Eat, Drink and Be Married: 09/06/08

Today's reviews share a common theme: the close bond of a grand-daughter to her grandmother. In Eat, Drink and Be Married by Eve Makis, the grand-daughter is Anna, a first generation Briton in a Greek immigrant family. Her parents want a lavish life for her that's grounded in Greek traditions. Her one ally is her grandmother, Yiayia Annoulla.

Anna spends her time working in her parents fish and chip shop, trying to avoid her mother's marriage plans for her and learning how to divine the future from coffee grounds. Throughout the book Anna includes her grandmother's predictions of the future, noting that Yiayia is always right. Finding out how her predictions play out is a big part of Eat Drink and Be Married.

Eve Makis describes the violence and racism that Anna and her family face. The current threats against the store and Anna's brother help bring the family together.

As the title implies, food is a central motif. Anna describes the way her family uses food to celebrate its traditions and then between chapters there are recipes for the food mentioned in the book. The recipes included are for Kateifi, Macaronia Tou Fournou, Oktapodi Krasato, Avgolemoni and Chirino Me Kolokassi.

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