Hazel's review
Caramelo
by Sandra Cisneros
Hazel's review
Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros
Hazel's review
rating:
A beautifully written epic history of the family Reyes over three generations. Narrated largely through Celaya's perspective, the youngest daughter of the Reyes clan, the reader learns about Grandmother Soledad's childhood and adolescence; grandfather Narciso and his upbringing both in Mexico and the U.S.; and father Innocencio, his childhood, and how he and Celaya's mother meet. Throughout this family history, Cisneros throws in a lot about American/Mexican history and the socio-political environment in which the family is thirving, living, and dying. In this respect, it is very informative and thought provoking. The first line of the book is, "Tell me a story, even if it's a lie," which is key, as Cisneros plays with the idea of a family history and how accurate these stories are, passed over generations, through different perspectives. In some ways, there were story lines I wished that Cisneros had followed in greater detail, and at times, it seemed like there was too m...more
