I'm a little torn about this one (and will try to do this without spoilers). On one hand I loved the timeline duality and how things kind of bounced around from present to past so that you could get me familiar with certain character history. On the other hand - it was a lot and I struggled to keep track in some places. As I wrote this in early Feb of 2025, I can't help but think how little we've actually grown from our past and the awful way we treat people, especially minorities and immigrants (undocumented the most poorly treated). It was kind of jarring be relevant if I'm being honest and in some ways might be a reflection of what's to come in the present day. I do feel like the end was super rushed and it seemed like some storylines were left unfinished. I wanted to hear and know more about Luz and her family and future but as I got closer to the end I realized that wasn't happening. Overall, a great read and one largely out of my comfort zone and a genre I usually don't dive into so I appreciated the change of pace. Very cool view into the Midwest during the 1920's and 30's

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review!

Wow wow. I really loved this one. I live in Denver, so I love this author for many reasons, but this book of hers was so impressive in so many ways - the setting, the characters, the feel of the book.

When family history is lost, it's a tragedy. When that same history of generations is lost, it's never recoverable, leaving current generations to never find where they came from and how they got here. Before the days of gadgets and devices, human story tellers were valued members of every family. Kali Fajardo-Anstine tells the moving story of one story teller that leaves the reader wanting so much more.

Let me start by saying that I was probably not the target audience for this book. I haven't really gotten into historical fiction yet, and I went into this thinking it was going to be more of a magical realism kind of thing. Obviously, I was wrong, so it isn't the book's fault that this didn't meet my expectations. The writing was fine, and I think the story could maybe have been okay for the right reader, but this one just was not for me.

What a beautifully written story. This is a multi-generational journey between family members that provokes some moody imagery thoughts of nature for me. I'm picky about historical fiction but I liked the premise here and felt it flowed nicely with the multiple storylines. I'm not surprised this one has been chosen as Book of the Year on various lists!

This multi-generational novel drew me in with its magical realism. The heartbreak and loss felt so vivid for me. Kali Fajardo-Anstine is a wonderful storyteller.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

Picked this up because I live in Denver and was really interested in learning more about the history and culture of the area. Loved the characters and depth of the story. Would recommend!

I've been making an effort to read more historical fiction about times, places, or events that I'm not as familiar with. Woman of Light covers three time periods: 1905, 1922, and the 1930s. While I've read books about the Depression and Dust Bowl (1930s) and prohibition (1920s) and some turn of the century stories (1900s), I have read very little about the Mexican-Indian Americans of the west.

The book made me look-up the Mexican-American War. Actually it was the term "the Lost Territory" that the characters kept using that led me to the Mexican-American War. I realized outside of the Alamo (I guess I do "remember the Alamo), I don't remember much about the war. And definitely was not aware of the repercussions of the war.

For others who might not know, the Lost Terriotry is the land that Mexico ceded to the U.S. at the end of the Mexican-American war. It included what is today California, Nevada, Utah, the western half of New Mexico, the western quarter of Colorado, and the southwest corner of Wyoming.

The story mostly takes place in Denver in the 1930s but we see the life of Luz's grandmother in the late 1800s-1905 and how Luz's aunt Maria Josie came to Denver in the 1920s.

Probably because I live in the South, most race issues involve African Americans. In the western states where people of Mexican and Native American descent faced similar discrimination. '

Fajardo-Anstine used her own family history and stories in the book. And they are captivating stories.

This is the first book I've read Fajardo-Anstine, and I love her writing style. The characters are great. Though on the surface I have very little income with the characters (I'm white, middle-class, living in an entirely different century) I immediately connected with them and wanted to see their lives improve.

I love learning about their history and culture. I had trouble putting the book down. I wanted to know more about their lives and just spend time with them.

The Dust Bowl and the Depression aren't exactly mentioned but you can see the effects of these events on their lives. Luz's brother Diego becomes a migrant farm worker in California and through the other characters in Luz's life, we learn how men are being forcefully removed from these migrant camps and "returned" to Mexico even though the are U.S. citizens.

