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 ⭐
“José drew skulls that were doing all sorts of things. They were eating, dancing, and riding bicycles. They were called calaveras.”
Pay attention to the beginning as it is what helps situate this Campbellian monomyth. 5h
Yes, it is a book about migration, but also more metaphorical border crossing 5h