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sycamore22's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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.javafenn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
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
ckingcolorado's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Enjoyable historical fiction centering the Latina/Indigenous experience in CO in the mining/early modern eras. It adresses the racism and misfortune embedded in the rapid expansion of the West and also offers sweet details of a woman coming into her own as she discovers her family's past. Ooh and the main character is a fortune-teller.hkrobock's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Minor: Child death and Violence
laurao's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
thenovelmaura's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Miscarriage
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kcbatts's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy
bunny_rose's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Violence