“The parties at the Tuñóns‘ house always ended unquestionably late, and since the hosts enjoyed costume parties in particular, it was not unusual to see Chinas Poblanas with their folkloric skirts and ribbons in their hair arrive in the company of a harlequin or a cowboy.” #firstlinefridays @ShyBookOwl
pickI almost gave up on this and was starting to wonder what people were talking about and then I flipped the page and the storyline picked up and it was atmosphericly gorgeous and creepy. Oh so creepy and the last 10% percent went by faster than I could have expected.
I absolutely loved how much the setting and the house itself were such characters along the Mexican countryside showcasing some of the glitz of the 1950's.
pickA timely read, the book offers a “hero's journey“ of Makina, a Mexican woman sent by her mother to find her brother on the 'other side', while also carrying a “package“ for a certain Mr. Aitch. While something is always lost in translation, I think Lisa Dillman worked hard (at least according to the Translator's Note) to pick up on the craft of Herrera's writing.
pickAn unusual commute to school includes crossing the border and getting breakfast from a street vendor while waiting 2 hours in line.
pick“Claudia Guadalupe Martínez‘s gentle, poetic text offers just enough language to anchor the reader emotionally and historically within the journey. By telling the story through a child‘s voice, she brings a subtle intimacy to a moment of historical trauma that turns the political into something deeply personal.”
Read the full review here: https://wowlit.org/on-line-publications/review/xviii-1/10/
pickA quiet yet engrossing tale of female friendships. Three Mexican girls have in common their love of embroidery. As Mila plans a memorial service for one of them, she looks back on their lives, especially how they began to grow apart during a trip to Europe in their late teens. #Translation by Christina MacSweeney #LGBTQ
“Citlali was a very selective and slow reader, managing only one chapter at a time—she hated books without chapters.”
[Note: this novel isn‘t divided into chapters. Instead, long and short sections are separated with images of a threaded needle.]
Echinoderms—starfish—can regenerate lost arms, an ability not shared by mammals. To some extent, but by no means totally, we have compensated for this lack with needles and thread.
"One of the very first bullets comes in through the open window above the toilet where Luca is Standing "
#FirstLineFridays
pickThe harsh reasons and
experiences of an immigrant's journey from Mexico to the United States. 5 ⭐
