architect bachelor enters her store. In India, Tilo has the ability of foreseeing the future. When their parents are killed by bandits, she is kidnapped but escapes and is raised by the First Mother in a sort of traditional cult of spices.
She becomes the Mistress of Spices and is sent to the Spice Bazaar in San Francisco, with the mission of following three basic rules: help her clients to accomplish their desires with the spices, but never hers; never leave the store; and never be touched in the skin. When she meets the handsome American architect Doug, she feels a great attraction and desire for him, breaking the first rule and being punished by the spices.
A baby girl is born in a destitute family in India, who regard her birth as a dowry-debt. This child grows up, and her parents realize that she is special with powers to find lost things as well as forecast calamities.
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She falls in love with a young man who comes into her shop, and is eventually forced to choose between a supernatural, immortal life and the vicissitudes of an existence in modern times. It is a beautifully crafted story of dreams, desires, hopes, and expectations. You will never look at jars of cinnamon, turmeric, or fennel again without wondering if they possess powers far beyond seasoning food. The Book Report Network.
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