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anakuyenhn's review against another edition
5.0
¡Simplememte maravilloso! Ildefonso Falcones no me ha defraudado hasta el momento. Esta es una historia de valor, de coraje, y de amistad entre dos mujeres que al principio parecen muy diferentes, pero luego una se da cuenta que ambas nacieron para enfrentarse al sufrimiento y al dolor. Muestra la gallardía con que luchó del pueblo gitano para seguir existiendo, por seguir siendo libre a pesar de tener a todos en contra. Es también una historia de mujeres fuertes y Valientes que se enfrentan a sus miedos, a los maltratos y al papel que la sociedad les destina, con orgullo, con fuerza, con belleza. Muy recomendado
xiomi's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written, with a narrative, smooth and seductive as wine. A story full of raw and heart wrenching emotion.
awebster92's review
5.0
The Barefoot Queen is completely breath-taking from page one. I would call it a coming of age story of two very different woman. Caridad was a slave, she was freed by her master after he died. She quickly came to understand that nothing had changed. Caridad was stuck in her slave mindset. Through her whole life she has been beaten and raped; sadly nothing had changed. Her freedom wasn't real.That was until she met a Gypsy named Milagros. Milagros was a free spirit, she was raised to be proud of her heritage. Nothing could bring Milagros down, and She became very fond of Caridad.
Caridad was quiet and mouselike from her years of torment, but Milagros was going to make her feel human. Milagros lived for and with Caridad. It was almost a mother daughter bond. They both experience horrible misfortunes in the novel. Milagros being a gypsy was prosecuted in almost every way. It broke my heart in more ways than one. I feel that is the reason a good amount of reviewers didn't like this book. It was soul-wrenching, I believe that is the point of this novel. It's full of events that leave a nasty taste in your mouth, though many don't realize that the obstacles Milagros and Caridad faced probably did happen to the people at that period in time. We live in a nasty world with a bittersweet ending.
I really enjoyed Ildefonso Falcones work, I had never read anything by him in the past. I would read more of his work in the future. I would rate this novel a 5/5
Caridad was quiet and mouselike from her years of torment, but Milagros was going to make her feel human. Milagros lived for and with Caridad. It was almost a mother daughter bond. They both experience horrible misfortunes in the novel. Milagros being a gypsy was prosecuted in almost every way. It broke my heart in more ways than one. I feel that is the reason a good amount of reviewers didn't like this book. It was soul-wrenching, I believe that is the point of this novel. It's full of events that leave a nasty taste in your mouth, though many don't realize that the obstacles Milagros and Caridad faced probably did happen to the people at that period in time. We live in a nasty world with a bittersweet ending.
I really enjoyed Ildefonso Falcones work, I had never read anything by him in the past. I would read more of his work in the future. I would rate this novel a 5/5
spookysoto's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
Este libro lo leí por ser el que tocaba en el club de lectura. Nunca lo hubiese hecho por mi cuenta. Me alegro, porque lo disfruté y me gustó. De ser más corto le habría dado 4/5
La reina descalza es una novela histórica que nos relata las desventuras de una familia de gitanos y una esclava negra recién liberada, en España del siglo XVIII.
Primero hablaré de lo malo:
1 - Es muy largo para mi gusto (700p), extendiéndose demasiado en historias secundarias.
2 - Es exagerado, en mi opinión, todo lo que le sucede a un solo grupo de personajes.
3 - Por momentos me llegó a cansar, por los puntos expuestos anteriormente.
Ahora lo bueno:
1 - El autor te transporta a esa España del siglo XVIII, te sientes ahi, junto con los gitanos. Logra que el libro cobre vida en tu imaginación.
2 - Los personajes se sienten reales, de carne y hueso, vivos. Estan bien escritos y notas su crecimiento y desarrollo a lo largo de la historia.
3 - Se nota que el autor investigó mucho las costumbres de los gitanos, y de toda esa sociedad de Sevilla y Madrid de esa época. Aprendí muchas cosas interesantes sobre los gitanos, la iglesia y las leyes de ese momento.
4 - Te hace pensar, pero sobretodo, te hace sentir.
La reina descalza habla sobre la libertad, los prejuicios, la discriminación, el orgullo, la traición, la vanidad, los rencores, la ignorancia, el valor, la valentía, la injusticia, la hipocresia, la venganza, el abuso de poder, la fuerza de las costumbres y tradiciones, la familia, la amistad y el amor.
Si tuviera que resumirlo diría que es sobre vivir en el presente, luchar por los tuyos y seguir adelante ante los embates de la vida, siempre con la cabeza en alto.
