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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I read the audiobook and if that's accessible to you, I highly recommend that format. I was fully engrossed in this multi-generational tale of an indigenous Chicano family in the West from the 1800s to the 1930s. I am not typically pulled towards historical fiction, but I think me loving this is a testament to someone adoring this who is not a huuuuge historical fiction reader!
This book explored so much, and mostly focused on Luz, who lives in Denver, and like most of the women in her family, has the gift of sight/clairvoyance. She works as a tea reader and seamstress, and I thought the illustration of the racism, sexism and misogyny she experienced was done mindfully. I loved the magical realism elements of this for their family. I appreciated the exploration of what it means to be family, how community helps you through hard times, and though there was so much pain and loss, I felt the story ultimately left me hopeful because of the family/community narratives.
a content warning expanded/explained: KKK presence in Denver
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
seraphimgt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Murder
Minor: Child abuse
imds's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism
bebidocrimes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
pages_with_panda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“We cannot know the depths of another’s sacrifice,”
This could be your loss. But it’s not. It’s mine, and you might think you’re lucky, but for every lucky person, unluckiness arrives. Our existence shouldn’t depend on luck. It should depend on justice, what is good, what is right.
A slow-paced, character driven story of five generations of a a Mexican/Indigenous family in Denver Colorado.
I really liked the back and forth between generations! It took a second for it to make sense and it was non-linear but I liked being able to connect the stories and characters.
I wanted to cry near the end for what happened to the family. Every generation had their own world-shattering problem and it was so personal.
I felt the ending was a bit abrupt though and I would’ve liked more details, but the last sentence was beautiful.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Abortion
krystalg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
katieimre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Blood, Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment
stephbakerbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
The characters were really strong though. Luz was a great lead and I loved learning about the history of her ancestors. I really liked Luz and her brother Diego’s relationship, but it felt like it got dropped after the beginning and didn’t get picked up again till the end. I wanted more of that.
I think maybe just the jumping around timelines, even within Luz’s own life, made the book feel disjointed, and the ending was especially confusing and abrupt. But I appreciated the characters and I do think it was well written. If you like character stories, definitely give it a try!
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse
julianh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
Minor: Miscarriage
ukponge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Alcohol