Sunday, July 22, 2018

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

[I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]  

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Historical fiction/Latino lit
Features: Childhood/growing up, post-traumatic stress disorder, government corruption, the strength/endurance of women, tragedy, class differences
Quotes:

"Mama always said--the life she knew was a last-minute tsunami that could sweep away fathers, money, food and children. You were never in control, so it was better to let things run their course."

"I closed my eyes, thankful for the blood thumping in my body, thankful for Mama's life, and I imagined Petrona's blood thumping in her body too, and I felt like we were all joined in some way."


I really enjoyed this book, and gave it 4/5 stars! One of the main things I liked about it was the writing style. True to much Latino literature, this book embraced magical realism -- the spiritual and supernatural were referenced throughout the book as explanations for unknown situations or behaviors. I loved the beautiful blending of the natural, physical world with the supernatural. I also liked how the author showed the violence and corruption of Colombia through the eyes of children by rotating the narration between her two female main characters, Chula and Petrona. 

The characters felt well-developed also. They weren't perfect, which made them real. They had quirks, flaws, and moments of selfless greatness. Most of the main characters were women, too, and I appreciated how Rojas Contreras showed the strength of women during difficult times and tragedy. Her women were stubborn and courageous, unwilling to let hunger, violence, death, and government corruption destroy their loved ones. I loved reading about the fierce, loving women, and how they dealt with hardships. And I loved that Rojas Contreras didn't sugarcoat the hardships -- they were genuine, and couldn't be easily wrapped up with a happily ever after. 

I think what I enjoyed most about the book was the historic and cultural background. I studied Spanish in college along with some Latino literature, so all the Spanish words and phrases the author included, all the cultural nuances, and all details about Colombia and its people were fantastic. It made me want to study South American countries more and brush up on my rusty Spanish. It was especially interesting seeing the class differences in Colombia through the eyes of Petrona and Chula. One girl grew up in poverty, and the other grew up in wealth, but tragedy affected them both.

Overall, the book was a very enjoyable read! Now I want to get my hands on some Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez!

No comments:

Post a Comment