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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Wow, an amazing collection of short stories that really bring us to the 1980s in the Fresno, CA area. The interconnectedness of some of the stories was masterful and I immediately texted friends who I know would love this. What a gift. I don't always love the short story format because I often find them lacking in some way but these were each so robust and full of story.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Consequences is a short story collection with most being set in and around California’s Central Valley in the 1980s. The focus is on Mexican and Mexican-American workers and their families - their loneliness, their vulnerability, their dogged determination. The impact of La Migra on their lives was claustrophobic and omnipotent. I was horrified to learn that farm owners/managers call ICE on their own workers when the harvest is nearly complete in order to avoid paying them their final wages. Two related short stories, both featuring Teddy, a gay man, were powerful, particularly the second because the first had already revealed the ultimate outcome of his sister’s understandable actions. Definitely worth the read with each story contributing to the bigger picture.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Deportation
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
THE CONSEQUENCES follows interconnected characters living in California's Central Valley. Set in the 1980s, Muñoz depicts personal challenges and ruthless struggles of the lives of the Mexican and Mexican American farmworkers in the small towns around Fresno. With unflinching portrayal yet tender care, THE CONSEQUENCES reveals the inner lives of workers and the impact of their choices.
A couple of stories that left an imprint on me are Anyone Can Do It, where two women trying to survive their husband's deportation, The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA, which highlights the small kindness between strangers, and Susto, a haunting story about a foreman who discovers a body and one that leaves room for interpretation.
THE CONSEQUENCES is a muted yet profound anthology where Muñoz expertly weaves together the themes of time, trust, love, and the results of our choices.
A couple of stories that left an imprint on me are Anyone Can Do It, where two women trying to survive their husband's deportation, The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA, which highlights the small kindness between strangers, and Susto, a haunting story about a foreman who discovers a body and one that leaves room for interpretation.
THE CONSEQUENCES is a muted yet profound anthology where Muñoz expertly weaves together the themes of time, trust, love, and the results of our choices.
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wonderful stories and a wonderfully constructed reading experience.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
I really loved this collection so much. They are quiet but so powerful. They do so much with the small moments in life. It’s a really sharp look at class and sexuality in Fresno in the ‘80s, especially in the families of migrant farm workers. They are slice-of-life stories but done so so well. I think my favorite was the last one, What Kind of Fool Am I, but really they were all good.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes