Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya (4.0)
This 1970’s book, the story of a young boy growing up in
New Mexico in the shadow of WWII, wooed me with its characters, symbolism and
quiet beauty. It examines the choices Antonio faces between his family, his
career and most importantly his spirituality.
His mother and father come from very different families: the Lunas are
farmers who quietly cherish the earth, the Marez are cowboys who are filled
with the spirit of adventure. Both families try to claim Antonio as their own.
While he questions where he ultimately fits, he looks for guidance from his
mother’s religion, Catholicism. But he ends up getting more answers and comfort
from Ultima, the family friend who is also a curandera, or spiritual healer. Living
in a small, poor, rural, multilingual town, Antonio witnesses several tragedies
that push him on his journey to find his soul. The book is filled with
symbolism, usually in groups of 3. It also has a bit more ‘magic’ than I tend
to like, but given the narrator (a boy of 7) and the mixture of beliefs, it made
sense. The ending is quite predictable, but I found the enjoyment of this book
is in the journey, not the destination.
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