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There are currently 20 member reviews
for The House of Broken Angels
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Jane B. (Chicago, IL)
Love is the answer
Urrea does a good job of describing the stories of the individual family members that make up the extended Mexican family of Big Angel. Their life's accomplishments, failings, and conflicts with life and each other make for an entertaining read. Urrea also illuminates both the role of the child caretaker and the decline of the parent who against all odds wants to be well again. The family has a killer sense of humor that helps through the rough patches. Entertaining, comforting read.
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Sherilyn R. (St George, UT)
Great Storytelling
Louis Alberto Urrea is a master storyteller. This book The House of Broken Angels, however had some technical problems. First let me tell you everything I loved. Big Angel, Little Angel, Perla, La Gloriosa, and even the minor characters were wonderful. The stories, the food, the humor, drew me into the lives of this incredibly complex family. But, the writing style was disjointed and made it difficult for me to follow the story and characters. I put the book down and up and down many times because I found myself getting frustrated. I wanted the story to flow. As it was I would still recommend the book but know it will take some work to get through.
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Sara P. (Longview, WA)
The House of Broken Angels
This is a good story about growing up in one culture and then living as an adult in another culture. It is told mostly from the point of view of the patriarch of a Mexican family who now lives in San Diego. His children grow up in the USA and are not as Mexican as their parents. The grandchildren are a background noise in the story. I think that it is a good read to understand living in two cultures.
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Brenda D. (Lincoln, CA)
The House of Broken Angels
A rich, engrossing family saga - it could be a family anywhere, but it happens to be a Mexican-American family. This comes at a very opportune moment, the immigration issues are all over the media. Even though they came to this country as illegals, they have lived the American dream to the best of their ability. As you read about this family, you come to realize that people are the same all over the world - maybe some cultural differences - but still with the same desires to create and support a family in the best way they can.
Big Angel, the patriarch of the DeLaCruz family, is the definition of "machismo" - a strong sense of masculine pride. He has always taken care of his family and in his dying days he intends to do the same. Just when you think he has nothing left, he surprises you and you end up in tears at his final act of machismo.
The author's use of language is wonderful - he creates mind pictures. One sentence that really struck me (as a woman of a certain age): "Well, the hills are old, but they still have flowers on them."
I only wish I had a better understanding of the Spanish language as he does use it quite a bit.
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Joane W. (Berlin, MD)
House of Broken Angels
I really enjoyed this book it's always interested to learn about other cultures. This Mexican family bears a striking resemblance to all ethnic families.similar disfunction,sibling rivalry etc.the ongoing theme of the story revolves around the patriarch of the family who is dying and the action occurs over one weekend.most of the story relates the points of view of the different family members in regards to Big Angel and his end of life.
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Loretta F. (Fountain Inn, SC)
Endless Drama
Since I have a good friend who is Mexican, I requested this book in hopes of better understanding Mexican culture. Sad to say, I was greatly disappointed, but managed to plow through to the end. The family loves Big Angel, who is dying, but seems to equally love bravery, sex, and drugs. The only part of the book that I enjoyed was the story of Mama America and the parrot, and Big Angel's final big scene. I do intend to give the book to my friend to see what she thinks of it.
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