At the Narrow Waist of the World: A Memoir

by Marlena Maduro Baraf

“With sensitivity and candor, Baraf examines mental illness, immigration, forgiveness, and community—all framed within the precocity of her life’s circumstances.”—Ms. Magazine“At the Narrow Waist of the World is a compelling account of what it is like to live through turbulence and come out on the other side.”—Foreword Clarion Review“Deftly written, impressively candid, insightfully presented, At the Narrow Waist of the World is an extraordinary and memorable read.”—Midwest Book Review“By the end of At the Narrow Waist of the World, we have come to know, admire and even cherish its author in a way few memoirists manage to achieve . . . . ”—Jewish JournalRaised by a lively family of Spanish Jews in tropical and Catholic Panama of the 1950s and 1960s, Marlena depends on her many tíos and tías for refuge from the difficulties of life, including the frequent absences of her troubled mother. As a teenager, she pulls away from this centered world—crossing borders—and begins a life in the United States very different from the one she has known. This lyrical coming-of-age memoir explores the intense and profound relationship between mothers and daughters and highlights the importance of community and the beauty of a large Latin American family. It also explores the vital issues of mental illness and healing, forgiveness and acceptance. At the Narrow Waist of the World examines the author's gradual integration into a new culture, even as she understands that her home is still—and always will be—rooted in another place.

Genres: Memoir

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2019

About the author

I love words that illustrate different perspectives. Hybrid. Hyphenated. Bilingual. Multicultural. Synthesis. They point to the richness possible with human groups. Soy panameña y americana. Can you split the two?

Born and raised in Panama, I left my tiny isthmus for Los Estados Unidos de America on the cusp of twenty. In my thirties, I swore allegiance to my adopted country. I worked as book editor and designer and studied the art and craft of writing at the Sarah Lawerence Writing Institute. I love cats and hats. That is, the Panama Hat.

Reviews

[Haley Renee The Caffeinated Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt and poetical memoir ❤️

It was written with such fluidity that I forgot that this wasn't just a beautiful novel of fiction. Marlena takes you straight into the heart of her culture, of Panama, and most importantly, her family. There are some similarities over various Hispanic cultures and so I really connected with Baraf's story, things were so easy to understand on more than just a reading intake level.

There really is a poetical feel to it and you get lost in the words and pages. Marlena is unabashedly and unashamedly honest about her feelings, her experiences, and the bonds with her family. The family history completely intrigued me and I thought this book was simply beautiful.

Thank you to Marlena Maduro Baraf and She Writes Press for a chance to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

A more in-depth review plus interview will appear on my blog at a later date, and this review will go up on Amazon upon Publication.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful memoir about a young Spanish Jewish girl living in a majority Catholic Panama in the 1950’s as she comes-of-age navigating herself, her relationship with her troubled mother, and her life in the United States.

The book was written as if a friend was telling me short bursts of her memories of her past while having some Sancocho de gallina Panameño and some Ron Poche an amazing Panamanaian cocktail.

It is poignant, heartfelt, sometimes heart breaking but always genuine and full of spirit. The prose is rich and vivid, lyrical and poetic, that is both exquisite and courageous.
The sprinkling of the Spanish phrases throughout, added to the authenticity as Baraf tells her story of herself and her amazing family and her many tíos and tías.

I enjoyed this emotional memoir that explores the vital issues of mental illness and healing, forgiveness and acceptance. What an amazing read I thoroughly enjoyed!

[Laura McHale Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her debut memoir, At the Narrow Waist of the World, Marlena Maduro Baraf draws the reader gently into her childhood world, where the detrimental impact of her mother’s unstable mental condition is assuaged by her effervescent extended family. She comes from a tight-knit group of Spanish Jews whose ancestors settled in Catholic Panama, where they embraced a new culture while maintaining their traditions and connections with relatives in other parts of the world. Sorrow comes into young Marlena’s life, but she is not embittered by it. She moves through all of her experiences with a unique grace forged in part by an intoxicating mix of language, cultures and climes. Hers is not a work to consume voraciously in a rush, though there is merit to those kinds of stories. This is a book to read in smaller bites, savoring the rhythm of the language and the infectious charm of the writer as she shares her journey through childhood into adulthood. Thank you to Marlena Baraf and She Writes Press for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mental illness is a chameleon. Sometimes you see it, sometimes you don’t.”

