Las Madres: A novel

Las Madres: A novel

From the award-winning, best-selling author of When I Was Puerto Rican, a powerful novel of family, race, faith, sex, and disaster that moves between Puerto Rico and the Bronx, revealing the lives and loves of five women and the secret that binds them together They refer to themselves as “las Madres,” a close-knit group of women who, with their daughters, have created a family based on friendship and blood ties.Their story begins in Puerto Rico in 1975 when fifteen-year-old Luz, the tallest girl in her dance academy and the only Black one in a sea of petite, light-skinned, delicate swans, is seriously injured in a car accident. Tragically, her brilliant, multilingual scientist parents are both killed in the crash. Now orphaned, Luz navigates the pressures of adolescence and copes with the aftershock of a brain injury, when two new friends enter her life, Ada and Shirley. Luz’s days are consumed with aches and pains, and her memory of the accident is wiped clean, but she suffers spells that send her mind to times and places she can’t share with others. In 2017, in the Bronx, Luz’s adult daughter, Marysol, wishes she better understood her. But how can she when her mother barely remembers her own life? To help, Ada and Shirley’s daughter, Graciela, suggests a vacation in Puerto Rico for the extended group, as an opportunity for Luz to unearth long-buried memories and for Marysol to learn more about her mother’s early life. But despite all their careful planning, two hurricanes, back-to-back, disrupt their homecoming, and a secret is revealed that blows their lives wide open. In a voice that sings with warmth, humor, friendship, and pride, celebrated author Esmeralda Santiago unspools a story of women’s sexuality, shame, disability, and love within a community rocked by disaster. "A powerful and heartbreakingly accurate portrait of those unimaginable hours and seemingly interminable days after [Hurricane Maria]....For those who lived through Maria, or remember their relatives’ desperate accounts, Santiago is faithful to the details, both big and small....Her book captures what it means to be a Puerto Rican amid the cycles of loss and upheaval. It also becomes a timely and important chronicle of this chapter in the U.S. territory's history....With Las Madres , Santiago creates an indelible record of her homeland—and its resilience—during one of its toughest chapters."  —Sandra Lilley, NBC News "A close-knit group of female friends finds their bonds tested and their lives upheaved by the passage of time before coming together again in Puerto Rico in this elegantly woven novel from the author of When I Was Puerto Rican." —Emma Specter, Vogue "[A] dynamic and riveting novel....Santiago creates a tapestry of family, gender, race, sexuality and disability….Santiago unapologetically centers the female voice....[and] takes the reader on a visceral and gripping journey rendered in incredible detail....[A] stunning homage to Puerto Rican pride and resilience."  —Veronica Corpuz, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "A sweeping and supple story centering three Puerto Rican women and their daughters living in the Bronx. As one of their daughters becomes curious about her background, her mother's childhood car accident — which took the lives of both of her mother's parents — comes sharply into view. Yet her mother can't remember the tragic event. To uncover the mystery, the women plan a vacation to Puerto Rico, a place wracked by hurricanes and secrets long buried."  — Ms. Magazine “Santiago offers a vibrant portrayal of women supporting one another through disability and hardship.” —Becky Meloan, The Washington Post "In her most recent novel, Las Madres , Santiago explores a fresh perspective by highlighting the life stories of five Puerto Rican women residing in the U.S....Santiago’s intimate familiarity with these types of stories, through her own friends and siblings, adds a depth and authenticity to their narratives."  —Francisco Gutierrez, Latina "Gorgeous....[ Las Madres ] is sprawling in scope but tightly woven as a story, and every character is richly detailed....A tapestry of love and family that is a joy to read....Santiago is a deeply gifted storyteller, capturing the depth of her characters and extending care to all of them as she grapples with themes like memory, grief, and identity."  —Sarah Neilson, Shondaland.com "Esmeralda Santiago’s Las Madres is an inspiring story of women and their friendships that reminds us of our own." —Sandra Cisneros, author of Woman Without Shame "Esmeralda Santiago is already a legend. With Las Madres , a rich and deeply felt novel about friendship, family secrets, belonging, and the boundless love that survives devastation, she confirms her status as an absolute icon." —Cristina Henriquez, author of The Book of Unknown Americans "I savored this tender novel that celebrates the power of resilience — of Luz, of las madras, las nenas and t