So Far from God

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Tome, a seemingly sleepy hamlet in central New Mexico, is vividly brought to life by Ana Castillo, revealing a place filled with wonders and diverse collisions: past and present, real and supernatural, comic and horrific, and the interactions among Native American, Hispano, and Anglo cultures. With a lively and intimate narrative style reminiscent of a Southwestern Cervantes, the author chronicles two decades in the life of a Chicana family. Central to this story is Sofia, who holds the family together after her husband Domingo mysteriously disappears, leaving behind his signature Clark Gable mustache and gambling addiction. The narrative also explores the lives of Sofia's daughters: Esperanza, a Chicana radical turned television news reporter; Caridad, a nurse coping with heartbreak through alcohol and casual encounters; Fe, a bank employee seeking a better life; and la Loca, whose early "death" and miraculous return have left her spiritually attuned. Castillo masterfully blends the mundane with the miraculous, the modern with the archaic, and the tragic with the humorous, creating a rich tapestry of homegrown magical realism infused with sharp commentary, controlled anger, and a distinct feminist perspective. The greatest marvel of all is the achievement of its creator.