I loved this story of family and culture. I loved the short, vivid photographs of Marlena’s life. I loved the beautiful writing and descriptions, but most of all I loved the mental health discussions, as the whole family was affected by her mother’s struggles with mental illness.

I loved this unique quick read and recommend it to all as insight to other cultures, another generation and what it’s like to live with someone living with mental illness.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who hasn’t heard of the Panama Canal before? I know I have, and I kind of know where it is and the purpose that it serves. However, I don’t know much about Panama at all, apart from the fact that it is located south of Costa Rica in Central America, and that it is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. I was really excited to read Marlena Maduro Baraf’s memoir At The Narrow Waist Of The World as I wanted to know more about Panama, and about growing up in Panama in the 50’s and 60’s and immigrating to the US from there as a young woman.

At The Narrow Waist Of The World reads just like memories work: small chapters are vignettes of images and thoughts conjuring up a moment in time and a place, people, linked to all of the other vignettes surrounding it. I love that Marlena Maduro Baraf keeps some phrases and words in Spanish as it helps develop an overall view of her life in Panama, but also for personal reasons it reminds me of my memories that are always bilingual. When I try to explain a memory words appear in French first, and then English. Boulangerie is not bakery but boulangerie, corner store will always be Tabac. Marlena Maduro Baraf’s writing has poetic rhythm, and flows like a river through the story: soft and gentle at times, as if floating through hazy summer days, and more powerful, direct in others.

At The Narrow Waist Of The World is a story of growing up Jewish in Panama, a small, but strong, community amongst all of the other communities in the country. It is also the story of growing up with a mentally unstable mother, and the loss of a strong paternal figure early on in life. It is the story of living both in and out of privilege, and of searching for oneself as a teen and then as a young adult, at home amidst family in Panama, in boarding school in the US and then finally as an adult in NYC.

At The Narrow Waist Of The World is a memoir of discovery and self-discovery, and it is also a poignant way of laying the past to rest. As Marlena Maduro Baraf describes her relationship with her mother over the years, and her need to withdraw from her mother’s constant needs and breakdowns, you can also feel her need to lay all of her feelings out in the open as a way to lay them to rest. Sometimes the jumps between time and place were a little overwhelming, and sometimes I had to go back and double check characters as the author has a very large family, but neither of these things really bothered me. I really enjoyed learning more about the modern history of Panama, and of the way Jewish tradition and Panamanian culture blended together as the community grew over the decades. And I also enjoyed Marlena Maduro Baraf’s beautiful writing style and her lyrical voice.

Thanks to Marlena Maduro Baraf and She Writes Press for the advance copy of this beautiful memoir, in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Elena Schwolsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this debut memoir, Marlena Maduro Baraf crafts a richly layered portrait of a family—lively, interwoven snapshots that form a mosaic of this large extended Jewish family’s life in Panama. The effect is seductive and it drew me further and further in to the life of young Marlena, buffeted by the ups and downs of her mentally ill mother, cushioned by her many tias, tios and primos, coming of age “at the narrow waist of the world.” The prose is luminous, shifting seamlessly from Spanish to English. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!

[Elizabeth Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marlena Madura Baraj’s compelling memoir At the Narrow Waist of the World transports us into her Panamanian childhood in the 1950’s when her enchanting mother falls into madness and is sent away for years. She skillfully intertwines Spanish expressions to reveal the bilingual culture of her loving extended family who stepped in to care for the children left behind. Her writing is lush, immersing us in the scent of hot days and bougainvillea, the sounds of children’s games and family feasts, and the colorful beautiful dresses of her mother and aunts. When Marlena is sent as a teen to US boarding schools, the northern climate and culture is a stark lonely contrast, yet the author slowly and bravely finds her way to free her mother’s claim on her. The memoir also delves into the known story of Spanish Jews who live in Panama, as well as life outside and inside the American canal zone. The memoir’s dance between Spanish and English fills this memoir with a musical beauty revealing the love and support of this remarkable family.

