Reviews with content warning for Death - Bless Me, Ultima

Damn, this book broke me. Who knew a school reading would've had this effect on me. I was literally tearing up at the ending. This was the story of how a young boy named Antonio grows to become his own person within a divided Latino household. Witnessing death and losing his innocence shape him into the man he becomes by the end of the novel. It's told as Antonio is an adult and is reflecting on his childhood experiences. Its message about independence strikes deep, and its discussion about religion is so important. This book truly made me question how I view the world. In the end, Antonio's parental figure, Ultima dies and that broke my heart because Ultima reminded me so much of my own grandma. Anyway, this book was so good, and I really hope Antonio is doing okay.

Content Warnings

nd09's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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baybod's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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.

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meganpbennett's review against another edition

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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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talypollywaly's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

thyroyalreader'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

4.5

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