The Bullet Swallower

Books | Fiction / Literary

4.2

Elizabeth Gonzalez James

A “mesmerizing...wildly entertaining” (The Boston Globe) magical realism western in the vein of Cormac McCarthy meets Gabriel García Márquez, The Bullet Swallower follows a Mexican bandido as he sets off for Texas to rob a train, only to encounter a mysterious figure who has come, finally, to collect a cosmic debt generations in the making.In 1895, Antonio Sonoro is the latest in a long line of ruthless men. He’s good with his gun and drawn to trouble but he’s also out of money and out of options. A drought has ravaged the town of Dorado, Mexico, where he lives with his wife and children, and so when he hears about a train laden with gold and other treasures, he sets off for Houston to rob it—with his younger brother Hugo in tow. But when the heist goes awry and Hugo is killed by the Texas Rangers, Antonio finds himself launched into a quest for revenge that endangers not only his life and his family, but his eternal soul. In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is Mexico’s most renowned actor and singer. But his comfortable life is disrupted when he discovers a book that purports to tell the entire history of his family beginning with Cain and Abel. In its ancient pages, Jaime learns about the multitude of horrific crimes committed by his ancestors. And when the same mysterious figure from Antonio’s timeline shows up in Mexico City, Jaime realizes that he may be the one who has to pay for his ancestors’ crimes, unless he can discover the true story of his grandfather Antonio, the legendary bandido El Tragabalas, The Bullet Swallower. A family saga that’s epic in scope and loosely based on the author’s own great-grandfather, The Bullet Swallower is “rich in lyrical language, gripping action, and enchanting magical realism” (Esquire). It tackles border politics, intergenerational trauma, and the legacies of racism and colonialism in a lush setting with stunning prose that asks who pays for the sins of our ancestors and whether it is possible to be better than our forebearers.

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More Details:

Author

Elizabeth Gonzalez James

Pages

272

Publisher

Simon and Schuster

Published Date

2024-01-23

ISBN

1668009323 9781668009321

Community ReviewsSee all

"Ultimately I see where this book was trying to go. Overall I liked the premise and execution of the book, I just think that it wasn’t quite for me. You follow two timelines, 1895 and 1964. In 1895, a man that is constantly down on his luck, decides to rob a train with his brother which goes terribly wrong. The Texas Rangers are chasing them all around Texas as the main character is trying to get revenge on his brother being killed. Along the way he meets many people as well as faces death multiple times. It was interesting to see the storyline play out. I like to watch westerns with my dad, which seeing the legend of The Bullet Swallower from start to finish was intriguing. However the side plot that exists in the story seem to just cloud the story. They didn’t hold my attention until the end when the current ancestor was piecing it all together. I don’t think that the magical realism was filled as far for what it could have been. I liked the inclusion of the personification of death and I think it added a layer to the story, it just was a subpar side plot. The main story was pretty interesting. I won’t say that any of it really shocked me though. It held my attention because it is full of action, grief played a big part, and it was about deciding who you want to be. I think it could’ve told more of the background of the family and filled that rather than having a focus of the current timeline in 1964. Overall this was a good quick read and I enjoyed it as a break from high fantasy."

Leeann Smith

"The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I really enjoyed this based on a true story anti-hero. I found myself rooting for Antonio and his future generations. Would they break the cycle of violence laid at their feet? The look at Mexico and early Texas at this time was horrifying and interesting because I've never read anything like it. The intro was awesome, tying in the Sorano family to Dorado and the culture. And the shadow through the generations really makes you think of the good and evil available in all of us at all times. "

Sarah

"Texas"

Rachel Joy

"Complex protagonist. Reads like a revenge Sergio Leone movie"

jim sharpnack

"I love contemporary Western-style novels. The gunslinger-with-a-twist trope keeps the classic genre alive and relevant to a new generation. The Antonio Sonoro storyline in The Bullet Swallower is pretty traditional (you get a lot more internal exposition from the character than, say, Josey Wales, but the plot is similar!). It is interspersed with the story of his grandson Jaime Sonoro, Mexico's most beloved actor/singer of the 1960s, and this is what really contemporizes the story. Jaime is approached by a mysterious woman who gives him a tome outlining the history of his family.. Jaime dives in and some pretty undesirable secrets are revealed. What follows is a struggle to resolve his known identity with this new ancestral knowledge. Throw in some magical realism, and you get an enjoyable fresh Western! I really liked the characterizations of Jaime and Antonio. They felt like real people, and to a certain extent, I could really relate with their actions. Antonio grows as a person throughout his journey - it's always gratifying as a reader to witness this. Wondering who you are and from whom you came is a pretty universal question - Gonzalez James does a great job expressing Jaime's angst and eventual relief. It was a surprise to learn that this story takes root in the author's own family history - that too added to my enjoyment of the novel. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Gonzalez James. ***Thanks to Simon/Shuster and Net Galley for the ARC!***"

Stephanie Simons 📚🐈‍⬛🏝

"Warning: This story will swallow you whole… Every aspect of this book is engaging and entertaining and I wish it wasn’t over. The hybrid nature of this book takes the traditional western and ramps it up into a beautiful dark twisted fantasy. This book is the story of the Sonoros. It is a generational tale that focuses mainly on the life of Antonio Sonoro in 1895 and his grandson Jaime Sonoro in 1964. Neither one of these men know anything about the other, but there is a magic in the shadows that links them through time and love. When a bad drought hits Mexico, Antonio leaves his family behind to rob a train but instead gets himself entangled with the Texas Rangers. What unfolds on the pages is a chase across Texas that leaves hundreds of bodies in its wake. I like westerns for this reason, they manage to humanize our history of vengeance as well as call out the injustice of the world. This was a bloody, quick read that is not for everyone, but the people attracted to its synopsis will probably love it.<br/><br/>Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book. This book is set to be released 1/23/24 so head to your local independent bookstore or your local library to pre-order a copy today."