Chronicles of Air and Dreams: A Novel of Mexico

Rating:
Summary: Mystical, but Missing
Review: Chronicles of Air and Dreams: A Novel of Mexico by Rosa Martha Villarreal uses the mysticism of the Mayan pyramids, the jaguar, and voices on the wind and in dreams to create a patchwork of current events interrelated with the history of Martin Cortez and his family curse. There are many visions threaded throughout several characters, but the problem is that the story is told by the writer rather than shown by the people who are experiencing the events. This type of story telling leaves many unanswered questions and loses the emotional impact of the reader becoming involved with or caring about the characters or the story. I had a very difficult time finishing the book.

Rating:
Summary: A Chronicle of Chronicles
Review: Rosa Martha Villarreal's second novel, Chronicles of Air and Dreams: A Novel of Mexico, is a complex, multi-themed novel that, like all great literature, cannot be easily classified or summarized. Villarreal's novel is similar to the writings of Carlos Fuentes, Juan Rulfo, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and other Latin American Writers. Readers who wish to read a sample chapter of this excellent novel should visit the Archer Books website.

Rating:
Summary: Caveat emptor: please bring your brain and imagination
Review: Villareal's novel lifts the typical reader out of his/her intellectual quagmire. She provides this reader with rare insight into the hispanic consciousness through characters whose stories entangle the reader in the mixed raced, mixed history, and mixed loyalty of the Latino American culture. Only the literal and unimaginative would think that Villareal's novel tries to tell the story of Martin Cortez's history; rather Villareal challenges the open and aware to travel with her into a realm of ever changing reality.