Product Description

In Oakland, California, Tilo sells herbs and spices. No mere shopkeeper, she is The Mistress of Spices and, with her knowledge of their secret powers, she helps customers find answers to the questions of love, loss and loneliness. But when Tilo herself falls in love, she has a big choice to make. This is an upper-level story in a series of ELT readers comprising a wide range of titles - some original and some simplified - from modern and classic novels, and designed to appeal to all age groups, tastes and cultures. The books are divided into five levels: Starter Level, with about 300 basic words; Beginner Level (600 basic words); Elementary Level (1100); Intermediate Level (1600); and Upper Level (2200). Some of the titles are also available on cassette.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1937515 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

From Amazon.com
On a mythic island of women "where on our skin, the warm rain fell like pomegranate seeds" powerful spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and fenugreek whisper their secrets to young acolytes. Ordained after trial by fire, each new spice mistress is sent to a far-off land to cure the life pains of all Indian seekers, while keeping a cool distance from the mortals. Only stubborn, passionate Tilo, disguised as an old woman merchant in present-day Oakland, California, fails to heed the vengeful spices' warnings. Fragrant with spice and sensuality, this winning tale rolls off the tongue. Written in the soaring, poetic tradition of China Men and Haroun and the Sea of Stories.

From Library Journal
Divakaruni, author of the award-winning short story collection Arranged Marriage (Anchor, 1995), has crafted a fine first novel that makes a smooth transition to the audio format. Tilo, proprietress of the Spice Bazaar in Oakland, California, is not the elderly Indian woman she appears to be. Trained as a mistress of spices, she evokes the magical powers of the spices of her homeland to help her customers. These customers, mostly first- or second-generation immigrants, are struggling to adapt their Old World ideals to the unfamiliar and often unkind New World. Though trapped in an old woman's body and forbidden to leave the store, Tilo is unable to keep the required distance from her patrons' lives. Her yearning to join the world of mortals angers the spices, and Tilo must face the dire consequences of her disobedience. Divakaruni, whose conversational style translates well into audio, blends social commentary and romance into an eloquent novel of the human condition. With superb narration from Sarita Choudhury, this production is highly recommended for all fiction collections.?Beth Farrell, Portage Cty. Dist. Lib., Ohio
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
Spices flavor our food and color our experiences. Tilo, Mistress of Spices, has learned their healing powers, using them to cure the ills of her customers. Immortal Tilo, seen in her "old woman body," becomes involved in the lives of those around her and especially in that of the beautiful American Indian who wanders into her heart and dreams. Choudhury performs this sensual tale of love and caring in the soft tones of Tilo the narrator, switching to more pronounced Indian intonations and an American accent when necessary. Divakaruni's words combine with Choudhury's quiet, narrative voice to transport the listener to this mysterious place. M.B.K. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine