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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
crtsjffrsn's review
3.0
[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.]
When Caridad's master dies en route from Cuba to Spain, her entire life changes. She suddenly finds herself a freed black slave in a new land with nowhere to go. And she quickly finds that things don't get easier just because she's free. When she crosses paths with Milagros, a young gypsy woman, she is somewhat surprised to find someone who shows her compassion. Milagros invites Caridad to come and stay with her and her family--a decision that means changes for Milagros, Caridad, and everyone else around them. What follows is a period of trials and tribulations that causes both women to learn things about themselves and each other they might never have learned otherwise but needed to know. Through tragedy and triumph, love and loss, they find themselves and the true freedom that was waiting just beyond their grasp.
This is an incredibly well-written book. The characters are real and dynamic and Falcones seems to effortlessly paint the world in which they live right onto the page. The range here is great and the story is more than interesting.
That said--this book is LONG. Coming in at 656 pages, one really needs to be committed for the long haul to get through this. Which can be challenging when one gets into some of the more-difficult-to-stomach scenes. And there are some moments where it seems to drag, which made me wonder if it could have been shored up by about 100 pages or so and still have been just as impactful (or even more so).
Definitely worth a read it you're interested at all in historical fiction--especially 1700s Europe.
CONTENT WARNINGS: violence/murder, sexual abuse/rape, spousal abuse
When Caridad's master dies en route from Cuba to Spain, her entire life changes. She suddenly finds herself a freed black slave in a new land with nowhere to go. And she quickly finds that things don't get easier just because she's free. When she crosses paths with Milagros, a young gypsy woman, she is somewhat surprised to find someone who shows her compassion. Milagros invites Caridad to come and stay with her and her family--a decision that means changes for Milagros, Caridad, and everyone else around them. What follows is a period of trials and tribulations that causes both women to learn things about themselves and each other they might never have learned otherwise but needed to know. Through tragedy and triumph, love and loss, they find themselves and the true freedom that was waiting just beyond their grasp.
This is an incredibly well-written book. The characters are real and dynamic and Falcones seems to effortlessly paint the world in which they live right onto the page. The range here is great and the story is more than interesting.
That said--this book is LONG. Coming in at 656 pages, one really needs to be committed for the long haul to get through this. Which can be challenging when one gets into some of the more-difficult-to-stomach scenes. And there are some moments where it seems to drag, which made me wonder if it could have been shored up by about 100 pages or so and still have been just as impactful (or even more so).
Definitely worth a read it you're interested at all in historical fiction--especially 1700s Europe.
CONTENT WARNINGS: violence/murder, sexual abuse/rape, spousal abuse
safrodite's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
berls's review
1.0
This review appeared first at Fantasy is More Fun.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have to stress that this isn't a DNF because The Barefoot Queen is bad. It's a DNF because I stepped outside my comfort zone and, in this case, I shouldn't have. I found The Barefoot Queen in the "Literature/Fiction (adult)" shelf on NetGalley. A shelf I don't tend to look at and probably really shouldn't, I guess.
The Barefoot Queen was so slow. I only made it 15% of the way in, but that was 100 pages! This book is long and I just couldn't connect with any of the characters or the story.
The main character, Caridad, is a freed slave wandering alone in Spain. I loved the concept, but I hated the way Caridad was written. Her thoughts were so empty - it kind of felt like some authors write intelligent animals, or maybe a step up. I think that the author was trying to show how lost and hopeless she felt and it's VERY possible that some things were lost in translation (since this was originally published in Spanish).
The story line that was really interesting and had lots of potential was the gypsies. It's probably the reason I pushed passed the 8% point I was at when I first wanted to call it quits. It was a really great representation of the Catholic authorities dealings with the gypsy people at this time - and introduced some really interesting personalities and potential conflicts.
I'm actually specialize on this time period AND Spanish history and I can say that this was EXTREMELY historically accurate. That may be another reason I wasn't feeling The Barefoot Queen actually and, again, it's no fault of the book. I have read SO MUCH about this time period and I would like a break from it. It just wasn't right for me.