[Jacqueline Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Galaxy of Family
I loved this book from the very first chapter, when the narrator’s mother Julita is introduced under the shade of a calabash tree in 1950’s Panama. A beautiful woman, glamorous as a movie star, Julita has recently undergone psychiatric treatment. She suffers from severe anxiety and worries that the maids in her home have poisoned her food. Her seven-year old daughter, Marlena, tries to tell her that there is no poison. “Pruebelo,” the mother says, meaning, prove it. Unbelievably, Julita asks her child to taste food she believes is deadly poison! The narrator then writes: “Good little girl that I am, I taste the bitter truth.” How does a child cope with a truth this bitter? Author Marlena Maduro Baraf offers up the answer: family. For Baraf, family is always the through-line, always the source of her considerable strength. Hers is a close-knit family, dwelling near each other, in some cases in an apartment owned by members of the family. As Jews in Catholic Panama, they are a minority. At one point, Marlena wants to become a Catholic, until a kindly priest reminds her that she also has a beautiful tradition in Judaism. As Marlena matures, she experiences sad losses and additional challenges with Julita. To say more would spoil the story, but I’ll reveal that at fifteen Marlena travels to the United States for boarding school. This compelling, poignant memoir balances sadness with humorous character sketches and reminiscences of happy family times. It is told in fresh, original prose that approaches poetry, spare yet rich, full of music and sense imagery. When you read Baraf’s words you hear the music, taste the food, feel the emotion within her. An occasional Spanish phrase adds flavor and authenticity. As you read, you’ll want to pause at the fascinating family photographs of Grandfather Jicky’s fairy tale castle, of Aunt Esther’s native dress, the pollera, and of Julita, magnificent in evening dress.

[Reyna Gentin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir isn't lengthy, but it packs an emotional punch. The reader becomes totally immersed in this Jewish Panamanian family, both immediate and extended. In lyrical prose, Baraf draws us in, exposing both pain and love at the core (a mother who struggles with undefined mental illness and a father who dies too young) and the embrace of a tight knit web of aunts, uncles and cousins who pick up the slack and keep the author and her siblings afloat. It is a beautiful testament to an exuberant culture, country and religion, and the story of one woman coming to grips with the relationships that formed her into a loving spouse and mother and an artist. I highly recommend it.

[Barbara Stark-Nemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the Narrow Waist of the World evokes Marlena Maduro Baraf’s childhood world in Panama and her later life in the U.S. from the inside out and the outside in with an artistry that is truly compelling. Captured at the beginning by the interplay of Spanish and English, this reader was fascinated by Baraf’s further interworking of the tight family culture and the intrusive outside world, mental instability and “normality”, loving relationships and duty-bound connections. The writing is both lyrical and precise, and the book’s structure keeps the reader fascinated throughout. A memoir not to miss!

[Deborah Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting. A heartfelt saga that pulses with life and holds a culture that needs to be known up the light. A rare, must-read story.

[Liane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vibrant, lyrical memoir, told in vignettes rich with sensory details that evoke the sounds, scents, and color of the author’s Panamanian childhood.

[BookOfCinz · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the Narrow Waist of the World is about Marlena Maduro Baraf's childhood in Panama and her navigating her mother who is suffering from mental illness. A short but very personal look into what life was like for Marlena- balancing growing up and all the pains that comes with that, along with trying to be brave for her mother who is suffering. I liked the historical references to Panama and the deeply personal look into Marlena's family line.

[Becki · Rating 3 out of 5]

In her ‘Note to readers’ at the beginning of the book, the author says she has to leave in a lot of the Spanish phrases that didn’t translate with their full meaning to English. While I can appreciate the sentiment, I feel like I missed parts of the story that weren’t clearly translated. I don’t speak Spanish. Unfortunately, I felt this detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

The book was a lot about the author’s mother, her mother’s mental illness, and the rest of the family’s expectations and treatments of her mother, while they helped care for the author and her siblings. While the closeness of her extended family was seen as common to their community and culture, much of the events in the book felt like they could happen anywhere in the world. I loved the pictures that were shared within the book. They gave more life to the family members as I read about them.

