The Hummingbird's Daughter

The Hummingbird's Daughter

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Editorial Reviews

Miracles and passion abound in this mesmerizing novel--hailed everywhere as a masterwork--the story of a remarkable young woman's sudden sainthood in the revolutionary-era Mexico of the late 19th century.

Customer Reviews

Not for the faint of heart but heart warming

Reviewed by Charlene Stott, 2010-02-02

A very well written book with very interesting historical information. That period of time was very chaotic and violent which is graphically portrayed. It was a bit hard to get through in a few places. Knowing that the author spent 20 years researching the information and was very thorough along with his emotional attachment considering he was related to the main character made it worth reading.
The characters came alive to the point you felt you really knew them.
I would not let a young child read it.

Historical fiction done well, and a fascinating insight into Mexico!

Reviewed by Todd B. Frary, 2010-01-21

Normally I'm not given for historical fiction; as a historian, blurring the line between historical fact and the imagination of fiction makes me a bit queasy. But in the hands of a capable writer like Margaret Walker or Carl Solana Weeks, historical fiction can be a source of enlightenment, transporting you to a time and place not easily relatable to the reader. Urrea does just that with "The Hummingbird's Daughter" and at the same time balances that against events which occurred within his own family. Normally that creates an untenable bias or influence that can either ruin the writing or enhance it beyond words. Urrea clearly falls in the latter category rather than the former; not surprising given his fantastic track record on fiction. What really sets Urrea apart is his intensely vivid descriptions of Mexico early on in the book, and his insightful descriptions of division by class, race, and ethnicity. For someone not accustomed to living in, or visiting Mexico these distinctions could easily be missed or overlooked, but a careful reading gives readers an insight into not just Mexico as it was, but the conflicts and tensions that remain within Mexico.

As mentioned, "Hummingbird" draws from a rather fascinating tale of supernature from within Urrea's own family, yet Urrea is cagey about whether be believes the tale is true or not, leaving it to readers to form their own opinion. That point is hardly germane here as readers will construct their own sense of belief or disbelief. In the process "Hummingbird" is a richly rewarding story that says as more about Mexico, her people, and her culture than anything else. "Hummingbird" is an immensely enjoyable read that allows readers the chance to explore their own questions or spirituality, faith, and reason.

Awesome Read! Takes me back to my grandmother's time

Reviewed by M. Gaona, 2009-12-17

I loved reading this book. It took me to a time that my grandmother spoke about in Mexico. The prose is wondeful. The characters come alive with each page. All in all, go READ IT!

Beautifully Written, but Nonsense is still Nonsense

Reviewed by D. Ashal, 2009-11-21

I want to be able to love this book, because it is really quite wonderful in its way. The characters are, while a bit broadly drawn at times, detailed and memorable. All are complex and rich personalities, and none are fully good or bad. There are many moments of genuine pathos and humor, and the prose surrounding the episodes is rarely maudlin or trite. Physical descriptions are gorgeous and grotesque at the right moments, and you can see, smell, and taste the world Urrea creates here. The plot unfolds nicely with some surprising events, ranging from the beautiful and mundane to the disastrous and heartbreaking. Sometimes we see something that seems a bit like Marquez, but done too well to seem like a rip-off. It's a sumptuous literary feast, and if it were a fantasy novel or a more strict example of magical realism, I could give it five stars with no problem.

But there's the small issue that Teresita Urrea was a real person (and a relative of the author's, or so he says). And not the one who shares her name in this book, beyond some incidental resemblances. The real Teresita Urrea was a fraud spiritualist and "healer" in the Blavatsky tradition, of a particularly cringe-worthy type. If she were alive today, we'd call her a cult-leader. If L. Urrea was just saying "what if we took her claims at face value", I could probably take it, but it's clear that he DOES take her claims somewhat at face value, based on his mentions in the book's afterward and in various media of his mystical experiences searching for knowledge of her and the smell of roses that supposedly miraculously comes from her grave. So it is an excellent novel, but ultimately it's also an intellectually dishonest hagiography of the author's distant cousin. The book omits many things that the real T.Urrea did, like make sham predictions, get involved in monetary scandals, and the like and claims that she had clearly supernatural powers. And as such I can't really give it a full recommendation.

L.Urrea has written several excellent pieces of non-fiction detailing life on the US-Mexican border. I don't always agree with the conclusions he draws, and they're not as beautifully written as this novel, but they're honest and real, which where I'm coming from puts them ahead of The Hummingbird's Daughter.

A Yaqui Way of Sainthood

Reviewed by Joseph G. Pfeffer, 2009-10-27

The Hummingbird's Daughter is a stunning masterpiece, a grand epic of pre-revolutionary northern Mexico centering on one of the most fascinating personalities in the country's history. The story works on every level. The physical descriptions are alternately magnificent and horrifying. Teresita is rendered in such a way that the disasters that befall her break the reader's heart while her character as a healer shines through with genuineness. Perhaps the most surprising things about her are her sense of humor, her view of herself as an ordinary girl who has "seen God," not a saint, and her unerring sense of how to engage warmly and honestly with people.

The other main character is her father, Tomas Urrea, a privileged, philandering hacendado who is himself turned into a kind of saint by his illegitimate daugther. The relationship they develop is intensely moving. A host of other characters, including the shaman Huila, the ranch boss Segundo, the intellectual engineer Aguirre, the half-brother Buenaventura, and the Federale with a heart Enriquez, shine through vividly.

All of Mexico is here, in its glory, horror and unique quirkiness. The only book I can compare it with is Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, but this one is better because it stays closer to the earth, lacking McCarthy's often florid flights of fancy. The Hummingbird's Daughter gives the phrase "Read it and weep" new meaning. I often wept openly as I read it, and the final 40 pages created one of the most intensely emotional experiences of my life.