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Tarnished Beauty: A Novel

by Cecilia Samartin (Goodreads Author)

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 480 ratings · 45 reviews

Jamilet is a beautiful young woman marred by a shockingly gruesome birthmark. It spills over her back and down her legs, twisting and writhing like a hideous cape of blood, causing her to be shunned by the villagers of her rural Mexican town. In search of medical salvation, this angel with the devil's mark is finally driven to escape north and cross the border illegally to...more

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published March 18th 2008 by Atria (first published 2005)

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Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea

Novels about Undocumented (Illegal) Immigrants

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Feb 06, 2011 Katri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Katri by: my mother

Loved this. Beautiful, original, with fascinating characters and stories, filled with emotion yet not too sentimental. I found the ending somehow a bit rushed (though I loved the final pages) and there were a few times where I felt confused by the logic of the events, otherwise I might have given it five stars. Will keep an eye out for Samartin's other works.

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Feb 26, 2013 Liv rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

God historie, overfladisk sprog.
Denne roman søger virkelig at røre sine læsere - men alligevel er det som om, at det aldrig rigtig lykkedes den.
Historien er god nok til at gøre det, men sproget blokerer vejen for historien, og den ender derfor bare som en middelmådig bog. Dertil kommer, at karaktererne er for uskyldige, for overfladiske til at man egentlig føler, at man mærker dem. Jeg vil derimod ikke give bogen en dårlig anbefaling, for én ting fungerer dog stadig, og det er budskabet. Jamile...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Emilie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

IIIH! I really really really liked this book! When I studied Sociology in New York a couple of years back I took a class called "Sociology 35; global culture". During that course we focused a lot on USA and Canada's relation towards Mexico and the citizens there. Since then, I've been pretty much super fashionated about the Mexican border. Although, this time I didn't read course litterature or non-fiction books about the topic; I read a novel.

Jamilet crosses the mexican border to find a doctor...more IIIH! I really really really liked this book! When I studied Sociology in New York a couple of years back I took a class called "Sociology 35; global culture". During that course we focused a lot on USA and Canada's relation towards Mexico and the citizens there. Since then, I've been pretty much super fashionated about the Mexican border. Although, this time I didn't read course litterature or non-fiction books about the topic; I read a novel.

Jamilet crosses the mexican border to find a doctor that can help her get rid of a nasty mark on her back. To be able to afford this she gets a job at a mental hospital(where she must hide her identity as an illegal immigrant).

I had some trouble with the way Señor Peregrino was presented into the story. I expected some real scary monster-like person which everyone were scared to death of(since that's how they sort of told Jamilet he was like). Turned out he was just a grumpy man. Well okay... Although once we passed all that and I came to the part where he and Jamilet started bonding and hear his interesting life story, I started to like his character a whole lot more.

As for Eddie... Oh Eddie. I do not care for you at all. I did not get the whole potential love story going on there. Okay, I guess I have read a whole lot of love stories that were much much MUCH worse. He just felt so pointless. Sometimes a book will do just fine without love. Sure, Eddie was needed since he got her the job at the hospital and served as her new friend in a strange country. But love? Why not settle with friend?? Sometimes that's OK!

And last but not least; Carmen! I sooo enjoyed reading about her, Jamilet's aunt. She changed so much from the beginning of the book when she too lived in Mexico, to by the middle when she had lived in USA for about seven years and accepted Jamilet to her home. I laughed at basically anything she did (not a mean laugh, I just thought she was kinda cool). I would be so scared if I lived in her house! THERE we have a scary creature, she should have been Señor Peregrino...

But all in all, I love this book! I will definitely read more books by Cecilia Samartin, but this time probably in English. Read this one in Swedish and there were so many misstakes with the translation and grammar. But oh well, still a great story.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes, starting a book with no expectations is incredibly rewarding. The cover to TARNISHED BEAUTY seems erotic to me, all bare flesh and silky material. The typeface used on the cover screams science fiction. Neither is true of the novel. The blurb is accurate to the novel’s contents, but it seems plain. TARNISHED BEAUTY is anything but.

I love this novel. It pulled me in and did not let go even after I turned the last page, sometime between Anthropology and my bio section. I did not want to...more Sometimes, starting a book with no expectations is incredibly rewarding. The cover to TARNISHED BEAUTY seems erotic to me, all bare flesh and silky material. The typeface used on the cover screams science fiction. Neither is true of the novel. The blurb is accurate to the novel’s contents, but it seems plain. TARNISHED BEAUTY is anything but.

I love this novel. It pulled me in and did not let go even after I turned the last page, sometime between Anthropology and my bio section. I did not want to leave the world Samartin so vividly brought to life.

