We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
Base Camp (3)
Reading through the ingredients, recipes, and romances that mix together in Like Water for Chocolate doesn't require too much heavy-lifting. In large part this is due to minimalistic dialogue and straight to the point summaries. Not to say that the book is easy; it's filled with complex themes and references to Mexico's violent history. And some of those recipes like "Chiles in Walnut Sauce" (12, 798)? Yeah, we'll leave those to the professionals…