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    The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan: A Novel
    Ebook268 pages8 hours

    The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan: A Novel

    By Marisol

    2/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    According to a Latin American proverb, a complete woman must be a lady in the living room, a chef in the kitchen, and a courtesan in the bedroom. Pilar is none of the above. When Pilar inherits her grandmother's diaries, she discovers what is missing in her life, as well as the secret life her grandmother managed to keep hidden for decades. The black silk-bound diaries reveal the secret beauty rituals of South American women, rules of social etiquette, and delicious recipes to seduce men, which teach Pilar to be the perfect wife, lover, and woman.

    Offsetting this sumptuous world of a woman's Venezuelan life in the '40s is Pilar's story -- a culturally confused woman living in Chicago with thoughts and dreams that need inspiration. As she reads through the diaries, she slowly begins to discover the importance of tradition and how to incorporate it into her life as an independent, professional woman. And perhaps finally, she will find the courage to allow herself to love the man she isn't supposed to, but desperately does.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 13, 2009
    ISBN9780061873188
    Unavailable
    The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan: A Novel

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    Reviews for The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan

    2/5

    2 ratings2 reviews

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    • 2/5
      This novel tells the story of a young Venezuelan woman who is unsure whether she should choose love over tradition. After her grandmother dies, she is bequeathed a set of journals which explain how her grandmother missed her own chance for romantic joy. Interspersed with the tales of fleeting romantic bliss are recipes and rules of conduct for well-behaved ladies.

      I liked the novel because it reminded me so much of Venezuela – the food, the parties, the places. Even though the book was written in English, its cadences often seem Venezuelan. However, without the stimulus of this ongoing nostalgia, I would’ve found the book much less interesting. The writing can be a bit florid and overwrought at times.
    • 2/5
      Comparisons to "Like Water for Chocolate" and Joanne Harris's "Chocolat" have been made, but this novel doesn't stand up to the same scrutiny or reading pleasure. Marisol's writing is a bit stilted and stuffy, even for a piece that alternates between "eras" - and presumably the "translation" of the grandmother's letters. Still the story premise isn't bad - but the main living character, the young woman Pilar, isn't really well developed. Thankfully the bulk of the story is presented through the grandmother's letters. A light enough read, but it's no piece of chocolat(e).