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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
This is everything I wished The Humingbird's Daughter had been. I'd learned about Teresa Urrea in college and I was so eager to eat up these fictionalized accounts of her life. This part of the series, however, far outshined the earlier.
The writing was so beautiful the phrases would sometimes make me stop and just soak them in. It was a really powerful story which had me in tears at the end. I wish there could be more.
Incidentally I listed to the book on tape which was read by the author. What a treat. His performance was magical. The emphasis on all the words was just right- he was able to bring the book to life in a new way. I loved his voices almost as much as his prose.
The writing was so beautiful the phrases would sometimes make me stop and just soak them in. It was a really powerful story which had me in tears at the end. I wish there could be more.
Incidentally I listed to the book on tape which was read by the author. What a treat. His performance was magical. The emphasis on all the words was just right- he was able to bring the book to life in a new way. I loved his voices almost as much as his prose.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While I enjoyed Urrea's soaring prose, humour, and characters, I found the story wanting in direction. I found myself wanting him to abandon the historical altogether.
My first introduction to Luis Alberto Urrea was this interview on Writers and Company. I was hooked by his rendering of Spanglish dialect, and his tremendous storytelling. This is the fourth book I've enjoyed since hearing that interview and everyone has been just as engaging. I would heartily recommend anything written by Urrea, but even better, listen to one of his audiobooks because he brings the dialogue alive.
ARC received through the Goodreads First Reads program.
I made a bit of a blunder when I received this book--I didn't immediately find a copy of The Hummingbird's Daughter to read first. As a result, I felt like I was plunked down in the middle of a story, and it took a bit of flailing around to find my place and grab hold of the narrative thread. Granted, I still have not read The Hummingbird's Daughter, so I can't be certain that's why I didn't enjoy Queen of America as much as I expected to.
Teresita is 19 when the story begins. She and her father are living in Arizona, away from their home in Mexico. At the beginning of the story there are assassins after Teresita, but that sort of threat isn't present throughout the whole book. I believe that's a holdover from the first book, but it felt a little disjointed to me.
One device I found interesting was the way the passage of time sped up. At the beginning of the book, Teresita is 19. Time seems to pass slowly through the experiences at the beginning of the book, then speeds up as she travels to San Francisco and beyond under her contract with the Consortium. This seemed to be indicative of both how time speeds up as you get older and how urban America is more of a whirlwind of activity than rural Arizona or Mexico.
I love the way Urrea writes conversations. They're beautiful, and pick up the pace a bit in an often meandering book. The book, as a whole, doesn't seem to follow a well-structured story, but is more of a series of medications on different episodes in Teresita's life. In this particular case, that style didn't work for me very well.
I wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. I felt lost not knowing the backstory, and although some of the gaps were filled in there were still enough of them for me to really feel I was missing things. The story didn't really grab me, either--largely because I didn't feel strong connections to the characters.
Teresita, the Saint of Cabora, was a real woman. What's more, Urrea is a relative--Teresita was his great-aunt.
I made a bit of a blunder when I received this book--I didn't immediately find a copy of The Hummingbird's Daughter to read first. As a result, I felt like I was plunked down in the middle of a story, and it took a bit of flailing around to find my place and grab hold of the narrative thread. Granted, I still have not read The Hummingbird's Daughter, so I can't be certain that's why I didn't enjoy Queen of America as much as I expected to.
Teresita is 19 when the story begins. She and her father are living in Arizona, away from their home in Mexico. At the beginning of the story there are assassins after Teresita, but that sort of threat isn't present throughout the whole book. I believe that's a holdover from the first book, but it felt a little disjointed to me.
One device I found interesting was the way the passage of time sped up. At the beginning of the book, Teresita is 19. Time seems to pass slowly through the experiences at the beginning of the book, then speeds up as she travels to San Francisco and beyond under her contract with the Consortium. This seemed to be indicative of both how time speeds up as you get older and how urban America is more of a whirlwind of activity than rural Arizona or Mexico.
I love the way Urrea writes conversations. They're beautiful, and pick up the pace a bit in an often meandering book. The book, as a whole, doesn't seem to follow a well-structured story, but is more of a series of medications on different episodes in Teresita's life. In this particular case, that style didn't work for me very well.
I wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. I felt lost not knowing the backstory, and although some of the gaps were filled in there were still enough of them for me to really feel I was missing things. The story didn't really grab me, either--largely because I didn't feel strong connections to the characters.
