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56th out of 107 books
—
8 voters
Josefina's Sin: A Novel
by
Claudia H. Long (Goodreads Author)
A thrilling and passionate debut about a sheltered landowner’s wife whose life is turned upside down when she visits the royal court in seventeenth-century Mexico.When Josefina accepts an invitation from the Marquessa to come stay and socialize with the intellectual and cultural elite in her royal court, she is overwhelmed by the Court’s complicated world. She finds hersel...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
August 9th 2011
by Atria Books
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Josefina Maria del Carmen Asturias de Castillo took care of her father's house and his accounts hen her mother died at the tender age of fifteen. Now, nineteen, she is to wed wealthy landowner Manuel Castillo Coronado. Their first few years of married life are good and they have a few sons. Josefina is content but she dreams of nobility, courtlife and other passions.
When she is invited to Viceroyal Court by the Marquessa, Josefina is torn. She wants to go as she has never gone anywhere but her...more
When she is invited to Viceroyal Court by the Marquessa, Josefina is torn. She wants to go as she has never gone anywhere but her...more
Josefina is a typical woman living in 17th Century Mexico. Josefina has always taken care of the men in her life. First, her father when her mother died ,and now her husband, Manuel Coronado. She is a good wife and mother as is expected of her during the time period. Women of that time had very few rights. Josefina, like many women of the time period, dreams of more in their life. She is invited to the Spanish Royal Court. Through trial and error she learns much more about court life than she ha...more
Aug 05, 2011
Krystal
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Even thought the book is decently sized, it will take an avid reader only about 2-3 days to enjoy. This book is hard to put down. The main character, Josefina, is a pitiable character. The reader will truly root for her during the novel. She is caring, especially when it concerns her children, and pious, when it comes to her husband and religion/society. She is definitely not a strong female character, however, in this time period she is not meant to be. T...more
Even thought the book is decently sized, it will take an avid reader only about 2-3 days to enjoy. This book is hard to put down. The main character, Josefina, is a pitiable character. The reader will truly root for her during the novel. She is caring, especially when it concerns her children, and pious, when it comes to her husband and religion/society. She is definitely not a strong female character, however, in this time period she is not meant to be. T...more
Josefina's Sin tells us the story of Josefina from the very first moment she gets married with Manuel Castillo Coronado, a wealthy landowner. Like any other woman of that time, her duty is to obey her husband and to take care of the children, but her life changes drastically when she receives the invitation of the Marquessa to visit her royal court. There she will will be the focus of attention of two men, the Marquessa's husband and the local bishop. Also she will meet Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz...more
This story is beautifully written and flows well, and yet it made me sad to think that is the way women were treated for generations and yet in some countries they are still treated so poorly. Rape is a crime and yet it was looked upon as the woman’s’ fault. Why would that ever have been thought of? Well the men did make and uphold the laws for too long, thank heaven women have rights now.
Some parts are quite graphic and may turn a reader off to the book, but if you let it the story will sweep y...more
Some parts are quite graphic and may turn a reader off to the book, but if you let it the story will sweep y...more
First off I love the cover of this book! I was excited to dive into Josefina's world. I got about a 100 pages in and had to put it down. I had a hard time with how the relationship that Josefina has with a Bishop developed. It became very intimate. (sexually) I know that that stuff happens, but I just don't care for it. So, that was my reason. I thought that Ms.Long did a great job taking the reader back in time. The story flowed very well from the beginning till I stopped. I will try another on...more
Wow! To begin with Claudia Long is a great writer. The story flows incredibly well, but...the sex scenes were waaay too much for me, especially when they got brutal. I don't think that much description or frequency was necessary to the book. What a makes the story is not the actual sin - it's the personal motivation in committing the sin and the consequences that come after. I got to about 100 pages from the end, and I had to stop reading. It's way too much for me - so much that I don't even car...more
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This is a well-written historical novel. I could not put it down. Its imagery was vivid and it transported me to 1683 Mexico. I highly recommend it.
I remember missing and wanting more of the story, months after I'd already read it. Claudia captured the culture and times so well.
Both steamy and intelligent insight into an under-studied historical period. Great read.
A historical fiction novel based in New Spain, a.k.a. Mexico, during the time of the Inquisition.
When this review is finished I will come back and edit this.
Really Great Read.
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Claudia H. Long grew up in Mexico City and moved to the United States when she was eleven. She wrote her senior thesis at Harvard University on the feminism of Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz, and revived her passion for her when she wrote Josefina's Sin. She lives and practices law in Northern California with her husband. They have two grown children. She is currently at work on her next novel, set in e...more
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