So Far From God

So Far From God

By Ana Castillo

This is the story of a family of women living in a border town between the US and Mexico. The novel is about culture, language, love, family, truth, legend, and it is beautifully woven together to create a compelling narrative.

The language can be a bit jarring for some readers as it was written in English but with the syntax of Spanish. If you don’t speak any Spanish, this can seem really ridiculous or almost like a mistake but it only works to strengthen the theme of being from a borderland.

This novel reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and his beautiful use of fantastic realism (where fantastic things happen but are treated as though they are commonplace- such as a character living to an ancient age or perhaps flying away like a bird). This technique works beautifully with Spanish culture and proves itself to be equally mesmerizing and dazzling in a Mexican context.

There are many random words or phrases in Spanish- which was fun for me in attempting to translate based on my knowledge of the language-but also creates a unique experience of ACTIVE reading. You need to look up translations or ask someone and this pulls you into the text.

So Far From God is a truly beautifully written and conceived novel. You will savor every word like a thick chocolate syrup that just melts in your mouth. Pour over every word- read it out loud- hear the language and allow the story to consume you.

Este libro es increíble, leí.