So it didn't work for me and I'm calling it.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have to stress that this isn't a DNF because The Barefoot Queen is bad. It's a DNF because I stepped outside my comfort zone and, in this case, I shouldn't have. I found The Barefoot Queen in the "Literature/Fiction (adult)" shelf on NetGalley. A shelf I don't tend to look at and probably really shouldn't, I guess.
Why it didn't work for me:
The Barefoot Queen was so slow. I only made it 15% of the way in, but that was 100 pages! This book is long and I just couldn't connect with any of the characters or the story.
The main character, Caridad, is a freed slave wandering alone in Spain. I loved the concept, but I hated the way Caridad was written. Her thoughts were so empty - it kind of felt like some authors write intelligent animals, or maybe a step up. I think that the author was trying to show how lost and hopeless she felt and it's VERY possible that some things were lost in translation (since this was originally published in Spanish).
The story line that was really interesting and had lots of potential was the gypsies. It's probably the reason I pushed passed the 8% point I was at when I first wanted to call it quits. It was a really great representation of the Catholic authorities dealings with the gypsy people at this time - and introduced some really interesting personalities and potential conflicts.
I'm actually specialize on this time period AND Spanish history and I can say that this was EXTREMELY historically accurate. That may be another reason I wasn't feeling The Barefoot Queen actually and, again, it's no fault of the book. I have read SO MUCH about this time period and I would like a break from it. It just wasn't right for me.
So it didn't work for me and I'm calling it.
Time of death: 15%
avigail's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ildefonso Falcones is one of my favorite authors. He is an author his books are very educational, through his books you can learn a lot of things about Spain's history. Unfortunately, the Spanish Kingdom never learned from its mistakes; the Spanish kings and queens feared the Catholic church and its Inquisition. After exiling or making the Jews and Muslims that stayed in Spain become Catholic Christians in the 15th century, it was the turn of the Roma (gypsies) of the 18th century.
The Barefoot Queen is the story of the Spanish Roma people's trauma and a family saga story.
Ildefonso Falcones paints a real story with live characters that make you feel regretful and even suffer. It is a piece of literature that the author did an excellent job researching the main subject of the humiliation of the Roma. The story is about the members of the Verga family and a formerly enslaved person from Cuba who stumble in their life.
The author doesn't shrink away from describing the brutality of the sexual abuse of women and the murder of innocents. The characters are so real, and you see how pride plays an essential role in the lives and the culture of the Roma community.
For me, The Barefoot Queen is a five stars book because of the story and because I learned about the Roma community in Spain and how they were treated. It is also the beginning of the Flamenco dance. If you want to know about Spain's history, you should pick up this book.
The Barefoot Queen is the story of the Spanish Roma people's trauma and a family saga story.
Ildefonso Falcones paints a real story with live characters that make you feel regretful and even suffer. It is a piece of literature that the author did an excellent job researching the main subject of the humiliation of the Roma. The story is about the members of the Verga family and a formerly enslaved person from Cuba who stumble in their life.
The author doesn't shrink away from describing the brutality of the sexual abuse of women and the murder of innocents. The characters are so real, and you see how pride plays an essential role in the lives and the culture of the Roma community.
For me, The Barefoot Queen is a five stars book because of the story and because I learned about the Roma community in Spain and how they were treated. It is also the beginning of the Flamenco dance. If you want to know about Spain's history, you should pick up this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
3.0
A tale of love, hope and perseverance set against a historical backdrop of slavery and the gypsy community in Spain. There are some graphic scenes of violence against women in this story however which makes the world a very dark one at times.
The settings are as varied as the theatres of Madrid, the world of tobacco smuggling and the birth of Flamenco, it is as much an historical fresco as it is a story of love, hope and perseverance. Two very different settings as the story of the two girl’s destinies is played out.
Caridad and Milagros are two women from opposite ends of the earth, from two very different backgrounds and cultures who become friends in Seville in 1748.
Caridad’s early life has been one of hardship and slavery. Alone in a strange city, she is disillusioned and lost until she meets Milagros. Milagros is a young gypsy girl who understands a sense of feeling lost and alone so despite their differences, their pasts are shared ones and their growing friendship soon supersedes any differences they may have.
