In the following brief review of Esquivel's second novel The Law of Love, reviewer Barbara Mujica gives a disfavorable overview of the novel's convoluted story and writes that while Esquivel's ability to use gimmicks in her prose were successful in her first novel Like Water for Chocolate, her use of multi-media gimmicks in The Law of Love ultimately can not save the novel.

Laura Esquivel is a master of gimmickry. In Como agua para chocolate [Like Water for Chocolate] her device was the recipe. By beginning each chapter with instructions for the preparation of a delicious Mexican dish, she artfully constructed the metaphor at the center of her novel: Love is food. Love nourishes the ravenous spirit just as food nourishes the body; at the same time, love satisfies physical hunger just as a good meal enjoyed in delightful company can achieve a spiritual dimension. Since love...