Title: Into the Beautiful North: A Novel
Author: Luis Alberto Urrea
My Review:
The small Mexican town of Tres Camerones has become a town of women, children and old men. All of the town’s able-bodied men have “Gone North” for work. Now some shady characters are hanging around. Watching the movie “The Magnificent Seven” at the local theatre, Nayeli decides to go North herself and bring home the men (and her father) that her town needs to drive these bandidos away. An insightful look at the life of a poor Mexican population and the desperation that drives them into illegal border crossing. This book is a wonderful tale of hope and determination. It also shows that the life they expect to find in “los Yunaites” isn’t all that they were looking for.
I enjoyed the book and found the story flowed easily. The relationships between the girlfriends was well-written and the situations they found themselves in were believable. Yoloxochitl, or Yolo, dreams of finding love and not having to return to their home. Veronica, the only goth in the village, calls herself Vampi and is the only reluctant traveller. Their male companion, the gay owner of the only restaurant in town, follows them out a desire to find a man for himself.
The ways this group cross the border are inventive and makes you wonder what other ways people would try. Also, I wasn’t aware that not only is it illegal for a Mexican to cross over into the States, but it’s illegal for them to try to get back. Either way and they are arrested, charged and deported back to Mexico. I enjoyed this book, found it well-written and easy to read. Â I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.
*I received a copy of this book to review but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations while reading this novel.*
Giveaway
Thanks to Valerie at Hachette Books, I have 3 copies of Into the Beautiful North to giveaway to 3 of my readers.
To Enter:
Leave a comment.
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Open to US & Canada. No PO Boxes.
Giveaway ends on July 19, 2010 at 11:59 pm EST. The winners will be selected by random.org and notified by email and will have 48 hours to reply back before a new winner is selected. Please leave your email so I can contact you if you win. Good luck!
About Myla
This looks like a good summer read!
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This sounds like a really good book!
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Summertime is for reading and I always welcome a new book to read. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway.
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I’d love a chance to read this book and then be able to pass it along to my mom and SIL.
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