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mrrdith 's review for:
The Tortilla Curtain
by T.C. Boyle
I did not like this book, which was kind of upsetting for me because I went in expecting it to be AMAZING. On paper, I should like [b:The Tortilla Curtain|24731|The Tortilla Curtain|T.C. Boyle|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388208754s/24731.jpg|1267673]. It's about immigration, weirdly, one of my favorite topics. It's whole point is to show the hypocrisy of the middle class, white, liberal existence, which I am ALL ABOUT. On top of these two excellent reasons that I should like this book, I borrowed it from a friend who loves it, and I generally trust his taste. But. But, but, but.
But, I found The Tortilla Curtain to be very heavy-handed, over-simplified look at immigration told from an obtrusively male perspective.
Breaking this down, first, the heavy-handedness: The Tortilla Curtain is unrelenting to the Mexican couple, Cándido and América. It's as if Boyle is determined to prove that immigrating to the US is hopeless. Every time that Cándido and América seem on the point of making it - of being able to live with dignity, something happens, and they lose all their money. The worst part is that many of the "something happens" happening are immigrant on immigrant, Latinx on Latinx.
The white characters, Delaney and Kyra, become more and more racist as the book progresses to a truly disgusting level of hate, despite Delaney's self-identified humanist and liberal values. Both Delaney and Kyra show a complete utter lack of compassion towards other human beings that I find incomprehensible. They both get repeatedly mad at the "Mexicans" for being homeless and for wanting work. The amount of privilege they each display only grows throughout the novel to ridiculous levels.
Over and over again, Cándido and América get screwed and Delaney and Kyra display obscene amounts of racism and privilege. Okay, okay, I freaking get it. Being Mexican/Latinx in this country sucks and white people have power. Thanks, Boyle.
The heavy-handedness leads into the over-simplification. Because América and Cándido keep getting screwed over and Kyra and Delaney keep exercising their privilege and hate, that's all there is to this story. The deeply complex issue of immigration is reduced to hopelessness and racism. The story is flat and empty and repetitive.
And, finally, the obtrusively male perspective. There are just little comments that a male narrator will make about a woman's body that are completely unnecessary to anything throughout the novel that drive me crazy. And, The compassionless characters, all of them, even the women, feels like imposed masculinity in the worst way.
The only thing I liked about this novel - why it's getting two stars - is that it did emphasize the hypocrisy of the white middle class. But I'm not sure that's worth the read.
Also, Boyle uses an insane amount of adjectives. To the point that it's overwhelming.
But, I found The Tortilla Curtain to be very heavy-handed, over-simplified look at immigration told from an obtrusively male perspective.
Breaking this down, first, the heavy-handedness: The Tortilla Curtain is unrelenting to the Mexican couple, Cándido and América. It's as if Boyle is determined to prove that immigrating to the US is hopeless. Every time that Cándido and América seem on the point of making it - of being able to live with dignity, something happens, and they lose all their money. The worst part is that many of the "something happens" happening are immigrant on immigrant, Latinx on Latinx.
The white characters, Delaney and Kyra, become more and more racist as the book progresses to a truly disgusting level of hate, despite Delaney's self-identified humanist and liberal values. Both Delaney and Kyra show a complete utter lack of compassion towards other human beings that I find incomprehensible. They both get repeatedly mad at the "Mexicans" for being homeless and for wanting work. The amount of privilege they each display only grows throughout the novel to ridiculous levels.
Over and over again, Cándido and América get screwed and Delaney and Kyra display obscene amounts of racism and privilege. Okay, okay, I freaking get it. Being Mexican/Latinx in this country sucks and white people have power. Thanks, Boyle.
The heavy-handedness leads into the over-simplification. Because América and Cándido keep getting screwed over and Kyra and Delaney keep exercising their privilege and hate, that's all there is to this story. The deeply complex issue of immigration is reduced to hopelessness and racism. The story is flat and empty and repetitive.
And, finally, the obtrusively male perspective. There are just little comments that a male narrator will make about a woman's body that are completely unnecessary to anything throughout the novel that drive me crazy. And,
Spoiler
there's a rape scene that's also completely unnecessary to the plot and ends up being more about the male character than the female character that was raped. What the heck.The only thing I liked about this novel - why it's getting two stars - is that it did emphasize the hypocrisy of the white middle class. But I'm not sure that's worth the read.
Also, Boyle uses an insane amount of adjectives. To the point that it's overwhelming.