akingston5's review against another edition
“Who’s to say why Mamá decided to grow that tree in her garden? It may have been that long mean streak in her, or it may have been because she was always saying you couldn’t trust anyone.” •••
“Sometimes the less you know the more you live.”
•••
Loved this coming-of-age narrative of two young women set against the backdrop of Pablo Escobar’s terror in Colombia. Based on events in the author’s own life, this is well-written with the heartbreak of losing the innocence of childhood and the reality of violence that enters the lives of so many young people at an early age. Can not recommend it enough.
“Sometimes the less you know the more you live.”
•••
Loved this coming-of-age narrative of two young women set against the backdrop of Pablo Escobar’s terror in Colombia. Based on events in the author’s own life, this is well-written with the heartbreak of losing the innocence of childhood and the reality of violence that enters the lives of so many young people at an early age. Can not recommend it enough.
aprestia310's review
4.0
I'm ashamed to say that I really do not know much about the history of Colombia or really any of South America, but this book did a great job at putting into perspective just how much fear and anxiety was interwoven with daily life.
busyblackbookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
I was an enormous fan of Ingrid Rojas Contreras’ stunning memoir/family biography The Man Who Could Move Clouds, so I knew I had to pick up her debut novel Fruit of the Drunken Tree—and I was of course not disappointed.
This novel follows, chiefly, a young girl by the name of Chula who lives a fairly privileged, sheltered life within a gated community in Bogotá during the height of Pablo Escobar’s cartel empire. but things begin to change when her mother hires a preteen by the name of Petrona to help around the house. As Chula begins to learn more about Petrona, whose family is plagued by poverty and violence in the nearby invasiónes, both girls become mired in secrets that become increasingly difficult to keep, particularly as the violence begins to spill into Chula’s own community.
This was a fantastic read—I loved how Rojas Contreras considers childhood, class, and privilege when one’s country is embroiled in chaos. She in particular does a stellar job of considering who primarily bears the weight of sociopolitical violence. There are questions of who gets to be considered “political,” whose life will be protected, and who gets to have any semblance of childhood. The characterization of Chula in particular is fantastic—it can be hard to write a book for adults from the perspective of a child, but I think Rojas Contreras pulls it off fabulously.
The only thing I would’ve liked to have seen more of was Petrona’s character—although there are plenty of chapters devoted to Petrona’s story and experiences, they are all quite short and I felt as though we could’ve gotten more of a sense of her desires and feelings.
But that small critique aside, this was an absolutely fantastic read and I really hope more people dig into it! Rojas Contreras is a phenomenal writer and I am definitely a fan—if/when she writes anything else, I will automatically read it, no questions asked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Child death, and Rape
mama7301's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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? No
3.0
This book is beautifully written, but I found it a little slow. It was interesting to learn about another life so very different from mine.
oritayy's review against another edition
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
This was a great story, but it was muddled by weird, nonsense comparisons. It dragged in a few places as well.
Other than the bizarre similes, I liked the author’s writing. I also liked the portrayal of life during Escobar’s reign.
Other than the bizarre similes, I liked the author’s writing. I also liked the portrayal of life during Escobar’s reign.
vgread's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
julsmarshall's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A difficult time and place to read about (Pablo Escobar and his reign of terror in Columbia) but the writing is inspired and the story deep and full of meaning. I loved learning about the challenging interpersonal connections through the perspective of a young girl.
sarshu01's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
saralynnburnett's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written novel set in Bogota, Colombia. It took a while to get into in terms of 'things happening' (around page 200) but everything leading up to major events was so wonderfully detailed that reading it felt as though I was right there, growing up along with Chula Santiago. Essentially - it's the story of a family with a focus on the women that simmers and then grows to a roar. The author's note in the back explains that the story was based on her own time and experiences in Columbia and you can certainly tell - it's a rich, rich novel.