Teresita, the Saint of Cabora, was a real woman. What's more, Urrea is a relative--Teresita was his great-aunt.
I loved Luis Alberto Urrea’s Into the Beautiful North so when I found out about the opportunity to review Queen of America, I jumped.
drey’s thoughts:
Queen of America is a long and rambly story of Teresita Urrea – the Saint of Cabora – after she escapes Mexico and lands in the United States – and chronicles her journey from healer to wife to mother.
As you follow along on her travels, you often forget that Teresita is only barely out of her teenage years. She learns that fame is fleeting – wealth and love as well, and family ties can bind you tighter and longer than you may want. And everybody wants to use you.
The storytelling lulls and rocks you as it takes Teresita from coast to coast – much like the trains she rode on. Her emotions are hidden but her thoughts are frequently entertaining, especially in her conversations with Huila, her old mentor. One of my favorite passages is when Huila scolds Teresita for moping:
“You have learned you are not perfect. You are no different from any other person. But God still pours His power into you. No one can know why. Frankly, I am irritated with you. But God believes. He’s strange that way. God believes in you. So wake the hell up and go forward. There is no time left for lazy moping. Not now. Child! If you were born to be a flood, you cannot insult Heaven by insisting you are a drought.”
Some parts of Queen of America went by slowly, but overall this is a lyrical story of a young woman trying to figure out her way in a strange new world – one of America in the late 1800s where the Mexicans living along the southern border were as proprietary of their America as the gringos. Take your time with this one, it’s a perfect read to curl up with on a cold dark winter evening.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
drey’s thoughts:
Queen of America is a long and rambly story of Teresita Urrea – the Saint of Cabora – after she escapes Mexico and lands in the United States – and chronicles her journey from healer to wife to mother.
As you follow along on her travels, you often forget that Teresita is only barely out of her teenage years. She learns that fame is fleeting – wealth and love as well, and family ties can bind you tighter and longer than you may want. And everybody wants to use you.
The storytelling lulls and rocks you as it takes Teresita from coast to coast – much like the trains she rode on. Her emotions are hidden but her thoughts are frequently entertaining, especially in her conversations with Huila, her old mentor. One of my favorite passages is when Huila scolds Teresita for moping:
“You have learned you are not perfect. You are no different from any other person. But God still pours His power into you. No one can know why. Frankly, I am irritated with you. But God believes. He’s strange that way. God believes in you. So wake the hell up and go forward. There is no time left for lazy moping. Not now. Child! If you were born to be a flood, you cannot insult Heaven by insisting you are a drought.”
Some parts of Queen of America went by slowly, but overall this is a lyrical story of a young woman trying to figure out her way in a strange new world – one of America in the late 1800s where the Mexicans living along the southern border were as proprietary of their America as the gringos. Take your time with this one, it’s a perfect read to curl up with on a cold dark winter evening.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-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
How does an esteemed author follow up an acclaimed epic novel? Luis Alberto Urrea finds a way, continuing the saga of Teresita Urrea, the Saint of Cabora, as she and her father Tomas cross the border into the U.S. At nearly 500 pages, the pace is nevertheless rapid, covering several cross-country moves over a decade and a half. The last chapter is positively exquisite - I found myself reading it over and over again just to relive the touch of a master at the peak of his craft. While "The Hummingbird's Daughter" should certainly be read first, "Queen of America" is a classic on its own merits and is well worth reading.
Queen of America is the sequel to The Hummingbird's Daughter, which was a spectacular book. A magical realism take on the stories of Urrea's own ancestor. Queen of America picks up where the last book takes off, more or less, as Teresita and her father Tomas cross the border from Mexico to the United States.
This isn't as strong a book as the first. And most of the first half lags considerably. Unlike with Hummingbird, I found myself putting it down. It picks up in the last third or so. The difference I think is about the reader's connection to Teresita, her struggles and triumphs both. Urrea loses that in Queen.
Overall though it's still an excellent book and worth a read, especially if you're a Hummingbird fan.
This isn't as strong a book as the first. And most of the first half lags considerably. Unlike with Hummingbird, I found myself putting it down. It picks up in the last third or so. The difference I think is about the reader's connection to Teresita, her struggles and triumphs both. Urrea loses that in Queen.
Overall though it's still an excellent book and worth a read, especially if you're a Hummingbird fan.