Si te gusta las novelas históricas, tocando temas sociales (con muuucho sufrimiento y tragedia) y no te importa que sea muuuuy largo; lo recomiendo.
Este libro lo leí por ser el que tocaba en el club de lectura. Nunca lo hubiese hecho por mi cuenta. Me alegro, porque lo disfruté y me gustó. De ser más corto le habría dado 4/5
La reina descalza es una novela histórica que nos relata las desventuras de una familia de gitanos y una esclava negra recién liberada, en España del siglo XVIII.
Primero hablaré de lo malo:
1 - Es muy largo para mi gusto (700p), extendiéndose demasiado en historias secundarias.
2 - Es exagerado, en mi opinión, todo lo que le sucede a un solo grupo de personajes.
3 - Por momentos me llegó a cansar, por los puntos expuestos anteriormente.
Ahora lo bueno:
1 - El autor te transporta a esa España del siglo XVIII, te sientes ahi, junto con los gitanos. Logra que el libro cobre vida en tu imaginación.
2 - Los personajes se sienten reales, de carne y hueso, vivos. Estan bien escritos y notas su crecimiento y desarrollo a lo largo de la historia.
3 - Se nota que el autor investigó mucho las costumbres de los gitanos, y de toda esa sociedad de Sevilla y Madrid de esa época. Aprendí muchas cosas interesantes sobre los gitanos, la iglesia y las leyes de ese momento.
4 - Te hace pensar, pero sobretodo, te hace sentir.
La reina descalza habla sobre la libertad, los prejuicios, la discriminación, el orgullo, la traición, la vanidad, los rencores, la ignorancia, el valor, la valentía, la injusticia, la hipocresia, la venganza, el abuso de poder, la fuerza de las costumbres y tradiciones, la familia, la amistad y el amor.
Si tuviera que resumirlo diría que es sobre vivir en el presente, luchar por los tuyos y seguir adelante ante los embates de la vida, siempre con la cabeza en alto.
Si te gusta las novelas históricas, tocando temas sociales (con muuucho sufrimiento y tragedia) y no te importa que sea muuuuy largo; lo recomiendo.
rachelherway's review against another edition
1.0
WOMEN WRITTEN BY MEN, EXHIBIT A
I was so excited to read about Spanish culture and history and gyspsies! I really was. But when I read the first few pages, I was absolutely disgusted.
This book is centered on two women. And it is written by a man. And trust me when I say, you can tell….
The book opens on the point of view of the recently freed enslaved woman, Caridad. Here are the descriptions of caridad, in order. Keep in mind that these are all in the point of view of the men around her, even though this chapter is supposed to be in caridads mind.
Description 1: how tall caridad is (because seeing a tall woman is crazyyy)
Description 2: large, firm breasts. (yay we’re already sexualizing her like crazy. I know nothing about this woman except she was a slave and she’s tall and she has sexy hips)
Description 3: Caridad’s vOlUptUoUs hIpS :’)
Description 4: small brown eyes, flattened nose, and “thick, fleshy lips”. (By this time I wanna barf. Tell me if I’m wrong, but I feel like this is such a racist depiction of a Black woman. thick fleshy lips???? What the hell man)
Don’t worry, it gets worse :)
It’s still the first chapter, and we know virtually nothing about Caridad: not her personality, her emotions, not even her thoughts about getting recently freed and sent to Seville, Spain. None of it!
But look, here comes the priest’s point of view. Something we all need in our lives. Here, the author has much more experience with being a man and writing men, so the priest has a lot more personality (which turns out to be not much of a good thing).
The priest reminisces that he was so turned on by Caridad that he masturbated in front of her while she was asleep…
And then Caridad wakes up and sees him staring at her and touching himself. And she is completely expressionless.
This is the the fourth or fifth page and already a man is masturbating to a woman.
But something that gets me… is WHY DID YOU GIVE THIS WOMAN NO PERSONALITY? No spirit??? I’m sure as a recently freed woman, she is done with going along with men’s sexualizing and dehumanization and is ready to test out her freedom.
But no.
Lesson learned: be careful about picking a book written by a man, and the main characters are women.
Prepare to be offended and disgusted as Ildefonso falcones tries to enter a woman’s point of view but instead describes her from the men around her in the most dehumanizing way possible.
I was so excited to read about Spanish culture and history and gyspsies! I really was. But when I read the first few pages, I was absolutely disgusted.
This book is centered on two women. And it is written by a man. And trust me when I say, you can tell….