Jamilet possesses a beautiful face, but a hideous birthmark causes her superstitious Mexican village to shun her. She lives, unable to attend school, with her sickly and sad mother. Once her mother dies, she crosses the border to live with her aunt. Having grown up in scorned seclusion, Jamilet has trouble relating to others. Yet the boy across the street still helps her find employment at a local hospital. There she attends to the mysterious Señor Peregrino (Mister Pilgrim).

He forces Jamilet to listen to his story in the beginning, but she, like the reader, becomes entranced and listens of her own free will. He tells of his time as a pilgrim on the Road to Santiago in Spain. He and his friend Tomas eventually join with the beautiful Rosa and later the bold Jenny. It’s a tale of tangled loves, dedication, and dashed hopes. The story-within-a-story is perhaps even more beautiful than the tale that frames it.

Samartin’s characters are incredible. They are all flawed, but strong. Some are insecure; some are bold. Some are jaded; some are naïve. Every one of them seems real. Their stories resonate because of this strong sense of character.

People do not do great things in TARNISHED BEAUTY. Instead, they live. They connect. That’s enough for me.

TARNISHED BEAUTY does have a hefty cover price: 23.95 USD. Still, you can read it in the library and buy the paperback when it comes out. This is a book worth reading. Sometimes, starting a book with no expectations is incredibly rewarding because you discover a work of great beauty.(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Mays rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: american

***SPOILER ALERT****

I must admit that I don't usually go for books like this, but when my teacher told us we had to read this for English class I was actually quite excited. I've heard great things about this book, especially since this book is a bestseller in Norway.

The book was well-written and the story is, to some degree, intrigueing. Throughout the book, the drama never subsides and there is always something going on in the background, so to speak. Samartin manages to describe the setting a...more ***SPOILER ALERT****

I must admit that I don't usually go for books like this, but when my teacher told us we had to read this for English class I was actually quite excited. I've heard great things about this book, especially since this book is a bestseller in Norway.

The book was well-written and the story is, to some degree, intrigueing. Throughout the book, the drama never subsides and there is always something going on in the background, so to speak. Samartin manages to describe the setting and characters very well, especially when Señor Peregrino starts telling his story. It's a book filled to the brim with a vivid language and many details, something I really appreciated.

Although I found this to be very good, I thought there were some bad moments in the book. Not necessarily moments, but the execution of something which I believe was the concept for (?) the book. For instance, sometimes I feel as if Samartin pressed all the drama in the world into two or three pages, and this can at times become quite confusing and exhausting. I also thought that Señor Peregrino's story could be boring at times and I have to admit that I sighed everytime he continued his story.
I also think that one of the problems (maybe the biggest problem) of this book/writing style was that towards the end, there were just too many loose threads. You never got to know what happened to (for instance) Gabriela, Eddie and Jamilet's relationship and Gabriela and Louis' relationship. Now, I don't necessarily think that a book should be extremely transparent or predictable. I actually think it could be a good thing to not be those things I just mentioned. But in this case, it just seemed too far-fetched and as if the author had abruptly decided to write the end just because she got sick of writing on the book or as if she didn't have enough time to look it through before she had to turn it in. Kind of like the book got too long and she was running out of pages to fill out or she suddenly decided to travel to a faraway place where she can't write.
Enough metaphores/descriptions/whatever. You do catch my drift, I hope.

I didn't like the end at all, to be honest. I just liked the part about Señor Peregrino and Jamilet sitting in the park outside Braewood, but other than that, it was just too sporadic for my liking.
To some extent, the book got ruined for me, not only because I really disliked the ending but also because of the things I was writing about earlier.
Though, I still don't feel that I can give the book a worse "score" than three stars. That's because I actually quite enjoyed the book and I had an urge to keep reading it, so Samartin was not totally off here.

All in all, a quite entertaining read; I would recommend it (the book, that is) to bored housewives and anyone who thinks they're really deep and all of that good stuff. Plus wannabe latino princesses who still believe in that bullshit that they can grow up to be whatever they'd like to be. I don't know why, but somehow I just feel that they would especially appreciate this book. (Read: Last passage should be read by a person with a well developed sense of irony).(less)

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May 29, 2010 Malin rated it 3 of 5 stars

My mother read this book translated into Norwegian, and recommended it to me. When reading books that are originally written in a language I do not read fluently, such as Spanish or Russian, I have no problem reading the book in Norwegian, and often prefer to, as despite living in Norway, and even teaching Norwegian in school, I tend to read nearly everything in English nowadays. The Norwegian title of the book is Senor Peregrino, making me believe the original novel was in Spanish. Once I reali...more My mother read this book translated into Norwegian, and recommended it to me. When reading books that are originally written in a language I do not read fluently, such as Spanish or Russian, I have no problem reading the book in Norwegian, and often prefer to, as despite living in Norway, and even teaching Norwegian in school, I tend to read nearly everything in English nowadays. The Norwegian title of the book is Senor Peregrino, making me believe the original novel was in Spanish. Once I realized it was originally written in English, however, I tracked down a copy on Amazon and ordered it for myself.

