Reviews

PCT-W read #8

Luis Alberto Urrea writes the most delicious novels. And his audiobook narration is both personal and expert, easily 5-star productions on their own. I love the simple humor that colors this text, and the way a little absurdity makes these characters and timeline feel so contemporary. I will read anything, absolutely anything, he writes.

jobatkin's review against another edition

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5.0

Definitely up there with Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Louis de Bernieres as one of my favourite authors of Latin American stories. The author is descended from the Urrea family featured in the story and took the story of Teresita from family records of his great-great-great (or something) aunt. She was abandoned by her mother and raised grudgingly by her aunt on a rancho in Mexico before being acknowledged as the boss's illegitimate daughter and trained as a healer and medicine woman, developing her talents and skills to the point of performing all kinds of miracles. Her theology is a surprising mix of Catholic and traditional Mayo beliefs with peace and love as the centerpoint, but unfortunately corrupt land-stealing politicians and violent local men disrupt her healings and label her a revolutionary. I loved the bits of Spanish scattered throughout and the rich visuals painted of the landscapes as well as the story and eccentric, passionate, full of life characters. So well-written, loved it.

ambersbooks's review against another edition

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Love the sound of his narration and words, but not paying attention to any of it.

ally_bur's review against another edition

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adventurous informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Interesting book of historical fiction that revealed another side of the Porfiriato and early beginnings of the Mexican Revolution. I didn’t realize this was based on a true person until later in the book. I think this book was 100-200 pages too long though and would have benefited from some editing.

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The Hummingbird’s Daughter is the story of Teresita Urrea, a true historical figure sometimes known as Mexico’s Joan of Arc. She was the daughter of a wealthy ranch owner and a poor, young, indigenous ranch worker, grew up to be a folk healer and mystic, and was not shy about voicing her opposition to the actions and policies of both government and church. She was beloved by insurgents and, despite not being directly involved in their activities, was exiled by the Mexican government. She is also a relative of the author who combined family stories with years of research to create this engaging story of her life. The details of her life were fascinating - she came back to life at her own wake - and the author also did a great job depicting Mexican life in the late nineteenth century. The roles of class, ethnicity, misogyny and colonialism in Teresita’s life were obvious. I listened to the audiobook which was read by the author and which I recommend. It felt like listening to a master oral storyteller share a beloved family story which happened to also be a historical epic.

brendisrocks's review against another edition

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4.0

I listened to this book and found it enchanting

brynebo's review against another edition

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3.0

This is another book that didn't live up to its review in Bookmarks magazine (not that there aren't plenty that have!). Historical fiction is a touchy genre for me - I need the story to move along at a healthy gallop to really enjoy it. Overall, The Hummingbird's Daughter" was more of a trot. Though certainly a step up from the nonfiction "Devil's Highway."

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