I thought the treatment of her mother’s mental illness in the 1950s and 1960s was an important takeaway from the book. Psychiatry seemed to be inconsistent, and treatments put a lot of pressure on the author’s family to deal with the life her mother sometimes lived, and sometimes was away from for hospitalizations.

Overall, I’d give this book 3 out of 5 stars. While more Spanish language skills would probably have increased my enjoyment of the book, I feel I learned a lot about the author, her life, and her struggles in her relationship with her mother.

http://booksithinkyoushouldread.blogs...
http://sweetlybsquared.com

[Barbara Artson · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the Narrow Waist of the World: A Memoir
Marlene Maduro Baraf

It takes skill, sensitivity, and spirit to write about one’s life, especially if that life is saturated with suffering and trauma. It takes even more of all of that to write a memoir without succumbing to self-pity, and without leaving one’s readers hopelessly depressed. Marlena Braf has written one such memoir with writing that borders the boundary between poetry and prose.


How does a bright, Spanish-speaking Jewish little girl from Panama, raised in an upper-middle class Jewish family survive the heartbreak and trauma inflicted by her beautiful, bewitching but mentally unstable mother? One answer to that question is growing up in a closely knit, loving, caring family of uncles, aunts, grandparents and siblings. And born with a helluva lot of resilience. You will laugh, cry, rage, and ultimately rejoice when closing the last page of the beautifully crafted memoir.

[Jimin Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeously lyrical memoir of family and loss and two worlds — Panama and the United States. I loved this book.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written memoir that explores two major themes - the culture of Panama and how much of a culture shock it is to move to the US, and what it is like as a child growing up with a mother who has life-affecting mental health issues. I found it all fascinating, and Baraf writes in a poetic and richly descriptive manner. I didn't know much about Panama before reading this but learnt so much throughout the book, and loved how the author weaved Spanish words and phrases into English texts which added real authenticity and understanding to what she has written. I also love the cover - very striking!

You can read my full review here:
https://pagesplacesandplates.com/2019...

[Elizabeth Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baraf's memoir is written with a poetic flair that evokes the disruption of the life she describes. Short vignettes are strung together like pearls, each existing independently of one another and yet somehow comprising a lovely strand. Her descriptions of life within a large extended family are evocative and her descriptions of mid-20th century Panama are captivating. What draws the reader in most, though, is the constant tension surrounding the central figure of Julita, Baraf's mother, a narcissistic and childlike woman incapable of truly parenting. Anyone who has felt abandoned by a parent, yet loved them all the same, will find something to hold on to in this book.

[Susan Ritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately fell under the spell of this gem of a book. The author gives us her tale one small memory, one exquisite vignette, at a time. They build on each other constructing a sad family story about a mother's mental illness and also the coming of age of a strong, intelligent girl. This book reminded me of the film Roma, childhood memories of a family falling apart and the love that still shone through it all.

[Kathy Curto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful memoir! At the Narrow Waist of the World is unique in form and style. The chapters that make up this debut collection are offered with with grace, humor and the kind of descriptive voice that brings senses alive. There is color, texture, flavor and sounds—in many ways, this book is song, the extended version, where every beat comes alive.

[Jill (chill_jilland_read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful. Bright. Insightful. Heartbreaking. Real.

Writer Marlena Maduro Baraf provides a beautiful insight as to what it is like living on the edge of two cultures.

(from book cover) Raised by a lively family of Spanish Jews in tropical, Catholic Panama of the 1950s and 1960s, Marlena depends on her many tios and tias for refuge from the difficulties of life, including the frequent absences of her troubled mother. As a teenager, Marlena pulls away from this centered world, leaving for the United States and a life very different from the one she knows. At the Narrow Waist of the World explores the intense bond between mothers and daughters. It highlights the beauty of the large Latin American family, as well as the tension and riches of living life between cultures.

