what I liked about the book was the honesty of the main character (things that could have been overly romanticized were more realistic), her journey/lessons about self- esteem and multiplicity of identities, and the matter of fact way that she talked about issues of depression and suicide. But by the end I was not connecting with the messages the author was trying to convey. Also there were a few significant issues that came up throughout the course of Canela's journey that merited deeper exploration than her almost total lack of reflection gave them - for instance, her view of Muslim women. I respect and admire Josefina López' work and I was looking forward to reading this novel. So it is with a heavy heart that I write the following review. I cannot believe how disappointed and angry I am at this book. As I started reading the story my first disappointment was in the writing but I decided to look beyond it and give it a chance.Josefina López writes about strong Latina women who don't always have the opportunities other women have, but she still represents them as strong and self liberating women. I am just baffled as to how she could have written a book that was so stereotypical of the "hot/sexy" Latina stereotype. I am beyond baffled, I am offended.Here is an example. López writes "Pot turns me into a horny Chihuahua." REALLY! I have to wonder did she write this while she was on pot herself? How could an activist writer have written such a line! I could only hope that in hindsight she sees how embarrassing this is, to all Latinas, but especially to her. I am so so disappointed that she wrote a book like this. As an educated and professional Latina this is a personal offense and I am disgusted that she wrote a book that portrays us so stereotypically!The main plot is about a woman (Canela is her name) who is a professional journalist and activist and decides to use her honeymoon tickets to go to Paris in efforts to escape her mother and the man she was to marry. Once she is there she decides to extend her stay and enrolls in the best cooking school in Paris. She does not take a job, yet she enrolls in a cooking school, where she tells us that tuition is equivalent to a "one year tuition at Harvard." In addition to that she has money to pay rent in Paris and also enough money for her various adventures. It is implied that Canela's professional success has afforded her the opportunity to stay, so she's pulling from savings her professional excellence has earned. Canela is obviously intelligent and successful yet somehow she substitutes these qualities for others when she's in Paris. It is not clear how the conflicts in the opening part of the book would produce such drastic changes. In Paris she becomes a pouty self-centered brat perhaps at best age 16. In Paris she seems to lose all her sexual inhibitions though we are not sure what her life/love style was in LA. I will not recount the sexual scenes she describes here because they are not worth mentioning. They were not central to the story. They are just another illustration of the poor plot development, which in some regards makes you feel sorry for the writer.Additionally, the story is peppered with political points that make no sense. Whether or not I agree with them is immaterial. These points are out of context and make no sense. I realize these points make sense to López because her essays make political points, and others, including myself have appreciated those points. However, here they are rolled into a sleazy and very badly written novel.As a professional Latina I look for books written by Latinas. I buy their books regardless of whether I think they are good writers. I buy their books because I want to help support their careers. My disappointment in this book is so great that it has made me question whether I should continue to do this. I am not going to give up on Latina writers, but if López were to write another novel I am not sure I would buy it. Please, López, go back to writing screenplays that portray strong, sensitive and intelligent Latinas. P.S. The name of the main character is Canela, which means cinnamon and the other two prominent women in the novel are named Sage and Basil - at a cooking school in Paris! Give me a break! López, you are much more creative than this!
What do You think about Hungry Woman In Paris (2009)?
Just couldn't get into it! Tried but it just wasn't going to happen for me.
—Kaye
