|
Publisher:
Rayo/HarperCollins |
Release
Date: June 2004 |
ISBN:
0-06-054687-5 |
Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Hardcover |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Fiction – Chick Lit |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Kristin Johnson |
Reviewer
Notes: Reviewer, Kristin Johnson just released her second
book, CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE FOR GIVING, co-written with Mimi
Cummins, in October 2003. Her third book, ORDINARY MIRACLES:
My Incredible Spiritual, Artistic and Scientific Journey, co-written
with Sir Rupert A.L. Perrin, M.D., is now available from PublishAmerica. |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
|
Unsettling
By Lynda Sandoval
The
First Wives Club and Waiting
to Exhale meets “Real Women Have Curves,” “Stand
By Me,” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It’s
“Life Lessons for my Latina Girls,” with life lessons
for us all mixed in a curandera’s brew of magic, friendship,
family, and truth.
Four
women struggle against the images they’ve built up. For Officer
Lucy Olivera, the image of herself as a bride is seen in her bridal
shower, in which all the women of her family, none of whom are married
to their original husbands, give her his-and-her toasters. For poor-girl-makes-good
Cristina Aragon, who tries to be as aristocratic as her married
name, the image of a society wife of a former sports star clashes
with the Winona Ryder-esque mug shot she gets when she shoplifts
to express frustration at her mother-in-law’s relentless criticism.
For Annette Martinez, the image of the perfect mom clashes with
her yearning for something more. And for Mercedes “Mercy”
Félan, the image of a successful Oprah/Rosie/Martha magazine
editor (the novel gets in a few digs at the double standard for
women) and publisher, who emerged from a background with a mother
who constantly abused, clashes with the “Hard Copy”
image of a hard-driving, “Merciless” boss dumped by
her boyfriend for a character named Sunshine Sanderson (“Is
that a real name?” Cristina sneers.) All of these women fear
being exposed, and believe themselves cowards.
Who
can break the illusions that lead to Mercy and Cristina at each
other’s throats, and Lucy doing a “Runaway Bride”
turn after her wedding? Meet Matilda “Tilly” Tafoya,
a Native American/Latina Wizard of Oz. So the four amigas are off
to see the wizard in a decidedly non-“Thelma and Louise”
spree that includes saving a pregnant girl from abuse (Mercedes),
stopping a robbery (Cristina), confronting bears and a daughter’s
lesbian love (Annette), and rediscovering love (Lucy). When they
get to the Wizard—er, Tilly—will she give them a heart,
the nerve, the brains, and the freedom to get home to Kansas and,
in Lucy’s case, back to the altar? Don’t settle for
any novel but Unsettling.
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