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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I had to read this for my college World Literature class. The plot was very good and I loved the characters; however, the writing of the story was very hard to follow. No direct explanations for family or events happening, you’re left to figure it out on your own. Great message within a book, but not an author I would read again.
This rough-around-the-edges novel records the last days of Big Angel’s life; Big Angel is dying of cancer just as his family gathers for his mother’s funeral. Regret, loss, and humor intermingle as many generations and branches of the family tree come from both sides of the border to be together. Memory is almost a character in and of itself – traumatic memories of abuse and violence, poignant memories of falling in love or in lust, and shared memories of being in relationship are woven throughout. This was a beautiful story of letting go with grace.
Going into this I expected to absolutely love it but a lot of it felt weirdly forced and not as genuine as I was expecting. However the story telling is incredible and you’re immediately drawn into the family dynamic and drama
I had previously read Into the Beautiful North by this same author and didn’t really appreciate and enjoy the book until months later when I went to hear the author speak at my library. He is a great storyteller, especially in person, and I could have listened to him talk for hours.
He spoke a little bit about this book which I think was just published at the time I saw him. While the book is fiction, it is based in part on his own extended family, especially his uncle Juan. Again I think without having heard the author speak I would have only given this 2 stars, like I gave the other book of his I read.
Big Angel is dying of cancer. The day before his big birthday party/farewell party he is burying his mom. It’s a tale of a big Mexican American family told over 2 days with a bunch of flashback memories thrown in. For about 2/3 of the book I was either having a hard time keeping track of who everyone was or just not really getting the point of the book. The final 1/3 was good. It mainly focused on the relationship between Big Angel and his half brother Little Angel.
I’m torn on whether or not I’d want to read more by the author.
He spoke a little bit about this book which I think was just published at the time I saw him. While the book is fiction, it is based in part on his own extended family, especially his uncle Juan. Again I think without having heard the author speak I would have only given this 2 stars, like I gave the other book of his I read.
Big Angel is dying of cancer. The day before his big birthday party/farewell party he is burying his mom. It’s a tale of a big Mexican American family told over 2 days with a bunch of flashback memories thrown in. For about 2/3 of the book I was either having a hard time keeping track of who everyone was or just not really getting the point of the book. The final 1/3 was good. It mainly focused on the relationship between Big Angel and his half brother Little Angel.
I’m torn on whether or not I’d want to read more by the author.
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
I wandered around at this party for the first half of the book, trying to find a character to latch on to and figure out how everybody is related. I stuck with it because the book is set in my city, and I recognized the landscape and the language. Then somewhere around the middle, I fell in love with the whole family, my heart started breaking, and by the end, I'm so grateful to LA Urrea for writing this book and introducing me to the Cruz family. Read this book. It's a miracle.
Luis Urrea is a very charming writer and, it turns out, a very engaging narrator. This family drama, which takes place over the course of a weekend, sprawls messily across several generations, and back and forth over the US-Mexican border. Urrea knows how to write characters. I listened to the audiobook, and the accents, which was worth it for the accents alone.
I picked up this book (actually audiobook) based on some reviews that I read, and I was very much looking forward to getting into it. I have to say that the reviews did not come close to describing how wonderful this story is. Perhaps it is because I am Hispanic and have lived in Mexico, but I found this book to be one of the best novels I have enjoyed in many years. To make it even better, the author himself narrates the audiobook. Urrea lightly performs the accents and emotions of his characters, adding emphasis and pauses where he intends so that the listener can best appreciate his story. I literally laughed out loud and cried real tears while driving back and forth to work, sometimes within just a few minutes. The story of a whacky Mexican-American family in San Diego sings with beautifully drawn characters, perfect dialog and twists that I did not see coming, but made perfect sense once revealed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys great stories.
I was on the wait list for this one seemingly forever, but it arrived, it was read, and I loved it. (Thank you to Debbie, Sherri, and TJ for encouraging me to hang in there!)
One might be tempted to note a few minor things: perhaps the problem of remembering who is who in the family tree, or the ending that almost too conveniently tied up all the loose ends, but the overarching beauty of the story and the structure is so compelling that I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen. My daughter loved it, my husband loved it. We talk about it and weep.