I think I read about this in The Grapes of Wrath but it might have been another Dustbowl era novel. But I assumed the men they were removing were Mexican citizens - that they had crossed the border as migrant workers as many do today. However, now I'm wondering if they were just of Mexican descent.

If you haven't read this book, you really should. Not only is it entertaining but it is also eye-opening to a culture and a history I knew very little about.

My review will be published on Saturday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/04/woman-of-light-by-kali-fajardo-anstine.html

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an electronic advance reader copy.

This book tells the story of a family over several generations in the American West from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. It shows a different side of the American West than what you might expect. The characters include visionaries, prophets, and people with special abilities. While there's a sense of magic in the world, it also shows the harsh realities of racism, sexism, and poverty. Despite these challenges, the characters show hope, determination, and love for their family. The main character, Luz "Little Light" Lopez, grows up throughout the story. It's a big, epic tale that could easily be turned into a movie.

I thought this was a devastating novel. I did not enjoy the animal torture 3 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Random House for an audio copy of this book for an honest review.

It was good but it took me a while to read for reasons I’m not sure about. It took me a bit of time to become invested in the story and, shockingly to me, I oddly preferred her short stories which I normally dislike short stories and prefer novels. But I loved the main character and her perspective on relating to those around her and her family.

This book was ok. I found it a little hard to keep 2 main characters separate as they often mix together while reading. Other then that I liked the plot.

I loved Kali Fajardo-Anstine's short story collection 'Sabrina and Corina', so I was super excited to read her first novel and it did not disappoint! A powerful story set in such an interesting period with memorable characters!

This is a very interesting novel about love, family secrets, and survival. Thanks for the review copy,

This is such a beautiful book. Although I had a difficult time getting into it at first, I am really happy I stuck with it. The matriarch and the different stories and their interrelatedness are all exquisite. This is truly a one of a kind intergenerational story.

As always, I will read anything Kali Fajardo-Anstine writes.

In the 1930s, Luz "Little Light" Lopez, a tea leaf reader and laundress, finds herself navigating the challenges of Denver on her own after her older brother, Diego, a snake charmer and factory worker, is forced to leave town by a violent white mob. As she traverses the streets of 1930s Denver, Luz experiences visions that transport her to her Indigenous homeland in the nearby Lost Territory.

Within these visions, Luz delves into the rich history of her ancestors: how her family flourished, the adversities they faced, and the ongoing threats that have plagued her people and their ancestral lands for generations. Throughout the narrative, Luz becomes a witness to the sinister forces that have inflicted harm on her community.

Ultimately, it falls upon Luz to safeguard her family's stories and heritage from fading into obscurity.

This Western saga unfolds across multiple generations of an Indigenous Chicano family, spanning from the late 1800s to the 1930s. The story primarily centers on Luz "Little Light" Lopez during the early 1930s, chronicling her struggle for survival in the face of poverty and racism. Along the way, she uncovers long-held family secrets, delves into her ancestral history, and discovers the true meaning of love on her own terms.

The characters are undoubtedly a highlight of the narrative. Luz, her best friend Lizette, her brother Diego, and her aunt Maria Josie are all captivating figures, each with their own compelling stories. While the story's shifting focus may leave some aspects less developed than desired, such as Liz's grandparents' story and certain facets of Liz's own journey, the characters' individual narratives remain engaging.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Woman of Light" by Kali Fajardo-Anstine had been on my reading list for years. Although I appreciated the themes in the book, the setting, and the characters, the story didn't hook me.

Absolutely beautifully written. I wish the book was chronological, I wish we heard the next few years of the story and I wish we heard more about the past.

I will hands down read anything by Kali. I love her prose, her truth--this books was such a welcome light to my reading slump. Woman of Light offers readers a wealth of history and family lore. Loved this one!

I really wanted to love this historical fiction, sweeping epic novel. It was very challenging for me to get through.
I appreciate the details, the characters, the perspectives, but the writing style was just not my fave.