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Barbarian Nurseries
Barbarian Nurseries | Héctor Tobar
3 posts | 4 read | 11 to read
Winner of the California Book Award for FictionA "Los Angeles Times" BestsellerBest Book of the Year Lists"The New York Times Book Review" "Los Angeles Times""San Francisco Chronicle" "The Boston Globe" Scott and Maureen Torres-Thompson have always relied on others to run their Orange County home. But when bad investments crater their bank account, it all comes down to Araceli: their somewhat prickly Mexican maid. One night, an argument between the couple turns physical, and a misunderstanding leaves the children in Araceli's care. Their parents unreachable, she takes them to central Los Angeles in the hopes of finding Scott's estranged Mexican father---an earnest quest that soon becomes a colossal misadventure, with consequences that ripple through every strata of the sprawling city. Hector Tobar's "The Barbarian Nurseries" is a masterful tale of contemporary Los Angeles, a novel as alive as the city itself."
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Hanje
Barbarian Nurseries | Héctor Tobar
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Mehso-so

Read this for book club, probably never would have chosen it for myself. Listened to it on audio while traveling, worked well while driving, not so well while flying. There were parts that I enjoyed, but overall it left me cold. Disappointing ending.

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Leelee.reads
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Pickpick

I was often impatient with this book. Felt like author was spinning story as sprawling as the LA setting, and found myself skimming pages, like when eyes drift over passing landscape on a long road trip, waiting for destination to arrive. I recognized many accurate descriptions of So. California life: White Privilege, materialism, racism, isolation, socio-economic divides, need to "keep up appearances." A good read; I liked but didn't love it.

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Leelee.reads
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Anyone read this? What did you think? This 2011 novel won several awards, but there are no Litsy reviews yet- I'm almost done and would enjoy hearing others' thoughts on this one as I'm contemplating what I've read so far. 🤓

LauraBeth He description sounds great! 8y
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