Mistress of Spices
 | |
| Author | Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
Publication date | 6 February 1997 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 317 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 0-385-40769-6 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC | 36761021 |
The Mistress of Spices, (1997), set in contemporary Oakland, California, is a novel by Indian American writer and University of Houston Creative Writing Program professor Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.
Plot
Tilo, the titular character, is a shopkeeper and an immigrant from India who helps customers satisfy their needs and desires with the spices' mystical properties. Her life changes when she falls for an American man named Doug. Unfortunately, her blooming romance results in the spices' inflicting punishment on her and those she cares about. To save Doug from being another victim of the spices' powerful magic, she spends one last night with him where they make love. Afterwards, she dedicates her whole being to the spices, which results in the store being destroyed. Doug helps Tilo rebuild, and the two reconcile on the beach.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The film The Mistress of Spices, based on the novel, was released in 2005. It is directed by Paul Mayeda Berges, with a script by Berges and his wife, British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha. The film stars Aishwarya Rai and Dylan McDermott.
External links
- Official site
- Book review on sawnet.org
- Book review on penguinbooksindia.com
- Chitra Divakaruni at Random House
| ||||||