I read this in college for a Latino Studies class. For some reason it's been coming to mind often in the past year or so..but all I could remember was that I loved a book that had something to do with a golden fish! Today I finally figured out the name of the book that keeps tugging at my memory. I will be reading this again. Soon! ( )

I read this for a book group I was leading about 15 years ago. ( )

Growing up hurts, which is something no one ever says. "These are the best years of your life!" people say, which really means "my life isn't very exciting now that I'm older". Growing up means you can do more things, but as we age out of being children we're wounded in ways we don't even know hurt because we don't know enough to know what hurts yet.

Antonio Márez, six years old, lives with his father and mother in a small New Mexico town spread around a valley. He's torn in several directions in several ways: his father's family wants him to be a rancher, while his mother's family wants him to be a farmer; his mother wants him to be a priest, but he's not sure he understands the holy mysteries of Catholicism; his father wants to move with his family to California, yet his older brothers leave with this dream unrealized and Antonio with a burden to support his parents.

Six years old.

As the book progresses, it becomes something of a bildungsroman. Each chapter is a small part of the boy's life, some more influential to his character than others. Centrally, Ultima, a curandera (Native healer), comes to live with the Márez family. Ultima is known to Antonio's mother and father and was present at Antonio's birth. We slowly learn that Ultima does have some true power, seemingly where the church does not.

Tony follows the two paths, that of the curandera, which he seems fated to, and that of the priest, which seems to be forced upon him. Tony desperately wants to be a priest but assumes the Catholic answers will fall into his head. His faith in Ultima's abilities and knowledge seems much more natural.

The book hints at larger questions that Tony feels must have answers, but ultimately left me somewhat unfulfilled. The ending suggests that a melding of religion and folklore is the best path, but ends at that point. Ultima's character seems above it all (and honestly, the character is not more than a light sketch) and exists separate from Catholicism and in spite of it. In a world where Mexicans are slowly becoming Americans and learning English, Anaya convinces me of the problems but doesn't convince me of a solution. ( )

Excellent novel that combines New Mexican myths and Catholic religion. It's a coming-of-age story about Antonio and his family and a healing woman or shaman named Ultima. I can see why it has been banned before because it has some adult situations and treats Catholicism kind of lightly. Still it was very well written (originally 1972), and has humor as well as poetic language, and I will most likely read more by Anaya. Had to look up some Spanish terms being used, but it's in English. ( )

A well written master piece of Mexican-American culture, interwoven with fantastical legend. ( )