The Hummingbird's Daughter (2005)

I really slogged through this. I’m not sure why I had such a difficult time reading it. I’m glad that I did. I ended up enjoying it but I wasn’t wild about it. It's well written, I liked some of the characters including Huila and Teresa; many of the characters were interesting, although often infuriating. I read as a skeptic but that shouldn’t have detracted from my enjoyment as it hasn’t with other similar themed books. The book was disturbing, violent and depicted many atrocities that humans commit upon one another, but I’ve read plenty of books such as those and loved them despite the gore and tragedy.

This book did inspire me to research the peoples in these places and this time that are described in this novel. This book is a work of fiction but is based on a real woman from an actual place and time, and the history is interesting. I think I’d rather have read a non-fiction book about the subject.

So, I don’t know whether it’s because while reading my tolerance for human frailties was especially low or what it was, but the story just didn’t grab me.

However, it’s epic in scale and has some beautiful descriptions and I wouldn’t want to dissuade anyone from reading it, especially because I’m glad that I read it for my book club; otherwise I would not have read it, or stuck with it had I started. I guess this doesn’t sound like a rousing endorsement but I would recommend this book if you’re interested in Mexico’s history and peoples. ( )

Highly readable with a lovingly rendered title character. Not sure it made a lasting impression on me, but I will likely read the follow-up as well. ( )

Possibly the best book I have read this year. ( )

Based on the retelling of stories of people who knew her and documents, this story explores the life of Teresita Urrea, a real true historical figure regarded as a Saint in Mexico in the first part of the twentieth century. Teresita has a rich sense of humor and personality and Urrea, who grew up with some of these stories and regarded her as his great aunt, really brings a fullness of life to her. He begins at her conception to her adulthood where she is regarded as a woman who has died, spoken to God, come back from the dead, and has the ability to perform miracles. She's also a woman that rejects the official government of Mexico and organized religion even though her own faith is strong. Urrea did fieldwork and research for 20 years on this woman. She was, from the accounts of others, a great healer but she was also quite funny and one of the first women in that time and country to learn to read. She did not like violence and her imagination was more wondrous than can be conceived by most humans.


This really deserves 4 1/2 stars out of 5 but it bothered me that in the end, the author doesn't follow up in an epilogue on the remainder of the protagonist's life. Even a small summary would have sufficed to make it 5 stars. It seems careless to create an epic 500 pages then leave that out. I needed it for my sanity and well being. That information is important.


Still, I really learned a great deal about Mexican and Native Indians in Mexico in history as well as about their culture and I found the text both engaging and incredibly rewarding. I really couldn't wait to see what would happen to our heroine next. I'll also say I really enjoyed the other characters in Teresita's life as well.


And whether, in your own sense of culture and wisdom, you believe in the sainthood and, perhaps more importantly, the miracles of Teresita is for you to decide but I will say you'll at least yearn to believe it and more than anything you hope every word is true.


Quotes:

pg 194, "Bees were better companions than people."

pg. 255, "Feel it. The earth falls away. We have been prisoners of the ground, and now it releases its grip on us. Yes. Yes. The air moves us freely. We are like water...The air loved them-they could feel it...Dog voices were tiny as crickets."

pg. 394, "The World of reason must be a lonely place."




( )

Urrea here tells the mesmerizing story of the life of his ancestor, Saint Teresa Urrea. Born into poverty on the rancho of her father Tomas Urrea in the 1870s, Teresa was raised in among the workers until first the rancho’s wise woman Huila and then Tomas himself recognized that Teresa was an illegitimate Urrea and took her in. Huila trained the girl in herbcraft, healing, and the other lore that was her heritage, and Tomas attempted to domesticate her, giving her shoes and teaching her manners. But Teresa was destined to be a troublemaker. A shocking act of violence turned the wild girl into the Saint, returning from near-death with healing powers in her hands and revolution in her heart. This brought down upon the Urrea rancho first swarms of pilgrims and later, the wrath of the Mexican government.

Sweeping in scope and style, infused with magical realism and delicious descriptions of the many smells and tastes and colors of the rancho, The Hummingbird’s Daughter is beautiful and, at times, funny and wise. Highly recommended for fans of Latino or historical fiction. ( )