Woman of Light follows five generations of the Lopez family, over the years as the land they live on transitions from The Lost Territory to present-day (or, an early twentieth century version of) Denver. Everything focuses around Luz (the titular woman of “light”), a tea leaf reader and seer, in the 1930s. She lives with her aunt, Maria Josie, brother, Diego, and is best friends with her cousin, Lizette. Over the course of a few years, we watch as her brother must leave town for his own safety, Lizette plans her wedding (and wedding dress!), Maria Josie settles into her life (and love), and Luz struggles with both her feelings (the “safe and comfortable” Avel or her boss, a young attorney – and womanizer – David) and what she wants for her life. This family drama all unfolds against the backdrop of racial unrest and police brutality, told in turn with the stories of the past (the lives of Luz’s parents and grandparents), that brought the Lopez family to where they are today.

Y’all, I badly wanted to love this book more than I did. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. It had so much promise, and so many of the themes were in line with those that I loved from Sabrina & Corina, but there was just something missing, or just a bit off, here for me. A lot of it came down to the writing. It was fine, good even, in an overall sense. But the issue for me was that this was marketed as an adult book and it just read *so young.* I mean the themes were incredibly mature. The main characters were 18 (plus or minus) and (especially for the time period) were definitely considered adults and lived adult lives/responsibilities. And yet, for all that, this book reads *so* young, and not just like YA young, but like…naive, young. The sweetness and innocence to Luz started fine, but as things began to happen in her life, and she “saw” more and more of her family’s history, the fact that it stuck around felt somewhat incongruous. It was an interesting narrative juxtaposition, the presentation of such intense, serious topics (CW: racism/slurs, animal cruelty, colonialism, hate crimes, police violence, misogyny, and more) in such an innocent voice. It was kind of like a tall tale or western themed fable: there’s a message about society, but it’s passed on within a sort of fantasy/fairytale-like narrative. And I can see what it was going for, I think. But it never really landed for me.

Also, and perhaps this is because I have recently read some other truly phenomenal, and much longer, family saga type novels (The Arsonists’ City and The Love Songs of W.E.B. du Bois, for example), even the intergenerational family story and drama seemed…too surface-level and a bit too simple. So it could easily just be a situation of bad timing and/or not the right reader, but this one just didn’t quite hit the spot.

I do want to recognize a few things that were really well done and/or that I respected, even if this wasn’t a new favorite read. I enjoyed the highlighting of a time/place combination that I do not know much about, from an intersectional perspective. The predominant “wild west” and “depression era” narratives (along with most everything in our nation) are white and cis-hetero. This was a fantastic highlighting of the sheer variety of peoples that make up this nation/land, obviously focused on Indigenous and Chicano families here, but with inclusion of other races and nationalities (Asian, recent European immigrants) and how they intermingled (or didn’t, as it were).

Fajardo-Anstine does a wonderful job, too, of showing how the intolerance of our nation was universal and widespread; the Klan was not just a Southern thing and police violence (and upholding of the legacy of white supremacy) has been endemic against all minority populations since…well, since the arrival of white people on the continent. As has the fight for real justice. I enjoyed seeing some recognizable aspects (like, did I correctly interpret the reference to the “start” of Red Rocks as we know it, as a performance venue, today?). And, there were some vibes similar to When Two Feathers Fell From the Sky that were also really interesting, like looking at these less-well-known parts of history (a similar time period, though very different parts of the country) and some really unique show-boat type jobs (in this case, snake charming and tea reading and sharpshooting). Last, is it just me, or were there some aro coding/vibes around Luz? Whether or not it was purposeful, that’s how I chose to read her, and I liked it.

I’m not sure how to wrap up my thoughts about this novel. It was fascinating, as far as exposure, for me as a reader. I was interested in it, for the most part; the characters were original, the plot was well-paced, the themes were compelling and the emotions were correctly placed (remembrance, anger, hope, heartbreak, contentment, etc.). The sense of place and time was spectacular. Plus, the ending was…*chef’s kiss*…as far as looking towards a brighter future while still shining a light on the past/ancestors. To that end, the title was also spot on with its meaning and named-based wordplay. And yet, it felt sort of under-developed in the way it was all brought together. Or told in the wrong voice. Or none of that and it just wasn’t the right fit for me. Who knows.

DNF 48%

Absolute snoozefest. Tried really hard to be open-minded about this piece but the writing didn't appeal to me all. Too little character development and not enough plot.

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine. Pub Date: June 7, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟. I love historical fiction and I was excited to dig into this book because it was a fresh contribution to this genre. Unfortunately this novel following five generations of Indigenous Chicano family members in the American West did not deliver for me. I felt the story did more telling than showing, felt drawn out and had a lot of bouncing around of timelines and characters making the story not flow as well as I wanted it to. Thanks to #NetGalley and #randomhousepublishinggroup for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #womanoflight

I liked the characters and plot and the interweaving of the different generations’ stories. It drops you into the middle of their life and gives you a snapshot of time and how they all deal with what is handed to them and how that changes the next generation.

