The Shrine at Altamira

by John L'Heureux

Now available in a Grove paperback edition, The Shrine at Altamira by John L'Heureux has the simple shape and powerful impact of Greek tragedy. When Maria Corazon Alvarez meets Russell Whitaker at a school dance, she sees his blue eyes and solid American name as a ticket out of the ghetto into a better life. They dance, they touch, they tumble into a love so strong and elemental it should last forever. But gradually the balance shifts; he loves her more, she loves him less. When their son is born, Maria gives him all her love and Russell is pushed aside. Wild, obsessed, Russell runs mad and his desperate love becomes a fire that consumes them all.

Genres: Fiction, Literature

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 1992

About the author

John L'Heureux served on both sides of the writing desk: as staff editor and contributing editor for The Atlantic and as the author of sixteen books of poetry and fiction. His stories appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, Harper's, The New Yorker, and have frequently been anthologized in Best American Stories and Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards. His experiences as editor and writer informed and direct his teaching of writing. Starting in 1973, he taught fiction writing, the short story, and dramatic literature at Stanford. In 1981, he received the Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching, and again in 1998. His recent publications include a collection of stories, Comedians, and the novels, The Handmaid of Desire (1996), Having Everything (1999), and The Miracle (2002).

http://alumni.stanford.edu/get/page/m...

Reviews

[Lauren Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devasting. Profound. Deeply spiritual. Agonizing. Highly recommended, but remember I warned you.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What makes our lives so horrible is that our salvation never comes in the form we would have chosen."

This is a horrifying book. I come right out with that. Note, however, that I gave it five stars. I did so for a reason.

The story itself is based on true events here in San Jose, but that's not the important part of the book. This is a book about healing and salvation, and not in the way in which you would expect, and lessons for living life in the way which one should live it. Balance. Harmony. Self-acceptance. Come to grips with your history, how it paints you, how it formed you, and move forward. Find your flaws, save your children from them.

These messages, however, are delivered in such a manner that the book gets progressively harder and harder to read. Many people I know who have read this said they cried or came close to tears at the ending. I personally threw the book across the room. It is a story that will have you angry and impassioned, and if you've never read a book like this, it will leave a mark.

[Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m left asking the same question “Why?” about the tragedies in this story. Perhaps there is no answer to why certain things happen in life. We have the choice to accept difficulties and continue on, to be betrayed yet choose love, to not understand but forgive, to know the depths of sadness and live anyways. Do we find what we look for? Altamira, look high — a reminder to look for the best in humanity.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is based on the true story of a man who deliberately sets his son on fire, but not necessarily out of hatred for the son. I may be partial to it because my friend's mother was the psychologist for the actual victim and because it's set in San Jose, where I went to college. Still, it's a provoking story worth reading.

[Kidlazarus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not for the faint hearted.

[Pascale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been prevaricating for a while about reviewing this book and I don't quite know why. In retrospect I am less impressed a little bit by it than while I was reading it. It tells of the baleful consequences of a marriage gone bad. Maria repeats the mistake her mother made before her of having a child too early in life, and everything starts to go wrong from there. Maria has a long spell of post-partum depression during which she neglects both her husband Russell and her baby John. Russell, who was mistreated as a child by his alcoholic father, nevertheless forges a bond with his son, but he has a violent streak that gets exacerbated when he too starts drinking. When Maria, with her mother's help, picks herself up, gets a job and divorces Russell, he can't accept it and takes revenge on her by setting John on fire. Miraculously, John is saved by a brillant and compassionate surgeon and becomes a bright student. In prison, Russell is gang-raped by other inmates and loses an eye in a fight. When he comes out, he seeks contact with John, at the risk of being incarcerated again, but John develops a complex relationship with the parent who tried to kill him, yet clearly loves him most. Whereas Maria cannot hide her disgust at John's scars, Russell is intent on earning John's forgiveness, which leads to the final tragedy. What is special about this novel is the deliberately unsensational manner in which L'Heureux attempts to present one of the most heinous crimes there is. This is a serious effort to examine through the means of fiction the age-old question of how it is possible for people who are not monsters to commit monstrous actions.

[Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible heartbreaking book with a shocking ending. I probably won't be reading for some time, that's how much it affected me.
It's not an easy book to go through, it explores human relationships and the extents to which love is willing to go.
Be it positive or negative.
A work of art by John L'Heureux, I wish I could have found this book sooner and express my love for it to the author before his passing.
I cannot recommend it enough.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most people in my book group seemed to sympathize with Maria as the victim of Russel's rage. I, on the other hand, felt that she was so narcissistic that she inspired all the violent action that occurred in this dark, heartbreaking story. Read and decide for yourself.

