"Alburquerqueis a rich and tempestuous book, full of love and compassion, the complex and exciting skullduggery of politics, and the age-old quest for roots, identity, family. . . . There is a marvelous tapestry of interwoven myth and magic that guides Anaya's characters' sensibilities, and is equally important in defining their feel of place. Above all, in this novel is a deep caring for land and culture and for the spiritual well-being of people, environment, landscape."--John Nichols, author ofThe Milagro Beanfield War: A Novel ". . .Alburquerqueportrays a quest for knowledge. . . . [It] is a novel about many cultures intersecting at an urban, power-, and politics-filled crossroads, represented by a powerful white businessman, whose mother just happens to be a Jew who has hidden her Jewishness, . . . and a boy from the barrio who fathers a child raised in the barrio but who eventually goes on to a triumphant assertion of his cross-cultural self."--World Literature Today "Alburquerquefulfills two important functions: it restores the missing R to the name of the city, and it shows off Anaya's powers as a novelist."--Alan Cheuse, National Public Radio ( )

Wirkt langweilig ( )

This book is very plot driven, with a lot less of the poetry that makes many of Anaya's books so distinctive. For some readers this may mean Alburquerque is easier to follow, but I was bored and missed the poetic, lyrical writing I enjoyed in the last few books I read by this author. The story was good, but it was nothing amazing, just another tale about an adopted boy who finds out he's adopted and seeks out his birth parents. I like the details that situate this story within the context of Albuquerque, a city I enjoy taking imaginary trips to by book, but local color aside, this book was not all that satisfying. It is still an Anaya book, well written and enjoyable, but not his best. ( )

A story that captures some of the feel of the town I grew up in (it actually made me homesick). Anaya writes about some of the issues associated with Albuquerque’s multi-cultural past and present. There are a couple of awkward transitions in the novel, but otherwise it flows well and the characters are reasonably round and well-drawn. I especially enjoyed the way he employed magical realism. ( )

So the reviews I read hailed this book as vastly superior to "Bless Me, Ultima" boy were they wrong. The book wasn't nearly as dense or complex. The characters were likable but fairly underdeveloped. The ending was too happy and the book was predictable overall. However, I did enjoy the book- books don't have to be classic literature to be good. I learned a bit about Alburquerque and it's history. I also felt connected to the truth of the book it was very believable and related to my knowledge of New Mexico and life living in the Southwest. I do recommend it but the book will only appeal to those who enjoy books set in the Southwest and exploring conflicting and balancing cultures. ( )