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cati's review
I tried, I really did, but I could not get myself to care about the predictament the characters were in, or to care about the characters themselves. I also didn't like how the book was written or translated. A lot of the times it felt like I was reading a YA novel because of how simple and unimpactful a majorty of the sentences were. For example, (for context: we learn that we're in the midst of the Mexican Revolution, and that Beatriz's father was assassinated) there's a passage on page 55 where Beatriz is trying to order flowers: "No. Not red. Any other color, which ever you want, said Beatriz sharply. She preferred a color that would not resemble blood." WOW!! REALLY?? Thank God this was explained to me, because my own brain couldn't figure that out /s. There's a lot of sentences that just don't let me think for myself, to let me connect the dots and think. To be fair, the part where there's a Mexican Lazarus was pretty interesting, but after that I stopped caring. This is a Nothing Burger.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
emilb's review
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Overall I really loved this book. The slow meandering prose is fully a matter of taste - I loved how it jumped ahead only to loop back in a few chapters so we slowly develop a fuller understanding of what's happening. It reminded me of the dance of bees at times.
The one thing I found hard to deal with was the depiction of class and race. I am not from Mexico, so I don't have an instinctive line to the culture in the way many others will have. What I found a shame was that the only non-white characters who were sympathetic were the loyal servants and labourers who found purpose and happiness in serving the blue eyed fair skinned land owners, while the story did what it did to the indigenous main villain. I wish we had seen more nuance in this aspect.
The one thing I found hard to deal with was the depiction of class and race. I am not from Mexico, so I don't have an instinctive line to the culture in the way many others will have. What I found a shame was that the only non-white characters who were sympathetic were the loyal servants and labourers who found purpose and happiness in serving the blue eyed fair skinned land owners, while the story did what it did to the indigenous main villain. I wish we had seen more nuance in this aspect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Ableism, Murder, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Racism, Rape, and War
stephyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Death of parent, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Death, Medical trauma, and Murder
liyaeshetu's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Torture, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Violence, and War
baearles's review against another edition
adventurous
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Grief, Death, Murder, and Death of parent
Minor: Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Animal death, and Stalking
jennipiccalo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Classism, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Stalking, Death, Rape, Abandonment, Child death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
kaczorlantz's review
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was slow but in a way that makes you savor the details. Things built up and culminated in a way that made sense. I don’t know how I feel about the ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, and Death
star's review
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
hope ur prepared to cry as much as i did!!!!!!! god i sobbed and sobbed through this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Ableism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War
awebofstories's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
Grade: A+
I was apprehensive about this one because I'm not particularly fond of bees (or, in general, insects). However, as it was a selection for one of my book clubs, I knew I had to try it. Yes, there are bees...but it's fine. They are there, but it isn't a big deal. If you are insect-averse, don't let that scare you off. If you do, you will miss an absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking story about two unforgettable brothers.
Our narrator is Francisco, the surprise, late-in-life child of a land-owning Mexican family. While he is treasured by his family, he loves no one more than the one he considers an older brother, Simonopio, who had been an abandoned baby raised by Francisco's family. Simonopio is not like other people--not only is he marked with a facial disfigurement, but he always surrounded by, and communicates with, swarms of bees. (I told you there would be bees).
If you are looking for a story about two boys against an indifferent or even abusive family, you will not find it here. This Francisco's parents are loving, attentive parents to both boys. While there is an external conflict as the nation of Mexico faces Civil War and change, the family is solid.
This story quickly founds its way into my heart and stayed there. The characters are all well-drawn. Even some of the secondary characters shined as bright as the main players. The narrative structure was quite interesting and the ending took my breath away. My favorite element, besides the relationship between Francisco and Simonopio, was just the perfect dash of magic realism.
I highly recommend this book as an excellent entry point to Mexican literature, or for anyone who is looking for a moving, engrossing work of historical fiction.
I was apprehensive about this one because I'm not particularly fond of bees (or, in general, insects). However, as it was a selection for one of my book clubs, I knew I had to try it. Yes, there are bees...but it's fine. They are there, but it isn't a big deal. If you are insect-averse, don't let that scare you off. If you do, you will miss an absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking story about two unforgettable brothers.
Our narrator is Francisco, the surprise, late-in-life child of a land-owning Mexican family. While he is treasured by his family, he loves no one more than the one he considers an older brother, Simonopio, who had been an abandoned baby raised by Francisco's family. Simonopio is not like other people--not only is he marked with a facial disfigurement, but he always surrounded by, and communicates with, swarms of bees. (I told you there would be bees).
If you are looking for a story about two boys against an indifferent or even abusive family, you will not find it here. This Francisco's parents are loving, attentive parents to both boys. While there is an external conflict as the nation of Mexico faces Civil War and change, the family is solid.
This story quickly founds its way into my heart and stayed there. The characters are all well-drawn. Even some of the secondary characters shined as bright as the main players. The narrative structure was quite interesting and the ending took my breath away. My favorite element, besides the relationship between Francisco and Simonopio, was just the perfect dash of magic realism.
I highly recommend this book as an excellent entry point to Mexican literature, or for anyone who is looking for a moving, engrossing work of historical fiction.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Murder, and Death
neens_m's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gun violence