Touching and much, much deeper than expected
a woman, a fiction reader, avid reader, read for fun, chronic book buyer, college student, into trying new things, ULTIMATE book lover
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SEP
2
2008
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I spent the last two years in New Mexico and have grown to love that state. Perhaps it has something to do with how much Spanish I took in high school and how lovely it is to happen upon something that refreshes my memory. Perhaps it is because I love novels that are also deeply philosophical. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. Really, this book was just far beyond what I had anticipated.
A brief starter on Anaya: He is from Santa Rosa, New Mexico and attended the University of New Mexico. This book was initially published in 1973 and won the Premio Quinto Sol National Chicano Literature Award. It quickly became widespread and even before the thought of moving to New Mexico had ever entered my mind, I had heard about it quite often.
The novel itself focuses on the life of a little boy, Antonio Marez, who is growing up north of Santa Fe in 1940s New Mexico. Born to a father who prides himself on his adventurous nature and relation to the sea and a mother born to the Lunas, farmers who generally speak only to their earth, Antonio suffers from having to choose the way his life should lead but is only around the third grade mark. He is a very precocious boy who, after his curandera grandmother-figure (medicine woman, basically, named Ultima) moves in with his family, begins to learn the finer aspects of local medicine and faith. He then has to deal with conflicting concepts of faith and of growing up much too fast.
There is so much in this book, so much. The reflections on childhood and youth, the value of friends, family, and honor, heritage, faith, the powers of the earth, independence and individuality, and so on, are really quite stirring. It is somewhat hard to believe that Antonio is as young as he is by the way he thinks, and the same goes for how some of his school friends speak as well. It just seems unnatural, but then again, it wouldn't reach the same depth if it were written as if small children were writing.
With that said, I think young adults could definitely handle the words in this text, at least with a Spanish-English dictionary on the side (watch out, some of those words mean nasty things in Spanish!), and a preface regarding the different beliefs of native New Mexican faiths (and cuisine!). Some of the subject material is racy or intellectually provocative, which is great, but maybe you don't want your 12 year old reading this stuff.
I love this book, though, and can't wait to recommend it to everyone I run into. Even though it has been several days since I finished it, I'm still finding it pop up in my line of thought all the time, which has actually been distracting since I'm onto a new book now. It's really quite wonderful, though. But maybe it's best not to expect the best since high expectations always seem to disappoint. So, I'll say this, "The book is ok, but you really ought to try it yourself." And then I can rest easy knowing I haven't over-hyped and therefore ruined it for you! If you happen to stumble across this, take it home with you and devour.
By the way, it was a little slow-going at the start but then I just could not put it down. So, don't give up right away. Give it a good shot.
Oh yeah! This picture is not my own. It came from here: http://www.tpet.com/img/productImages/Bless-Me-Ultima-Book.jpg.
Last edited on Sep 02, 2008
Bless Me, Ultima is recommended by richelmore
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