Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Direct, Sensitive
Esquiviel knows how to talk the talk, and she does it in two distinct manners:
In some ways, she's straight to the point and direct. For example, those cooking instructions explicitly tell us how to prepare each dish at the beginning of every chapter:
Place five egg yolks, four whole eggs, and the sugar in a large bowl. Beat until the mixture thickens and then add two more whole eggs. (2,75)
But wait, there's more. A softer, more confessional tone comes out after the first instructions are given:
Tita was so sensitive to onions, any time they were being chopped, they say she would just cry and cry. (1,2)
We feel like we're in a kitchen, gossiping with a friend, or listening to a grandmother tell a tale from back in the day. Whether the story is true or not ("they say") doesn't matter too much. We're just happy to be invited along for the tale of love, family drama, and bandits.