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bedee's review against another edition
5.0
This was fantastic! I have been super into historical fiction lately and I loved the setting of 1930s Denver. I have never read a book like this set in a place I am familiar with. Plus I see the author studied at the University of Wyoming which was an extra plus for me! I loved the main characters so much and could have read a whole book about any of them. It honestly was too short. That would be my only complaint!
anniestar's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This book hurt and was fantastic. You will not regret reading this amazing book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Abandonment
drebaer's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sycamore22's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is SO beautiful. The interwoven stories of love and tragedy across generations of this family are sweeping, vast, and intimate all at once. Complex, moving, heart-wrenching… the main characters endure discrimination, heartbreaks, and such pain, but their stories and love unite them and give them strength. The characters felt so real… their choices so human, their relationships imperfect but loving. Sometimes you read a book and you just ponder it with amazement for a long time afterward. This is one of those books for me!
My one thing is that the ending felt… a little unfulfilling? It felt as if there were so many subplots we never got to see to completion. But I guess realistically there aren’t any smooth beginnings/endings in life, and all of our own subplots overlap and have different timing. I suppose maybe my own feeling of wanting fulfillment from the story mirrors longings of its characters, who long for a fulfilling life.
My one thing is that the ending felt… a little unfulfilling? It felt as if there were so many subplots we never got to see to completion. But I guess realistically there aren’t any smooth beginnings/endings in life, and all of our own subplots overlap and have different timing. I suppose maybe my own feeling of wanting fulfillment from the story mirrors longings of its characters, who long for a fulfilling life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Murder
Minor: Rape
Rape is mentioned in passing but not described. There are several consensual sexual experiences depicted in moderate detail. There are KKK marches, police brutality, racism and segregation, and slurs used (these things are endured by the main characters and their family/friends). Several individuals are murdered throughout the book, including Luz’s ancestors in very heartbreaking ways (her grandfather shot over a dispute by a mining company encroaching on their land, and her grandmother arrested and later shot as she tried to escape with Luz’s mother and aunt, who did manage to escape). The most graphic thing is Luz’s brother Diego getting severely beaten by a group of white men near the beginning of the book. He survives.khaleesimod93's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Oh man! I really liked this book. Luz and all the other characters are written perfectly!! There was a lot of struggle and loss, but so much love and heart! Luz is a character I really connected with and I was desperate to know how her story would unfold. It focused on how hard Luz had it as a girl of Mexican and indigenous decent in the early 1900s. Even though times were hard on Luz, the story showed how family and connection can help get you through even the darkest and hardest of times. I love the focus on family and the time period. A perfect historical character based fiction story.
kcb22's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jojireadsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
1.5
usually the most mild reaction that i have to a book is finishing it and going, "well... that was just ok" so this is a rare instance in which i was actually actively disappointed in a book. in the last 50 pages, i kept saying, 'what the fuck?' to myself because it felt so ridiculous. i felt like there was so much potential in the book in exploring the multiple generations of this family, and the parts of the story that i treasured the most were the glimpses into these previous generations. however, because the previous generations were SO interesting, i feel like it left the current generation that the novel focuses the majority of its time on feeling so boring in comparison. i felt like the main character, luz, lacked any kind of personality/drive or interest despite the fact that she's clairvoyant (which SHOULD be interesting!) but her clairvoyance never provides her with any kind of... purpose? except at the end when she is able to pass her family's history down to her niece.
i also feel like the author was flexing their historical knowledge of racial terror in denver but not in a way that was purposeful at all. like our main character works at a law office and stumbles upon what is implied to be redlining documents... and then there is nothing about it. these historical tidbits are used to highlight the experiences of characters of color but there's no story or resolution? there's a sideplot about the murder of a man of color by a police officer that just disappears into the ether because it's only there to tie our main character to one of her love(?) interests--a "silver spoon" lawyer--who turns out to be a piece of shit. because of course!
the pace was so uneven and ultimately the plot goes nowhere. this had the most frustrating love(?) triangle because both men suck (which might be a part of the point--a commentary on the limited options that women have) which would be fine if it this didn't provide the context for a major plot point that drives the ending of the novel.
like i'm actually lw mad that i pushed myself to finish this lol
usually the most mild reaction that i have to a book is finishing it and going, "well... that was just ok" so this is a rare instance in which i was actually actively disappointed in a book. in the last 50 pages, i kept saying, 'what the fuck?' to myself because it felt so ridiculous. i felt like there was so much potential in the book in exploring the multiple generations of this family, and the parts of the story that i treasured the most were the glimpses into these previous generations. however, because the previous generations were SO interesting, i feel like it left the current generation that the novel focuses the majority of its time on feeling so boring in comparison. i felt like the main character, luz, lacked any kind of personality/drive or interest despite the fact that she's clairvoyant (which SHOULD be interesting!) but her clairvoyance never provides her with any kind of... purpose? except at the end when she is able to pass her family's history down to her niece.
i also feel like the author was flexing their historical knowledge of racial terror in denver but not in a way that was purposeful at all. like our main character works at a law office and stumbles upon what is implied to be redlining documents... and then there is nothing about it. these historical tidbits are used to highlight the experiences of characters of color but there's no story or resolution? there's a sideplot about the murder of a man of color by a police officer that just disappears into the ether because it's only there to tie our main character to one of her love(?) interests--a "silver spoon" lawyer--who turns out to be a piece of shit. because of course!
the pace was so uneven and ultimately the plot goes nowhere. this had the most frustrating love(?) triangle because both men suck (which might be a part of the point--a commentary on the limited options that women have) which would be fine if it this didn't provide the context for a major plot point that drives the ending of the novel.
like i'm actually lw mad that i pushed myself to finish this lol
megan_mac_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Miscarriage and Abortion
Minor: Pregnancy