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| Plot Summary of The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan |
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Rayo, Sep 2003, 21.95, 239 pp.
ISBN: 0060530421
Chicago based reporter Pilar Castillo returns to Venezuela for the funeral of her beloved grandmother Gabriela' Grenales. Attending the services is a male that no one recognizes. Pilar and her mother wonder who he is and how does he know the deceased.
Pilar inherits her grandmother's diaries divided into the themes of a South American proverb. To fully use your female power over men, a woman must act the lady in the living room, the gourmet chef in the kitchen, and the courtesan in the bedroom. Grandma encourages Pilar to listen to her heart as that will take you to the passion of life, something that Gabriela failed to heed when she obeyed her father, marrying the proper man and not her beloved.
Pilar is at a crossroads. She knows she must choose between her family's local preference and her American boyfriend. Will she do what her grandma says or what her grandma did?
THE LADY, THE CHEF, AND THE COURTESAN is a solid character study that looks deep into Venezuelan society as seen by two women of differing generations. However, there is gap between the qualities of the two story lines. Whereas Gabriela's story hooks the audience with its deep look at Venezuela in the 1940s and 1950s, Pilar's tale overbearingly explains modern Venezuelan life. Still the contrast and sameness engage the reader as Marisol furbishes an intriguing glimpse at Venezuela through two strong protagonists.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- present (2000-2010)
Romance/Romance Problems
Yes
Kind of romance:
- GENERAL--no other subplots apply
Inside culture (main char)
- Hispanic/Spanish
Culture clash?
- family young v. old guard
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Ethnic/regional/gender life
Yes
Woman's story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- journalist
Age:
- 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 5 (an average amount)
The Americas (not US):
Yes
The Americas:
- South
Style
Unusual Style:
- a lot of play on words
- a lot of flashback and forwards
- a lot of stream of consciousness
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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