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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Fascinating setup, setting, and premise. The beginning nonchalantly details the extents the mothers on the main protagonist's mountain go to in order to elude their daughters' capture by drug cartels. Haunting.
The first 1/4 had me completely hooked. The story became a little absurdly circular, and the larger-than-life mother took up too much of the story's breath for me. But I'll be thinking about this for a long, long time. 3.5 stars for me.
The first 1/4 had me completely hooked. The story became a little absurdly circular, and the larger-than-life mother took up too much of the story's breath for me. But I'll be thinking about this for a long, long time. 3.5 stars for me.
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
great conversation on a bunch of serious, important topics. easy to read despite the heaviness. i kind of didn’t like the writing style - a bit repetitive and highlights weird parts. valuable work.
A book club student told me this is her favorite book, so I was excited to read it! I loved the details showing the survival of mothers & daughters in the mountains of Guerrero and the simplicity of the main character's observations. The stream-of consciousness narration wasn't over the top and made the story interesting to read! I'd be happy to read another book from Jennifer Clement in the future.
"Can you believe there are are only twenty-six letters to say everything? There are only twenty-six letters to talk about love and jealousy and God."
"Can you believe there are are only twenty-six letters to say everything? There are only twenty-six letters to talk about love and jealousy and God."
Prayers for the Stolen explores drug culture in Mexico. Through the eyes of a young country girl, Ladydi, Clement exposes the underbelly of violence, prostitution, and gun traffic. Clements draws her characters and her settings with exquisite care.
(Bonnie Lendrum is the author of Autumn’s Grace, a story of how one family manages the experience of palliative care with hope and humour despite sibling conflicts, generational pulls and career demands.)
(Bonnie Lendrum is the author of Autumn’s Grace, a story of how one family manages the experience of palliative care with hope and humour despite sibling conflicts, generational pulls and career demands.)
This is one dark book. While the subject matter is interesting, the delivery is too disjointed and slow moving to keep you engaged and there are a lot of characters with little development.
Ladydi and her mother live in Guerro mountains, in what used to be a family community but has since become a mountain of women and girls as their husbands have left in search of jobs. The mothers of the mountain make their girls ugly and boyish from birth in an attempt to stop the narcos from stealing them, the girls have each have a hole dug for them to hide in when they come for them. Her mother continues to wait in vain for her fathers return filled with vengeance, as Ladydi and her friends grow up. Through their experiences of survival and love the story offers a strong voice to the literary heroine.
The structure and chronology of the novel is its one lacking point, while the plot could have been more fleshed out and intense, it is an novel, full of resilience and heart breaking conditions that offers a portrait of life for women and girls in rural Mexico.
The structure and chronology of the novel is its one lacking point, while the plot could have been more fleshed out and intense, it is an novel, full of resilience and heart breaking conditions that offers a portrait of life for women and girls in rural Mexico.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Abandonment
A special, surprising book! This books speaks to heartbreaking realities through the innocent but marked voice of a young girl. I found her story moving and my worldview grew by hearing it.