A few things drew me to this book: the unique and exquisite title, the description of exploring the mother/daughter bond, and the Panama setting. I have had the privilege of visiting Central/South America and loved the culture and wanted more insight into the family dynamics. There seemed to be so many things I would enjoy from just looking at the front cover. But then I turned the pages. And I found so much more. This story follows a young girl with vibrant and distinct characterizations of her family, which jumped off the page in an enticing way. This is a rare finding in memoirs, to me, and it captivated me from the first chapter. The story is lined up in small sections and vignettes of memories that allows the reader to embrace the setting and stories while reading a more fast-paced book. I enjoyed the deeply personal look into Baraf's life and the wide range of experiences she included in this memoir. It was both meaty and light at the same time. The crisp descriptions of her surroundings and people were well-done. I also loved how she included Spanish phrases and focused the story around language, which can be universal, if only we try to understand one another better. This memoir explores that idea and so much more.

Thank you, Marlena and Suzy Approved Book Tours for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

At the Narrow Waist of the World is available now!

[Kathleen Garber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I’d enjoy this more because I love reading about other cultures, countries and time periods which this is for me. However I had some issues. The book is written by a Spanish speaking person from Panama and so I understand that some Spanish words and phrases will be in the book. I don’t have a problem with that and the author warns us of this as well. However there was a lot of Spanish that didn’t have a translation. I took Spanish in high school (I’m Canadian so that’s not the norm) so I understood most of what wasn’t translated but if I hadn’t taken any Spanish, it would have been a harder book to read than it already was. I’m sure the book will have readership in the US and I know a lot of people in the US know some basic Spanish so maybe this wouldn’t be as much of a problem there, I’m not sure.

It’s a short book and so the stories that are told are quick, there isn’t deep back story here, which is fine. You get the point of what life was like for Marlena and it was interesting because it’s so much different than how I grew up. Her mom was mentally ill a lot of the time, at a time when treatments were a little more odd than we are used to now. Also hospital stays were a lot longer with her mom staying 2 years at an institution once. Now a days you stay a few weeks and then you’re out. It was not just a window on life in Panama in the 50s but also mental illness in the 50s.

Having such a large extended family live all close together is odd to me, but I’m sure it came in handy when they needed a place for kids to go while adults were busy or unwell.

The book would be a 4-5 star for someone who speaks Spanish but if you don’t, it would be a bit hard to read.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to know where to start with this one, very complicated emotionally. For that reason amongst others I really have to appreciate the author's honesty and articulation through all the pain, worry and familial loyalty, plus insight into a part of the world I know very little about.

Two examples that capture some of this:
-"An acute body consciousness was the inadvertent gift of a loving family" - I thought this was really tricky and a brave statement to make. Especially as so many delicious-sounding dishes were described throughout the book!
-"But I'm really lost. I'm on my own with wonderful opportunities, taking some but rejecting those for which I would have to give up something of myself. When something seems too tough, or just a little tough, I escape into a dream world, and then I can't concentrate for days"

I enjoyed linguistically that this goes a step further than just 'leaving text in the Spanish' but really is just written in Spanglish. A big motivational factor to keep it up with the languages for me, and a note that this is one great for reading the spirit behind its Spanish, not just the language (also see The Crossing).

[Nicole reading_with_nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marlena shares with us her story of growing up with a very tight knit Spanish Jewish family and a mother who suffered from a mental condition. Marlena shares what it was like growing up in Panama which is a Catholic country and how her family maintain their traditions and culture.
It is heartbreaking as she shares very openly what it was like when her mother suffered a breakdown and was sent away for years and her family stepped in to help raise the children. When Marlena is a teenager she is sent to the United States to attend boarding school; not easy for her as she must adapt to everything being different than her life in Panama.
What I loved about this memoir was the vivid details, Panama is on my places to visit but reading about what it was like in the 50’s and 60’s is amazing. I say it with every memoir I read, it is a brave thing as a writer to sit down and say I am going to pen my life story and share it with strangers; but the beauty of a memoir is that sometimes you find solace because you might have experienced something similar or it gives you insight to what someone else might be or have been going through. This was a beautiful insight to Marlena’s life and I thank her for sharing.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 4 out of 5]

“At the Narrow Waist of the World” is a Memoir written by Marlene Maduro Baraf that explains her growing up in Panama in the 1950s and 1960s. The author is part of a large family of Spanish Jews that are in the Catholic part of Panama. The author does come to the United States as a teenager and feels the cultural differences.

