What readers think of The Bullet Swallower, plus links to write your own review.

As one reviewer wrote of this book: "Mesmerizing and important" and indeed this book is. Based loosely on the author's great-grandfather, who she writes in the Author's Note, was "a bandido in the late 1800s, the book tells the story of the "notorious" Sonoro family - a fictitious family of legendary bad men. Antonio Sonoro is a bad man, a man from a long line of legendary bad men. We meet him in 1895 at the time of a terrible drought, planning a train heist. He has been a terrible husband and father but he is determined to somehow make things better by the train robbery - visions of gold, unsurpassed wealth spur him on. So, he and his brother, Hugo, travel to Texas where everything goes wrong and they are then pursued by the Texas Rangers, several of whom are bent on the destruction of all Mexicans, whether good or bad!

At one time Antonio is shot in the face and acquires his nickname: El Tragabalas ("The Bullet Swallower"). Fast forward to 1964 where we meet El Tragabalas's great grandson, Jaime Sonoro, a Mexican movie star beloved in his country, who is given a mysterious book purposing to show how the vile Sonoro family is responsible for all evil in the world. As the book alternates between 1895 and 1964, a story unfolds showing how Antonio is desirous of revenge but also wanting to repent his ways while Jaime is struggling to understand his past and what it means for him, his father and his children. The question grows: are the sins of the father put upon the children? Throughout these periods of time, a "shadow" seems to pursue both men. Who is this "shadow"? Can one redeem himself?

The book is masterfully written - there are some of the most delicious and beautiful descriptions of the terrain of the Texas and Mexican countryside where events take place -and the character of Antonio is stellar! The added dash of magical realism is not over drawn but adds to the tale creating some gothic elements too. While racism isn't a theme necessarily in the book, the story is riddled with it and the terrible impact racism has on Antonio and his family. This is not a long book but it's a wonderful read. Highly recommend.