Another Barbara Kingsolver Bellwether Award book. I think this may have been the first to receive the award. If I had more knowledge of the Spanish language, I feel rather confident that this would have been a four star selection. I really liked the story and the way the author used both dialogue and reflections to tell the life story of Guadalupe Magdalena Molina Vasquez. But there were so many Spanish words and phrases, that even with context, I sometimes had trouble with the content. I think I also missed some of the "lyrical beauty" (to quote Kingsolver).

Even with the language barrier, I appreciated the struggles of Magda, growing up in a poor Mexican barrio and questioning the cultural roles of women, men, religion, love, sex, and family. Magda's life decisions reflect her struggles with these roles as she both challenges and embraces them. The author's power of description allowed me to experience the heat of the Mexican sun and the pain of pilrims who walked on their knees over rough cobblestones to the shrine of the baby Jesus.

Don't let three stars stop you from trying this novel.

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A mexican woman grows up poor, marries several times, remains a survivor. Good slice of life in a Mexican waterfront town.
Erica Kline, 2003 ( )