This multi-generational story is beautifully written and fleshed out the West in the early 20th Century. It covers five generations of a Chicano family from the Lost Territories from the late 1800s to the 1930s. The women in several generations have the gift of sight. The protagonist is a tea reader and seamstress who faces the challenges of racism in the 1930's. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World for accepting my request to read and review Woman of Light. I sincerely wish the outcome was better.

Author: Kali Fajardo-Anstine.
Published: 06/07/22
Genre: Fiction: Historical, literary, & Women's

Awkwardly, I am going on the record, historical fiction is my absolute favorite genre. I was intrigued by five generations, Chicano Family in the American West, 1930s Denver. I will admit I have picked up and loved HF books on less. I found the prologue enticing. Sadly, the story never gained a point of interest. I was at part two and couldn't describe part one. I started over with the basically the same outcome. At part three, I threw in the towel.

I believe this is written for someone else. The book isn't bad, it just isn't interesting to me, and I can't connect. I will remember the cover and that I had the book, and that's all. I am going with 2.5 stars and rounding up to 3 factoring that I can watch a television commercial, enjoy it, and not be able to describe it 10 minutes later.

Took a chance on this one as it is not something I would normally read and now I realize why. I could not get into the story and was just bored trying to read it. I guess that sometimes happens and it appears others have really enjoyed it so "to each his own".

I was glad to have a chance to read this story about perseverance and hardships. A multigenerational story about Indigenous -Chicano family is one not written about often. Sadly, I found the magical realism not my genre.

Loved this book, loved learning about a culture I know nothing about. The author's writing was so beautiful, and her characters were magnificent. This book is not lacking in any way, but I still wanted more, especially when it comes to Liz's grandparents' story.

There is one every generation, a seer who keeps the stories.

Luz “Little Light” Lopez, a tea leaf reader and laundress, is left to fend for herself after her older brother, Diego, a snake charmer and factory worker, is run out of town by a violent white mob. As Luz navigates 1930s Denver, she begins to have visions that transport her to her Indigenous homeland in the nearby Lost Territory. Luz recollects her ancestors’ origins, how her family flourished, and how they were threatened. She bears witness to the sinister forces that have devastated her people and their homelands for generations. In the end, it is up to Luz to save her family stories from disappearing into oblivion.

Written in Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s singular voice, the wildly entertaining and complex lives of the Lopez family fill the pages of this multigenerational western saga. Woman of Light is a transfixing novel about survival, family secrets, and love—filled with an unforgettable cast of characters, all of whom are just as special, memorable, and complicated as our beloved heroine, Luz.

I loved this novel. It took me much longer to read than I would normally spend on a book this length, but I realized that that was because I was savoring it. The prose is beautiful, and the story was so engaging. The descriptions took me there, and I quickly felt so connected to the characters and their stories. I also loved the way it was told, with the past pieces coming together toward the end to tell the story of this family and community. I can't wait to see what Kali Fajardo-Anstine writes next!

Woman of Light is a wonderful, sprawling story that extends many decades and contains a multitude of a great characters. It’s massively entertaining and Kali Fajardo-Anstine, the author of the stunning story collection, Sabrina & Corina, is a substantial new talent and many readers will eagerly await what she’ll write next.

DNF. I just could not get into this one. The writing style and jumping around to different characters made it hard for me to get into this. This style may appeal to a different reader. I listened to the audiobook which was well-narrated. Thank you to the publishers for providing this ARC.

4 stars

I am grateful to the publisher Random House Publishing Group for sending me an advanced copy of this book for review.

This was a strong emotional story in a setting that I have not read before, but an atmosphere that is sadly familiar. This multigenerational family saga follows the women of one family and shows how their lives and decisions echo through the time and how the issues of racism and the subsequent segregation and further injustices affect the prospects of Native American people.

I thought the characters were really well done and they were all extremely interesting. I enjoyed exploring the familial relationships and the complexities that outside factors added to the bonds between these people. The characters being so well written also meant that the more harrowing scenes were impactful for me as a reader. I could feel the fear, the uneasiness, the longing, and the dissatisfaction that these characters were experiencing on every page.

I did have a bit of an issue with the pacing of this story. Since this story is split between multiple timelines following different generations of the same family, we get introduced to many characters and interesting plot lines. Although the present-day timeline was supposed to be the main focus, I was left feeling that not enough time was spent exploring some timelines versus others. But that is my only critique of this book, I felt like a bit of this story was missing and I wanted more from some of the past timelines.

I enjoyed the story overall. I thought it was well written, interesting, and emotional. I recommend this to fans of historical fiction, specifically American historical fiction that focuses on race relations.

