A review by maises
Magdalena by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

2.75

“I screamed at them, saying there was no ghost in there, and if there were one, I would welcome her, welcome her, welcome her.“

It was a bit of a struggle to get through the latter half of the book, not because it was challenging, but possibly because it wasn’t. I think that there were some interesting themes that this novel touched, specifically on freedom, choice, and generational trauma. I don’t think it succeeded too much in expanding those discussions. Personally, Brainard’s writing fluctuated in its strength to me where there were more compelling chapters than others. I think we could have done without so many switching character perspectives, only because mid-point I was confused on who was who and what their relationship was to other narrators—it was already enough that all of it was achronological.

Despite my disappointment with Magdalena, I still plan on reading other works of Brainard’s, just to give it another go. Magdalena’s subject matter and execution was not quite to my taste, but I appreciated the effort in depicting difficult familial relationships. Also, I hate to be immature about this: I just really did not get the foot fetish inclusion. And the breast milk scene. I’m good.