[Gus Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The worst thing in the world is that our salvation never comes in the form we would have chosen.

[Martin Albertus · Rating 3 out of 5]

No soy partidario de aclarar demasiado, pero para ser justo corresponden *3,5

[Aliyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was deep but executed in the most frank way. This was such a poetic, touching and devastating story anchored in the utter confusion of the realities life, sin and tragedy.

[Roman Peregrino · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not look away. It is not easier to read the second time. I don't know exactly what has changed but I know I'm a little changed.

[chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book is the equivalent of watching a true crime documentary and i don't think i like that about it. really painful to read, it doesn't hold back at all, and i think that's because the writing is pretty matter-of-fact and impersonal from the characters. you watch what happens to them and feel shocked and upset, but i wish we had a better understanding of their inner worlds.

[Alexandra Smithie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Broooo☹️☹️☹️☹️
Salvation never comes in the form that we would have chosen

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This will be terrible, do not deceive yourself." L'Heureux's words here from the opening of the novel made sense once I finished. Like nothing I've ever read before (and it's not even close), this dives into some of the deepest possibilities of life.

The novel seems to propose a few things as theories, for question, without ever having to state them. My question walking away is this: Are love/euphoria/joy and hate/rage/cruelty on a spectrum that is linear, as we often presume? That as one pushes further into one side they move far away from the other? Or, instead, as this novel seems to suggest to me, is the spectrum a curved continuum, such that, at the extremes, the two sides are in fact very close. There seems to be a fine line between love/euphoria/joy and hate/rage/cruelty that this novel finds ways to dissolve.

Possibly the most ambitious piece I've encountered in literature. And the least afraid to have honest, graphic scenes and ideas throughout. At once thought provoking and a horrible but beautiful depiction of the human condition.

I will have this book on my mind for quite a while.

[Laurie Notaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I bought this book, new, in hardback, over 20 years ago. It went with me from house to house, state to state, until I finally cracked it open the night before last. Oh boy. It's a heavy read. About love, the loss of love, the change of love, the consequences of love. It takes some straight trips down to hell. Plot; briefly. Girl loves boy, gets married, pregnant, girl falls out of love with boy while boy starts to love her more, and the son becomes the victim. Not for the faint of heart. Really not. I can usually handle some pretty tough reading, but this book pretty much skinned me alive. I finished it and got up immediately to start reading a 1940's comedy about an English village named Daisydown. That's how much this book affected me. Glad I finally read it; really glad. But it's going to stay with me for a while.

[Dessa Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I should probably give myself some more time to calm down and objectively reflect on this book, I am too enveloped with emotion to think rationally. The same could be said for the characters, written carefully by J. L'Heureaux. The style is otherworldly, and so much is encapsulated in each page. Though the story may seem ridiculously hard to believe at first glance, it's strangely and scarily relatable. The world is in shades of gray, making it difficult to either completely love or completely hate any of the characters. A very human, violent, and tender tale, full of symbolism and reality.

[Daylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in less than 24 hours- I couldn't put it down!
This story is hard to deal with in some places- it doesn't hide the horrors of the world from the reader. It's a wonderful mix of love, hate and that very thin line in between the two. Sadly, that thin line can sometimes drive people to do the unthinkable... but we are a forgiving people at times. Sometimes realizing the power of someone's love for you is all you need... forever...

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommended this book to a friend who recommended it to another friend who subsequently wanted to meet me. The reason - he wanted to meet a person who would recommend such a book. This book is an experience. It is based upon a true event which I vaguely remember reading in the paper and recall being struck with horror. I did not research the story but John L'Heureux did and he constructed a compelling, moving and unforgettable interpretation. Be warned. Read this book.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

There truly is such a thing as loving someone so much it hurts. Russell and Maria's relationship is the epitome of that. They love each other. They hate each other. They can't live without each other. They can't stand to be together. Love is wonderful, but it seriously hurts ... and yet it makes complete sense.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I was about 13 years old. I still remember it till now. This is one of the books I recommend when asked "Do you know any good books?". The book is painful especially now that I am aware it is based on a real life story.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second reading of this book and it remains one of the most physically painful books to read. It is excellent and a quick read. It is deep and powerful on the subjects of love and ultimately redemption. It never leaves you!!!

[Riatingin · Rating 4 out of 5]

heart breaking, tears for sure

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Strange.

[Alex Camacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the hardest and most graphic books I have ever read, but it is a story that will always stay with me.

[Irene]

The writing is fine, but the story is so sad I had trouble finishing it. I hate to leave a book unfinished so I read a chapter a night till I completed the reading. It has many heart breaking scenes, that become even more sorrowful when one considers the potential of the characters and their inability to deal with life and relate to each other.