Representation: Indigenous Chicano MC and family

An epic telling the stories of five generations of an Indigenous Chicano family while they strive for life in the American West before and after the white man arrived. We mostly follow Luz “Little Light” Lopez, the seer of her generation. She reads tea leaves of people and does laundry, and lives with her aunt and brother. Her aunt works in a mirror factory, and her brother is also a factory worker alongside snake charming. Diego, her brother, gets run out of town by a violent and angry mob who think he did something he didn’t. Luz ends up having to navigate a lot of her life alone with how much her aunt is gone, and no one her age that really understands her. As she starts experiencing new things, she also starts getting visions of her ancestors and her Indigenous homeland. She sees all of the forces that have destroyed her homelands and oppressed her people for generations. Luz is the one who will have to carry her family stories and keep them from vanishing forever.

Rating: 4/5 While in the middle of reading this, I enjoyed it very much. Looking back, I don’t remember a lot of details except very random ones. I had to look through some reviews to remind myself of more details. I don’t know if this is because I’d read a lot of books around this time and didn’t let this story marinate in my mind enough or if it just didn’t stick. I did rate this four stars, so I certainly don’t think this is a bad book! What I can immediately think of and talk about: I wasn’t very pulled in by the romantic interests of Luz, because I just didn’t feel like either of them had any real potential. I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this, Luz’s time is set in 1930s Denver. There’s a lot about trade workers, how people got by in the Depression, racism, crime, and so much more. I absolutely suggest you go read other reviews of this book, because I’m not doing it justice.

In her first novel, Fajardo-Anstine weaves a sparkling constellation of stories around her heroine, Luz Lopez, an Indigenous Chicano teenager with a rich ancestral heritage. Luz comes of age in 1930s Denver amid family and romantic intrigues and systemic discrimination. Just seventeen, she’s a tea-leaf reader and laundress for the city’s wealthy residents, working alongside her cousin Lizette. She and her brother Diego, a snake-charmer popular at the city’s outdoor festivals, have been raised by their aunt, Maria Josie, after their parents’ abandonment.

After Diego falls in love with an Anglo girl from a bigoted family and is forced to leave Denver, Luz misses him terribly. Her personality, which initially feels elusive, solidifies over the course of her transformational journey, in which she claims her place in a larger world that’s designed to exclude her. Though lacking formal education, Luz soaks up knowledge and has a talent for translation, or “moving words into words.”

The author creates evocative word-pictures, though the sections involving Luz tend to move slowly. Braided among them are mesmerizing tales involving Luz’s forebears in their homeland (the “Lost Territory”), whose lives she glimpses in visions. These include her entrepreneur grandfather, Pidre; his brave wife, Simodecea, a Mexican sharpshooter with a tragic backstory; and their daughters, Sara and Maria Josie, whose paths eventually diverge.

While scenes of Bonnie and Clyde—the familiar Depression-era outlaws—unfold in the background, Fajardo-Anstine creates a new Western lore, one involving a man’s dreams for a natural stone amphitheater, an elderly woman who “dreamt of stories in her sleep,” and a younger woman rising in power. Fajardo’s expansive vision of the West and its diverse, multilingual peoples is well worth experiencing, since it’s too rarely seen in fiction. Her novel is a triumphant reshaping of the Western narrative.

2.5 - A slow-paced, character-driven story about an Indigenous Chicano family in Denver, mainly set during the 1930’s.
I can see the intention and care that went into the research and planning of this story.
But, it felt like many of the characters were loose sketches written to allow carefully-researched historical events play out, rather than people with agency and inner personalities driving them.
I couldn’t always understand why we were taken from one event to the next. The conflicts felt very surface level, and the larger plot didn’t really build to anything. I didn’t care for the romance plotlines (But I couldn’t tell if we were supposed to be into them? Like were Luz’s love interests just supposed to be bad??).
It seemed like Fajardo-Anstine set out to address many big topics with this book, but it was done without the depth I was hoping for. I loved Sabrina & Corina and will still plan to pick up her future books.

Listened to the audiobook - Audiobook & eARC gifted to me by the publisher/NetGalley/Libro.fm

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

I have to say this isn't the story I was expecting based on the blurb. The prologue was excellent! And really set my expectations even higher overall. It gave mystery, setting, prose everything. But then....it was gone. We spend the rest of our time in 1930s Denver with all new characters and much less intrigue. The writing was beautiful throughout, though the pacing is slow. I wouldn't say this is a book you can't put down or can read in one sitting. It took me months to get through. I appreciate the perspectives we see and the details of the reality of indigenous persecution, and so many will love this story, but it fell short for me.

**Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the eARC**

Overall, I enjoyed this story, though there were modern phrases and words that pulled me out of the story, jarring me out of the era. There were times, too, that characters don't "operate at the top of their intelligence," as Daniel Joshua Rubin says.