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Rating: 
Summary: not nearly as good as her other books
Review: I enjoyed the opening chapters with the Mayan calendar theme and the period details, but then things fall apart as Esquivel either recycles older material or whips off the remainder of the book in 10 minutes time. It's a quick read so it's not like you'll spend more than an hour reading it and the plot was interesting and touching, but it just doesn't hold together. In short, it's not very magical or interesting past the opening chapters. Her father sounds like an amazing man -- there are some great scenes, but a bunch of great scenes don't make a great novel unless they are more seamlessly intergrated. I couldn't get over the feeling that this was an old composition dressed up quickly for publication. Fans should read it anyway for the plot, but don't expect anything on a par with Like Water for Chocolate. This translation felt stilted in places.
Rating: 
Summary: A romantic story
Review: I picked this book up because I thoroughly enjoyed Like Water for Chocolate (and the movie) ~~ and while it doesn't compete with her famous novel, this book is a very sweet story. A man has a gift to make everyone around him happy ~~ he is able to discern their discontent and find a way to make them feel better. Only one person who he cannot make happy and that is his wife. Lucha is a Mexican girl who has never known want or hunger. Jubilio tries everything in his power to make her happy and succeeded for many years till a tragedy drove them apart. The story is told from their daughter's point of view ~~ how a man driven to please his woman loses his woman after all ~~ and the secret yearnings of all of our hearts. This is an exquistely-written novel on the heart and love between a man and a woman. And this is also a reflection on a daughter's love for her father ~~ this is a must-read for every daddy's girl. Sometimes you don't realize how blessed you are till something happens. And sometimes it is too late. This is a poignant story and a reminder that life is ever-fleeting. Even though it's not written in the same calibar as Like Water for Chocolate, it is still a lovely tome to add to your library or reading list. Sometimes one needs a small novel to remind us of the important things in life. 10-31-03
Rating:
Summary: An Entertaining Read
Review: The author of "Like Water For Chocolate" has provided readers with another entertaining story, this one a tribute to her father. By no means is "Swift as Desire" as magical as her first novel, but I found it to be a quick and pleasurable novel to read. The plot is compelling and the reader quickly becomes invested in the outcome of the characters. Comparisions to "Like Water for Chocolate" will occur, as Ms. Esquivel writes within the same genre of literature as her first book. Yet, there is a magical quality about "Swift as Desire": the author is able to effectively tell the story of her father and his life as a telegraph operator. The parallels and dualisms that operate on many different levels due to his occupation as an interpreter will keep the reader's interest.
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