The title Tarnished Beauty refers to the protagonist Jamilet Juárez, a young Mexican girl cursed with a massive bloodred birthmark covering her back from her shoulders to her knees. Believed from birth to be associated with the Devil, as her virtuous and beautiful mother became pregnant through rape (although Jamilet's mother, grandmother and aunt keep telling her colourful, if differing stories about the violent and dramatic ways her supposed father died long ago), Jamilet leads an extremely sheltered life in the tiny Mexican village that was her home. She learns English during a year her mother works as a maid for an American family, and she is allowed to play with the daughter of the house. Once her mother dies, she has no choice but to travel to the US, as she is shunned by the villagers, and she hopes that in America doctors will be able to cure her of her terrible blemish.

In Los Angeles, she moves in with her drunken aunt, and after her aunt helps her get fake documents, she is able to get a job at the nearby lunatic asylum. She falls hopelessly in love with Eddie, a boy dating the girl next door, and dreams of him, while trying to cope with her duties taking care of the foul-tempered, if very clever Senor Peregrino in the asylum. Clearly not a normal mental patient, he has sumptous furniture and Jamilet's personal duties involve fetching his food, running his errands and cleaning his room, although she is under strict instructions not to involve him in conversations, or listen to his delusional stories.

After being attacked by the hospital janitor, Jamilet is saved by the strange, old man, but loses her documents, and strikes up a bargain to have them returned. She promises to listen to his story about the pilgrimage he took in his youth, to Santiago the Compostela in his native Spain, and at the end of the story, he will give her back her documents. As the mysterious Senor Peregrino tells Jamilet his story, they develop a close friendship, which will change both their lives.

The book is well written, and Jamilet's loneliness, kindness and sadness is very well rendered by the author. She pines for a boy she believes she cannot have, and dreams of having her birthmark removed, so she can live a normal life, and not have to cover herself constantly. The story drags a bit in places during Peregrino's pilgrimage tale, and the end is a bit aprupt and sudden (and I read other places online that a lot of people really did not like it), but I think the story wraps up on a very hopeful note, with the author leaving some things unanswered on purpose. (less)

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Apr 24, 2008 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-from-public-library

I chuckled at the title when I looked at the book in the library. I assumed it was some crappy V.C. Andrews-wannabe with lots of incest and molestation, but skimming through it, I realized the writing was good and the characters seemed solid. I raced through it today because I didn't want to put it down. While washing my floors, I kept pausing to read just one more paragraph.

The story is about a young Mexican girl born with a very dark red birthmark from her shoulders to the back of her knees. S...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Tara Chevrestt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spain, historical-fiction

Once again, I am left amazed and reeling by the writing of Cecilia Samartin. When I read her work (and this is my 2nd one) I find myself pulling on my hair and muttering to myself, "Now this is a real writer, the kind of writer I only dream of being. My work sucks compared to this."

In Tarnished Beauty, there are two stories, the first one being about Jamilet. The time is... 1950s? (I assumed this because of the reference to Elvis music.) The setting is Mexico. Jamilet has a huge birthmark that...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Noora rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: viihde, draama, romantiikka

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 21, 2013 Kristina Olsen added it · review of another edition

It´s been a little over a year since I´ve read it, but the impression Señor Peregrino made in my life hasn't left me yet. It's a beautiful, poetic story about young Jamilet and her journey towards self-acceptance and love.

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Dec 08, 2012 Katri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

Mikä ihana ja lumoava kirja kaikista kliseemäisyyksistä ja lopuista huolimatta. Ihan harmitti välillä kun joutui pitämään lukemisessa taukoja ja loput parisataa sivua luinkin yhdellä rykäyksellä. Ihana.

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Dec 03, 2010 Dalia rated it 5 of 5 stars

After seeing this book in my local library several times I finally checked it out, and I am so glad I did. Tarnished Beauty is the story of Jamilet, a beautiful young woman with a "disfiguring" birthmark, who immigrates from Mexico to the U.S. and lands a job in a mental hospital. Her job at the hospital only requires her to take care of one person: the elderly and disagreeable Señor Peregrino. When Señor Peregrino asks that Jamilet listens to his story the two of them create a friendship of sor...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Tuva Lund rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loooved it!!!

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Oct 30, 2011 Eva Dillner rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read the Swedish translation. It's yet another story about a pilgrimage along El Camino. Having read Paulo Coehlo's and Shirley MacLaine's accounts, this one pales in comparison. Yet this book is not really about the pilgrimage, but about the girl Jamilet. Like most latino writing there is quirkiness to the language and the action, quite charming and lovely to read. For the most part I enjoyed the book but not nearly as much as I'd expected. A few too many loose ends by the end of the story.

