A review by sephipiderwitch
The Mortifications by Derek Palacio

4.0

I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book. It is truly an excellent piece of writing. The prose is haunting and soul piercing. However, it is one of the most depressing books I have read in a long time. It follows a mother and her two children who flee Cuba, leaving the father behind. It was fascinating in its portrayal of what Cuba was like, the people, the way of life. It was also to me a stark testament to the horror of religious fanaticism as Isabel (the daughter) commits herself to the church, gives up her right to speech, to live a normal life and subjects herself to self deprecation and suffering. Ulises seems to be more of an agnostic or atheist in contrast arguing against his sister's fanaticism. The story is interesting. They all seem to be drawn back to the father they left behind, each for their own reason. I am not sure if I would recommend this book or not. My own personal feelings about religion and such caused much of the story to leave a bad taste in my mouth and it is a rather depressing tale. Eloquently told, but depressing. I suppose people will need to decide for themselves.