The House of Broken Angels
Books | Fiction / Cultural Heritage
3.7
(163)
Luis Alberto Urrea
In this "raucous, moving, and necessary" story by a Pulitzer Prize finalist (San Francisco Chronicle), the De La Cruzes, a family on the Mexican-American border, celebrate two of their most beloved relatives during a joyous and bittersweet weekend. "All we do, mija, is love. Love is the answer. Nothing stops it. Not borders. Not death." In his final days, beloved and ailing patriarch Miguel Angel de La Cruz, affectionately called Big Angel, has summoned his entire clan for one last legendary birthday party. But as the party approaches, his mother, nearly one hundred, dies, transforming the weekend into a farewell doubleheader. Among the guests is Big Angel's half brother, known as Little Angel, who must reckon with the truth that although he shares a father with his siblings, he has not, as a half gringo, shared a life. Across two bittersweet days in their San Diego neighborhood, the revelers mingle among the palm trees and cacti, celebrating the lives of Big Angel and his mother, and recounting the many inspiring tales that have passed into family lore, the acts both ordinary and heroic that brought these citizens to a fraught and sublime country and allowed them to flourish in the land they have come to call home. Teeming with brilliance and humor, authentic at every turn, The House of Broken Angels is Luis Alberto Urrea at his best, and cements his reputation as a storyteller of the first rank."Epic . . . Rambunctious . . . Highly entertaining." -- New York Times Book Review"Intimate and touching . . . the stuff of legend." -- San Francisco Chronicle"An immensely charming and moving tale." -- Boston GlobeNational Bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award finalistA New York Times Notable BookOne of the Best Books of the Year from National Public Radio, American Library Association, San Francisco Chronicle, BookPage, Newsday, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Literary Hub
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Author
Luis Alberto Urrea
Pages
368
Publisher
Little, Brown
Published Date
2018-03-06
ISBN
0316516252 9780316516259
Community ReviewsSee all
"I read this one for Hispanic heritage month, it was a long read but you can tell it is a literary work. It’s not an easy read but it has so many lessons woven into it. This shows a good depiction of what it’s like to be Mexican-American, human and broken. "
J C
Jasmine C
"If you want a sprawling family epic then this is the book for you. I loved the various family members and the drama and hilarity that ensued. But it was also tragic at points, and heart wrenching at others. It was the story of not just one life, but several. And all of it was wonderful."
A P
Allie Peduto
"I felt like I was a part of the funeral and party. The characters reminded me of individuals in my family."
G
Gaby