Reviews with content warning for Religious bigotry - Bless Me, Ultima

Wow. I did not expect such a strong ending. I enjoyed the book enough throughout, but the last third was incredibly gripping. I really resonated with Antonio’s struggles with faith and his desire to believe in all that he saw was good, not just one god.

I found it a satisfying resolution to this when Ultimate blesses him in the name of “all that is good and strong and beautiful,” because she seems to give validity to all of the gods he puts faith in.

I also appreciated the thoughtful manner in which the book dealt with death and Antonio’s experiences with it. I think this book does an excellent job of representing a people of many beliefs and with backgrounds that lie in many traditions. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Content Warnings

sofipitch's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This is one of thise classics I'm mad I didn't have to read in middle/high school because it is simply stunning. I was also more religious in high school in a lot of ways the same way Antonio was so I think reading about his journey would have been interesting and I wonder if I would have gotten something conpletely different out of it. I think a lot of coming of age novels don't take children and the experiences they have in the world as seriously as this book does, while you also have enough scenes to remind you that Antonio is a child. It's a really wonder and beautiful book and I can't say anything that will do it justice in a short paragraph. I almost put it down bc the beginning is pretty slow but I'm glad I didn't

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meganpbennett's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

1.0

After moving to New Mexico, I learned about Bless Me Ultima, and it ended up on my TBR pile. I finally read it as part of both Banned Books Week celebration and Hispanic Heritage month. It was an interesting book, following the narrator, Tony, as he navigates his life after his grandmother, Ultima, comes to live with his family.

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skullfullofbooks's review

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I'm always a fan of any book that questions religious beliefs and gives concrete examples in a way that makes sense for a story. The writing was fantastic, the conversations were great, and it was all wrapped up in a cultural experience that I know very little about.

Definitely recommend it for anyone to read. It covers a lot in terms of religious upbringing and conformity versus heritage and native cultures

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