The text, particularly the sections set in Mexico, is liberally sprinkled with Spanish and Mexican dialect words and phrases, and while many are translated or partially explained afterwards, many are not. Those who like to understand every word of a novel will find this a frustrating reading experience if, like me, they have never been taught Spanish. Cisneros is a poet who is not as well known on this side of the Atlantic. I enjoyed this Mexican-American family story rather more than I expected to, so thanks to the 21st Century Literature group for selecting it for a group read. From the winner of the 2019 PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature. Like the cherished rebozo, or shawl, that has been passed down through generations of Reyes women, Caramelo is alive with the vibrations of history, family, and love. Soon, a multigenerational family narrative turns into a whirlwind exploration of storytelling, lies, and life.
Struggling to find a voice above the boom of her brothers and to understand her place on this side of the border and that, Lala is a shrewd observer of family life. But when she starts telling the Awful Grandmother's life story, seeking clues to how she got to be so awful, grandmother accuses Lala of exaggerating.
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