The Village of Bom Jesus

by Lloyd E. Hill

A collection of interconnected stories follows an educated outsider as he arrives in a tiny hamlet along the banks of the Jurua River to search for a mysterious creature.

Genres: Fiction

227 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1993

Reviews

[Ollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend sent me a copy of this book because my family live in a village in Brasil called Bom Jesus. The village in this novel is also in Brasil but it's called Guajára instead - Bom Jesus in this case is the name of a cat (the only one in the village) who links the three stories together in this tiny collection. The stories take place in an Amazonian village far from civilization and its amenities. Lloyd E. Hill, an American who lived in Brasil for five years as a farmer, paints a rustic picture which is clearly based on his experiences - a community of simple people, the dangers and beauty of the forest, the culture shock outsiders experience when first arriving there. Some of the stories have a hint of Bible School about them which is mostly overcome by the passages that explore the Amazonian landscape. A nice, harmless quick read.

[Carfig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice short stories loosely tied together with the title character, a cat. The Portuguese and the fantastic block print illustrations are a nice touch. Definitely worth reading; it goes quickly.

[Grayson Corea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually do not write reviews, but when I saw the absurd lack of comments on this novel I had to be one of the few admirers of the vibrant and complex characters and plot of this short story. The portrayal of rural Latin-American village life in this novel is one I find quite tasteful and polite. It not only displays the ubiquitous issues and controversies in these communities- but does not fail to capture the intimate camaraderie and amiability within its inhabitants either. It is empathetic to our struggles, while vivacious with our strengths. Whether it is a manic belief system rooted in dangerous superstition, or a connected humble village helping each other when they can; this story displays it all- with the help of Bom Jesus- the foxy Amazonian village cat.

[Pamela_b_lawrencemsn.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Garcia-Marquez, who I adore, lite! A very pleasant read, at only 227 pages. Three vignettes from a small jungle town, each with mythical qualities but far more grounded in reality than Garcia Marquez. The author, only book he's ever written, does an excellent job of carrying the reader into this world, the jungle and the river. I was completely absorbed, and sorry that this author did not explore this village further. The woodcut cover on the book is also totally cool. I left this on a book exchange shelf at a campground, and someone snapped it up within the hour.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unsure at first if I was going to like this book, but I kept reading. I am SO GLAD that I did! It is a wonderful read. It is different stories of different people that live in the village of Bom Jesus. It is set in the Amazon and has wonderful lore of the people that live in the jungle. The stories weave together old belief and passed down stories, plus the hidden world of the jungle. It’s a book of magic.

[Celest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this story in my youth after randomly finding it in a bargain bin. I wish I could remember a little more than about the cat who just couldn't quite stay out of trouble in his youth in this village.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

i especially liked two of the stories in here.