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Mar 18, 2008 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, 4-star-fiction

I picked up an advanced reader's copy, not sure what to think of it. I ended up really enjoying it, which surprised me. I know you aren't supposed to judge a book by its cover, but we all do -- and this cover made the book seem like some cheesy romance. It's not. It's actually an interesting story about two people thrown together, dealing with the fate dealt to them, taking different forms of pilgrimage, hoping to find salvation outside of their own imaginations. I definitely recommend it.

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Apr 30, 2012 TaniaM rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Em resumo este livro foi o caos! A protagonista tinha uma pancada muito grande na cabeça, aliado a um doente que conta histórias da rota de Santiago e respetivos amores e a uma tia meio louca e um vizinho giraço com namorada e estranho...é um enredo surreal!

Nem sei bem o que diga, tinha tudo para ser um livro fantástico mas acho que fantasiaram demasiado e aquele final foi mesmo tipo ah acabou assim, ok!

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Jun 21, 2010 Sarah O'connor rated it 5 of 5 stars

A really great story about a (present-day) girl who illegallly enters the US to escape her life, and hide from a terrible birthmark that has dominated her life in Mexico. She gets a job taking care of one patient at a mental asylum who tells her this enthrallingly romantic story about his pilgrimmage in Spain. In essence through sharing their stories they save each other. Great read!

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Oct 08, 2012 Håkon Frode rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very good book that worked even better by reading both books in order.

The book flows very nice and it's good rhythm.
I could imagine that the book ended a bit in accordance with the start.
I recommend both pelegrino books to anyone who likes good literature and especially if you have been or want to go pilgrimage trip to Santiago del Compostello.

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Sep 10, 2012 Jan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed the writing. Captured my interest at the beginning and held it through the end. The end was rather "mystical" and I agree with the notation on the book cover: "In an inspiring story of redemption, faith and the enduring power of love, Samartin offers an enlightening perspective on the true meaning of beauty."

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Mar 31, 2010 An-D Koenig-Feldman rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a good read- it woves two different, equally compelling stories of a young woman and an elderly man. Both filled with love and heart break. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I gave it only 4 stars cause I thought that Jamilet's 'love' story was a little weak.

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Aug 05, 2011 Marian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Grei nok. Men denne boka er for lett og søtladen for meg. Har du til gode noe av Isabel Allende, Pablo Coelho så velg heller det. Eller norske Kristin Vallas "Muskat". Dette er boken for deg som liker litt svulstig, adjektivrikt om emosjoner.

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Aug 04, 2008 Sylvia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had a chance to meet and speak with the author who shared with our group what inspired her to write the story. Her work experience and own personal journey guide this story about an unusual friendship. The story is well written and charming.

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Apr 26, 2012 Elin rated it 2 of 5 stars

The story is kind of cozy, although I didn't quite love it. I thought all the loose threads were going to knit together in the end, but they didn't. Also, the language was a bit strange, but that could've depended on the translator.

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Aug 17, 2009 Irene rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Tone, Ellen, Judith

Recommended to Irene by: Else

A beautiful book about love.Couldnt stop reading.
Denne boken likte jeg virkelig godt. Klarte ikke å legge den fra meg. Den heter Senor Peregrino på norsk og er samme forfatter som Ghostheart (Drømmehjerte)

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Sep 23, 2011 Tiina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked the atmosphere of this book, it reminded me of Isabel Allende. Not really a page turner but nonetheless I could not put it down before finding out what happens in the end.

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Mar 03, 2011 Iaintworried rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

Lovely story, but the end ruined everything! The old man should've stayed creepy, it was way too innocent and happy to travel to Spain with the girl. Argh!

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May 25, 2010 Ida Marie Heggem rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: love-stories, favorites

a very sweet story <3 I particularly liked the twist in the end and how it was all sorted out. How the characters have to deal with vanity, pride and regret.

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Jul 26, 2011 Rune Kaus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Leser igjen for andre gang. Nydelig bok som er verd å lese flere ganger. Fikk lyst til å gå "caminoen" første gang jeg leste boka.

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Apr 23, 2011 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Wow! This was nicely done, very fascinating and moving. The characters were wonderful and the relationships developed were great.

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Sep 09, 2011 Anna-Sofie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful fable about love, passion, and accepting yourself the way you are. Highly recommendable and quite a pageturner.

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About Cecilia Samartin

I was born in Cuba at the height of the revolution. My family left when I was nine months old so I have no memories of my own, although I "borrowed" countless memories from my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
I grew up in a quiet Los Angeles suburb and secretly dreamed of becoming a writer, but after high school I decided to study psychology instead and became a marriage and fami...more

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“Magic is for weak-hearted fools, whereas miracles are born of faith, and nothing else.” — 1 person liked it

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