When Mexicans aren’t marching by the tens of thousands in Downtown Santa Ana on May Day, they’re cramming by the hundreds into Libreria Martinez Books and Art Gallery around the corner on Main Street to see famous authors from Mexico. Such was the scene last Thursday, May 11th when Laura Esquivel, acclaimed author of the masterful love story “Like Water for Chocolate,” came to town. Her first novel “Like Water for Chocolate,” has sold well over four and a half million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than thirty-three languages. In her first trip to Orange County, Esquivel visited Martinez’s bookstore to read from her newest novel, “Malinche.”

Set during the time of the conquest of the Aztec/Mexica Empire, the novel recounts the historical relationship between Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and his indigenous mistress and interpreter, Malinalli. “Malinche,” as Malinalli came to be known, has long been reviled in Mexico as a traidora for her role as Cortes’ translator. Esquivel, on the other hand, has chosen to portray Maliche as someone who is not deserving of being called a traitor as she never betrayed her beliefs nor her people.

Laura Esquivel arrived nearly half an hour after the reading was set to start but no one in the packed room seemed to mind. The cash registers were ringing non stop like the beginning melody of Pink Floyd’s Money, as event goers bought copies of “Malinche,” as well as “Like Water for Chocolate.” When Esquivel finally arrived, she was promptly given a standing ovation by the crowd of families, teachers, and elementary school students. The magical realist writer’s dark skin and silver lightning hair gave her the aura of a curandera. For the evening’s readings, she was accompanied by a special guest, actress Yareli Arizmendi. Arizmendi starred in “A Day Without a Mexican,” and also played the role of Rosaura in the film adaptation of “Like Water For Chocolate.” “Like Water for Chocolate,” was one of the most successful foreign films ever released in the United States.

The event was a bilingual affair as Laura Esquivel began by reading a gripping passage from “Malinche,” in Spanish. The crowd was virtually spellbound and hung on every word as she passionately read from a scene in the novel where Malinche ultimately forgives the mother who gave her up as a young child. For the non-Spanish speakers, Arizmendi read another compelling and seperate passage in English from the book where Malinche finally confronts Hernan Cortes. A question and answer session followed. Yareli Arizmendi served as Laura Esquivel’s translator as she interpreted her answers into English. In a mixture of Esquivel’s broken English and fluid native Spanish, she explained her motivations for writing the book , noting that we are currently living in an epoch of empire, extreme capitalism and spiritual disconnectedness.

When asked about how the feminist reinterpretation in “Malinche,” is being received in machista Mexico, Esquivel told the crowd that it was already in its second printing despite having only been out for a few months. On the subject of Malinche as traitor, Esquivel replied that such a concept has harmed not only Mexico’s women, but men as well. Citing Octavio Paz’s examination of Mexicans as “hijos de la chingada,” in his book “The Labyrinth of Solitude,” Esquivel said that she felt that as long as Mexicans identified themselves in such a manner, they would continue to be vulnerable to having their human rights and dignity violated. However, noting the recent movement for immigrant rights in the United States, Esquivel felt that the Mexican community is finally beginning to emerge from the trappings of the “hijos de la chingada,” concept.

Laura Esquivel saved her best for last. Her most profound answer of the night was also her shortest. A woman in the crowd asked Esquivel later on in the evening if she had any words of wisdom for all the young women in the audience. With all the authority of the sensual novel, “Like Water for Chocolate,” behind her, Esquivel simply said in English, “Believe in love.”

After the question and answer session concluded, all those who spent the time before Esquivel’s arrival buying her books lined up for signings and pictures with the author. All the chairs were removed to make space for those eager to greet Laura Esquivel. The line stretched towards the exit door. If there are those who thought that Mexicans were too docile to become politically active or that a barber turned literacy advocate was loco for thinking success lied in opening a bookstore in a heavily Latino populated city, Santa Ana has proved the naysayers wrong on both fronts. If anything, events like Esquivel’s reading and book signing only prove that Santa Ana’s thirst for culture exceeds capacity time and time again.