Seville is the home for many gypsies like Milagros. Living in the Triana part of the city, life is tough – in the raid on the city and in Triana in particular, close to 130 gypsy families were arrested, the gates of the city closed by the army –
That was when the soldiers finally received direct instructions from their superiors: arrest all gypsies as dangerous and despicable persons, regardless of their gender or age, and confiscate their assets.
This is the Seville where Milagros and now Caridad both live as they struggle to survive in this tumultuous world.
The setting changes to the theatres of Madrid where the two girls later live without the other’s knowledge. Madrid shines as the location of dreams and hope – theatres dotted all over the city –
There is rivalry between two Madrid theatre: the Principe and the Cruz, which weren’t far from one another. There was a third theatre, the Canos del Peral, where they performed popular lyrical compositions.
The people that liked the Principes theatre were called polacos and those that preferred the cruz were the chorizos. They didn’t only fight each other , but they would also regularly attend the rival theatre to wreck the show and mercilessly boo the comic actors and singers.
The songs of the Sainetes and the tonadillas fill the air as the world of theatre, acting and applause comes alive
It’s a world in which you can get lost in or from which you can thrive.
The settings are as varied as the theatres of Madrid, the world of tobacco smuggling and the birth of Flamenco, it is as much an historical fresco as it is a story of love, hope and perseverance. Two very different settings as the story of the two girl’s destinies is played out.
Caridad and Milagros are two women from opposite ends of the earth, from two very different backgrounds and cultures who become friends in Seville in 1748.
Caridad’s early life has been one of hardship and slavery. Alone in a strange city, she is disillusioned and lost until she meets Milagros. Milagros is a young gypsy girl who understands a sense of feeling lost and alone so despite their differences, their pasts are shared ones and their growing friendship soon supersedes any differences they may have.
Seville is the home for many gypsies like Milagros. Living in the Triana part of the city, life is tough – in the raid on the city and in Triana in particular, close to 130 gypsy families were arrested, the gates of the city closed by the army –
That was when the soldiers finally received direct instructions from their superiors: arrest all gypsies as dangerous and despicable persons, regardless of their gender or age, and confiscate their assets.
This is the Seville where Milagros and now Caridad both live as they struggle to survive in this tumultuous world.
The setting changes to the theatres of Madrid where the two girls later live without the other’s knowledge. Madrid shines as the location of dreams and hope – theatres dotted all over the city –
There is rivalry between two Madrid theatre: the Principe and the Cruz, which weren’t far from one another. There was a third theatre, the Canos del Peral, where they performed popular lyrical compositions.
The people that liked the Principes theatre were called polacos and those that preferred the cruz were the chorizos. They didn’t only fight each other , but they would also regularly attend the rival theatre to wreck the show and mercilessly boo the comic actors and singers.
The songs of the Sainetes and the tonadillas fill the air as the world of theatre, acting and applause comes alive
It’s a world in which you can get lost in or from which you can thrive.
forfatter_torben_mathiassen's review against another edition
4.0
Overordnet set var jeg ganske godt underholdt. Som sædvanlig er de historiske fakta godt researched og velimplementeret i handlingen. Persongalleriet er bredt og spændende, og du har ledt ved at identificere dig med dem. Kan bestemt anbefales hvis du er til historiske romaner.
barb_d's review against another edition
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Definitely an interesting setting which allows to show the cultural melting pot that 18th century Andalusia apparentlu was. The author seems to have researched the time well. It's a pity that the book is too much "tell instead of show" - yes, there are characters and their personal tragedies, but it rather seems that the author invented the characters merely to illustrate as many findings from that research as possible, rather than to tell a story. However curious I found the background of the characters, the book just didn't made me feel anything for their trials and tribulations.
annaroosvw's review against another edition
4.0
An immersing story about gypsies, slavery, tabacco, flamenco, loss and love, family and roots. A great way to expand your moral judgements and learn some historical backgrounds. I was hooked from the start and didn't mind the 1000+ pages at all. For those who want to rediscover reading (and watch a little less netflix) this is a good start.