Novel about the unforgetable true person, "La Malinche" (Malintzin or Dona Marina, given by the Spanish conquerors), Hernando Cortes' Indian interpreter. La Malinche is often spoken of as a traitor, but also a victim of her most unusual times, the Spanish Conquista of Mexico.

Ms. Esquivel's prose approaches lyrical, but is evocative of this La Malinche's pivotal role in history.

This novel is in Spanish. Ms. Esquivel also wrote the popular "Como Aqua Para Chocolate".

Pienso que no es lo mismo leer el libro a que te lo cuenten.... Las narraciones son claras, pero pasar 5 horas sentado escuchando una historia, no es agradable.

Mejor comprense el libro!

I was very impressed with Lucia Mendez' reading of Malinche. The author, Laura Esquivel did a good job, but of course Malinche does not come close to "Like Water for Chocolate." However, Esquivel brings life into the ancient story of La Malinche. Nevertheless, Esquivel and Mendez make a great team. Mendez is a wonderful actress. Congrats to both. Yes, I recommend this audio-book because to listen to La Mendez is a treat and such great entertainment.
Marian.

Like many reviewers here, I admired and enjoyed "Like Water for Chocolate" and was intrigued by the concept of this book; therefore I was unpleasantly surprised to find myself slogging through one of the worst novels I have ever read. By the end, I was actually angry and felt ripped off by the publisher, who should never have put this thing in print!

Vague, self-contradictory, confusing, and generally inarticulate, "Malinche" reads like an early draft that needs to go through many, many revisions to be publishable. I'm afraid the translater can't be blamed for all that's wrong with this mess.

Let me start this review by saying that I really wanted to like this book. I first read "Like Water For Chocolate" about 10 years ago, and agree with many that the book is a modern-day literary masterpiece. I sought out and bought "The Law of Love" when it was published, and came away from it rather disappointed... Somehow, Esquivel's socially insightful and cohesive prose in "Like Water For Chocolate" - arguably on a par with Jane Austen or Daphne du Maurier in capturing romantic sentiment without seeming treacly - had, in "The Law of Love", devolved into an adolescent pastiche of the worst that the sci-fi and romance genres have to offer.

To me, though, a 'three strikes and you're out' rule seems like a fair approach to an author. As such, I purchased "Malinche", hoping that Esquivel could still measure up to Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, other authors whose works were firmly and powerfully grounded in the magical realism that Esquivel employed so well in "Like Water For Chocolate". But I couldn't even finish "Malinche". It was so mind-blowingly awful that I found myself getting angry. It confirmed something that I didn't want to believe - the artistry of "Like Water For Chocolate" was a complete fluke, and never again would Esquivel produce a comparable novel.

Save yourself the money, but most importantly, save yourself the heartbreaking disappointment - Esquivel really is a one-trick pony, and sadly, she should find herself a new career.