Marlene Maduro Baraf uses many Spanish expressions in her memoir, which I found distracting and annoying. I do speak a little Spanish, and I understand that she feels that the word in Spanish describes her feelings better, but it takes away from the continuity of her story.

The author discusses the importance of family and friends. The author also mentions her relationship with her Mother and Grandmother. I appreciate that the author mentioned her mother’s problems with mental illness and how it affected their relationship.

The author vividly describes the landscape and large family gatherings. There is one scene where the author mentions preferring to swim in the Atlantic Ocean side of Panama since it is calmer than the Pacific ocean. I would recommend that you read this memoir if you are interested in this genre.

[Cassie’s Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotional memoir that pulled me in a filled me with so many emotions. Marlena’s childhood was not an easy one. Growing up in a tight knit Spanish Jewish family, who are living in a very catholic Panama, during the 1950’s and 1960’s isn’t easy, with Panama being a very Catholic country her family maintains their tradition and culture while being looked at as a minority. When her mother suffers a breakdown her family steps in to help raise the children, this part of the book made me very emotional and just broke my heart. I loved her families strength as they pull together and how Marlena whose just a child witnesses this. At just fifteen Marlena travels to the United States to attend boarding school and then as she’s an adult in New York City. This is a culture shock for her, she has to adapt to everything since the United States is completely different than Panama and it’s not easy.
This beautiful memoir is told in the most amazing way it doesn’t read like a memoir, more like your looking at the the authors family photos and shes telling you her story. I absolutely adored her writing style. I hope to read more from her. Five stars

[Kate Czyzewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the Narrow Waist of the World by Marlena Maduro Baraf is a beautifully written novel.

Books like this draw me in from the start. Marlena writes in snapshots/vignettes which I really enjoyed.

This memoir delves into what it is like to be a child raised by a mother who struggles with mental illness. Raised by many of her aunts and uncles, her journey brings her to the US, where she begins to carve out a new way of life for herself.

I really enjoy memoirs like this, as I did not know much about Panama before reading and I learned much throughout. I admire Marlena’s strength and grit as she began to build her own life as a young woman.

Lyrical, beautiful and deeply rooted in perseverance- this was a treasured read.

[Gilion Dumas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marlena Maduro Baraf grew up in a large, extended Jewish family in Catholic Panama of the 1950s and 1960s, then moved to the US in her late teens. Her new memoir, At the Narrow Waist of the World, explores how community and families of any size have incredible power to sustain young people.

She tells her story through a collection of vignettes, each one capturing a memory. Through these snapshots, the reader learns of the author’s glamorous but mentally ill mother, her father’s premature death, her many aunts and uncles in Panama, and her new life as an immigrant to the US. Hers is a beautiful and captivating story.

[Dawnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an emotionally charged memoir. Raised in a Spanish-Jewish family in Panama where everyone is catholic. When Marlena's mother has a mental breakdown, the rest of the family steps in to help. As a teen she was sent to the U.S. to attend boarding school, discovering a life that is very different from what she has always known. Very poetic. It grabbed me and pulled me right in, breaking my heart. I loved the Spanish phrases through out. This was so heartfelt. A story about family, mental illness, and mothers and daughters. Remarkable story and I thank the author for sharing it with me.

Dawnny-BookGypsy
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY

[Florence Kraut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marlena Baduro Baraf's poignant memoir of growing up in the midst of a large Panamanian Jewish family is lyrical and poetic. Her many wonderful and vivid vignettes engulf the reader in the lives of the narrator, her cousins, her beloved aunts who stand in often for her beautiful but often absent mother who suffers with mental illness.
The melody of Spanish infuses the writing and I wished, as I often do, that I spoke that language myself, but the author makes me feel as if I do.
Highly recommended.