Review: What They Said About Luisa by Erika Rummel

What They Said ABout Luisa by Erika Rummel imagines a backstory for a real 16th century woman named Luisa Abrego, an enslaved woman of “Moorish” heritage in Seville who had been set free upon her master’s death. Upon manumission, he also allegedly gave her a sum on which to live. Luisa then journeyed to Zacatecas, Mexico with her new husband to try to make a life there. While her husband worked the silver mines, Luisa became an successful embroiderer. Luisa was later caught up in Spain’s Inquisition in Mexico City where she was accused of bigamy. While historical record loses track of the real Luisa, Erika Rummel fleshes out this interesting story pulled from true accounts.

While Luisa is presumably the main character and subject of this story, we don’t actually get her POV. Not once. As noted by the title, all chapters of the novel are from everyone else’s perspectives of Luisa (mostly men.) There were a few reoccurring POVs such as her husband Jorge, but sometimes there would be a POV chapter from someone a bit far removed from Luisa and her situation. I know these perspective changes were perhaps the point of the novel, given the title, but honestly I would have much rather read a story from Luisa’s perspective. I wasn’t super interested in reading what men, close or far from her, had to say about her or speculate about her, as their thoughts were often sexist, racist, and classist. Maybe that was the point, but without the balance of Luisa’s own perspective, to me that doesn’t make the story engaging. The only truly engaging and interesting POV chapter came about 80% into the book with Luisa’s long lost eight year old son who had been raised in a convent in Spain.

While I stuck it out to the end, ultimately I wasn’t interested or invested in what “others had to say about Luisa.” I would have rather heard it from her!

What They Said ABout Luisa will be released June 18, 2024