The book opens on the point of view of the recently freed enslaved woman, Caridad. Here are the descriptions of caridad, in order. Keep in mind that these are all in the point of view of the men around her, even though this chapter is supposed to be in caridads mind.
Description 1: how tall caridad is (because seeing a tall woman is crazyyy)
Description 2: large, firm breasts. (yay we’re already sexualizing her like crazy. I know nothing about this woman except she was a slave and she’s tall and she has sexy hips)
Description 3: Caridad’s vOlUptUoUs hIpS :’)
Description 4: small brown eyes, flattened nose, and “thick, fleshy lips”. (By this time I wanna barf. Tell me if I’m wrong, but I feel like this is such a racist depiction of a Black woman. thick fleshy lips???? What the hell man)
Don’t worry, it gets worse :)
It’s still the first chapter, and we know virtually nothing about Caridad: not her personality, her emotions, not even her thoughts about getting recently freed and sent to Seville, Spain. None of it!
But look, here comes the priest’s point of view. Something we all need in our lives. Here, the author has much more experience with being a man and writing men, so the priest has a lot more personality (which turns out to be not much of a good thing).
The priest reminisces that he was so turned on by Caridad that he masturbated in front of her while she was asleep…
And then Caridad wakes up and sees him staring at her and touching himself. And she is completely expressionless.
This is the the fourth or fifth page and already a man is masturbating to a woman.
But something that gets me… is WHY DID YOU GIVE THIS WOMAN NO PERSONALITY? No spirit??? I’m sure as a recently freed woman, she is done with going along with men’s sexualizing and dehumanization and is ready to test out her freedom.
But no.
Lesson learned: be careful about picking a book written by a man, and the main characters are women.
Prepare to be offended and disgusted as Ildefonso falcones tries to enter a woman’s point of view but instead describes her from the men around her in the most dehumanizing way possible.
dosyveintidos's review against another edition
3.0
Aleluya! Le doy tres estrellas, aunque si la nota dependiera de lo que me ha costado leerlo, tendría menos. Los temas que trata son muy duros y he conocido hechos de la historia de los que no tenía ni idea. Está muy bien escrito, pero se me ha hecho eterno y lo he acabado por cabezonería.
emilyusuallyreading's review against another edition
2.0
What I Liked
The character development of Caridad was my favorite part of this book. She begins the first page as a mindless slave. She's never known how to think for herself. She's unable to tell people know, even if it's to fight for her own rights and bodily safety. She is taken in by a group of proud gypsies - and many of them love Caridad as their own. Caridad's arc throughout the novel is brilliant as one has the opportunity to watch this slave discover that she is a strong, passionate, and intelligent woman with talents, abilities, and the right to "say no."
Milagros also has a character arc, although it is more painful and sad than anything else - not a strengthening, pleasant one. The sisterhood between Milagros, the gypsy girl, and Caridad, the former slave, is a beautiful addition to this piece.
What I Didn't Like
This is so long. The descriptions are almost brutal as they last beyond pages. Experiences of characters last years. In some ways The Barefoot Queen reminds me of One Hundred Years of Solitude in its length from generation to generation; but the characters and the storyline aren't memorable enough to carry its impact. Instead I found myself putting the book down again and again and wishing it could be over.
The character development of Caridad was my favorite part of this book. She begins the first page as a mindless slave. She's never known how to think for herself. She's unable to tell people know, even if it's to fight for her own rights and bodily safety. She is taken in by a group of proud gypsies - and many of them love Caridad as their own. Caridad's arc throughout the novel is brilliant as one has the opportunity to watch this slave discover that she is a strong, passionate, and intelligent woman with talents, abilities, and the right to "say no."
Milagros also has a character arc, although it is more painful and sad than anything else - not a strengthening, pleasant one. The sisterhood between Milagros, the gypsy girl, and Caridad, the former slave, is a beautiful addition to this piece.
What I Didn't Like
This is so long. The descriptions are almost brutal as they last beyond pages. Experiences of characters last years. In some ways The Barefoot Queen reminds me of One Hundred Years of Solitude in its length from generation to generation; but the characters and the storyline aren't memorable enough to carry its impact. Instead I found myself putting the book down again and again and wishing it could be over.
taniaenc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
carlelis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
mbondlamberty's review against another edition
4.0
Me gustó el libro. En algunas partes super absorbente pero en otras se prolongaba un poco mas de lo necesario. Otras veces Los caracteres se parecían un poco exagerados pero uno se interesa por los protagonistas. Pero la descripción de libro en su parte trasera es un poco confusa