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Asian Authors and Stories

New Genre in Europe

  • Europe has been in the limelight of modern society, it is through books can I only slowly surf over the continent. At least for now.
  • London Wild Rose

Teen Literature

Children Development

  • One midday in middle June, 2004 has begun my personal connection with the world of children. Little was known then, either about having newborn or nursing and developing her. She was too fast to catch up. So I need more information and clues to support me : experiences shared by others, books, research results, and many more sources. Every day brings me new things and even I've never been apart from her in her first year, I still get shocked by how a little child, like every child in the world, can be such a genius. There is nothing they can't do. It is actually we who introduce the word of "no, not, un, il, ir" and other form of words or prefix to represent negativity. I believe every child is special. She is special, too. It is a pleasure to know her. Hope she feels alike.
  • How to Teach Your Baby to Read

Chick Literature

Mistress of Spices

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Year: 2001

Wanna know how it would be when an old full-wrinkled ugly woman falls in love for the first time in her life ? It is not simply about age, but will she be allowed to know love in such private form ?

No. Because she is the Mistress of Spices, therefore a healer, a protector for her people who are away from their homeland. She must excavate her own desire from her heart and fulfill the empty room with the needs of those whom she serves. Tilottama, the Mistress of Spices never thought that being a mistress can be so lonely.

She finds it out when she meets someone who is different from the other. Unlike usual, she is not able to read this person’s heart. Instead, he can see what lies beyond her ugly and scary appearance. It is confusing.
……………
And before I stop thinking that his voice is like besan powder which had been baked till it is in golden color and covered with sweet, his hands has already on the edge of the can, touching mine.

What words can I choose to describe it, this touch tears me like a fire knife yet so sweet that I wish the maladies won’t ever stop ? I take my hands off obediently, qua the mistress’s rules, but the feeling stays.
…………………

Back to her “school of spices” days in the Land a milky way away from the Earth, she was found to be so special. The Prime Mother said that she is the only one whose hands capable to make the spices singing with her. But she was also the most worrying among all.

“Because I see your character, Tilo, shining yet paralyzed, diamond with cracks flowing inside, which if it was thrown up to an American chimney, it might have fallen apart.”

But Tilo insisted to choose America, specifically Oakland, without knowing it is where she would find that someone, as the beginning of her own disaster. She can’t afford to love both the spices and the man. Loving the man means she betrays the spices, betrays the services, betrays people under her protection. But not loving the man means a lie. Which one should she choose ? Her heart says she should follow where the love goes. Will she use the spices to her advantage to be a one-night Cinderella for him? Can she take it if the spices no longer respond to her singing then fight against her and harm people under her protection ?

This book is worth reading, unique, poetic, and fun. Since reading this book, Divakaruni straightly became one of my favorite Indian-blood authors. Have a good time singing with the spices !!!

Rate: 9/10

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