The Bullet Swallower follows Antonio Sonoro as he sets off on a journey to Texas to save his family. Through his journey he learns about a dark secret that has been plaguing his family for generations.

I don’t typically gravitate towards westerns, but I love magical realism so I thought I’d take a chance on this one. I’m so glad I did.

This was such a cool concept and right from the first chapter, I was hooked. The author shows us how generations of greed and violence have shaped this family and even the land around them. It’s an excellent story of redemption.

I particularly enjoyed the extra level of intrigue that Remedio’s character added.

My only complaint was that the chapters from Jaime’s perspective didn’t always seem to add that much to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A chapter or two in, I was trying to remember why I thought I would like this book. Westerns are not my usual fare. And this is definitely of-the-genre. I re-read the description and figured it must have been the promise of magical realism.

It's funny. I've read some books that aren't promoted as magical realism at all, but have all kinds of time-traveling characters or talking animals. Then there are ones like this that kept me waiting for odder things to happen. The form the magical realism takes is mild enough to be just a good metaphor.

That's a minor quibble with what is, on balance, a technicolor meditation on the nature of guilt and absolution set along Mexico-Texas border. The Sonoros have been a nasty family for centuries. The prologue shows us one example of their greed; a book within a book history of the family purports to record other instances dating back to the 1400s. I get it, and if I could make one suggestion for the book, it would be to lose these pieces of evidence. They didn't fit with the main time frame of the story and they distracted me from identifying the real narrative. A reader could skip both and be no worse, and perhaps even more solid, in their understanding of the story.

The real narrative alternates between the late 1800s, when Spanish-Mexican Antonio Sonoros goes on a crime tear through northeastern Mexico, and 1964, when Mexican movie star Jaime Sonoros encounters a biographical book that could be about his own ancestors. Jaime goes on a journey, too, though his is back in time to discover his own history.

Like all good legends--and Antonio Sonoros is indeed legendary--this one keeps the death-defying feats and gun-slinging action coming. What starts out as a tw0-man plot to rob a train in Houston turns into a chase across much of the state of Texas with the Rangers hot on the heels of Sonoros, newly dubbed El Trabagado, "The Bullet Swallower."

Characters reference Don Quixote, so I expect there are allusions I would recognize if I knew that story. Instead I appreciated things at face value, none moreso than Peter, the English aristocrat who joins himself to Sonoros for the sheer entertainment of sticking one to the Texas Rangers.

I got an advance copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I appreciated the chance to check out this story that I probably would never have read otherwise, and thereby missed out on first-rate entertainment.

"The Bullet Swallower" by Elizabeth Gonzales James is a "magical realism Western about a Mexican bandido and his movie star grandson." It is also absolutely superb. Told through dual timelines, one in 1895 and the other in the 1960s, the story follows El Tragabalas (the bullet swallower) as he seeks revenge for the death of his brother at the hands of the Texas Rangers, and his grandson Jaime as he attempts to learn more about his family's sordid history and the so-called curse upon it. I was drawn into the story from the very first page; this is the type of book that makes me want to call in sick to work so I can read it straight through. It is an epic story of violence, greed, revenge, and redemption. "The Bullet Swallower" is beautifully written and riveting. The mysterious shadow character Remedio adds intrigue and mystery to what otherwise would have been a stellar Western novel, even without the magical realism.

This book should be on all of the lists of must-read books for 2024. It would make an excellent book club pick as there is a lot to unpack in this exciting story. Don't skip the author's note at the end; it explains how the story is actually loosely based on the author's own great-grandfather. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced copy of this fabulous book. It's always great to end the year with a five star read!

The Bullet Swallower
There are novels set in Mexico, but there aren't many sets in the north of the country, especially in the border. So, this novel is a Western with bits of magical realism. It sounds original, isn’t it?
The novel is narrated in dual timelines. The first in 1895 following the life of Antonio Sonoro, El Tragabalas (The Bullet Swallower) is wanted for killing a Texan, and the way he survived and escaped has been spread all around. The second is set in Mexico City in 1964 following Jaime Sonoro, a famous star who discovers a book about all his bloodline. Jaime will need to learn about his ancestors to break the family curse.

The novel reflects the history of the Mexico-Texas border, the racism and problems between the two nations, and border politics, as well, it also provides background context, and the story of colonialism in those lands. There is also symbolism, and I love the author’s note, but I won’t reveal it. It makes the book special for the writer and as well knowing about the heart of the novel makes me like it even more.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
Pub date: January 23rd, 2024

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James!

This book is an incredible ride through history, family secrets, and a string of murderous robberies and it made my heart race. I didn't know I needed a magical realism western with a vigilante soul catcher on the loose, but I did. Absolutely recommend this book.

Thank you #SimonAndSchuster and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is February 13, 2024.

fiction • historical • literary • magical realism • adventurous • xxx Stars

The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James combines magical realism and western genres. It tells the story of two generations of a Mexican family that are haunted by the sins of their ancestors and a cosmic debt that they must repay. The novel spans from 1895 to 1964 and explores themes of violence, revenge, history, and redemption. It is based on (mostly) true events and draws inspiration from the author’s own family legends.

#Bookstagram #TheBulletSwallower #ElizabethGonzalezJames

I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book.

It's a well paced western with some cool magical realism elements mixed in. Moving between two timelines, the reader follows the Sonoro bloodline - in 1895, we ride along with Antonio, a bandido who is on a mission to avenge his brother's death, and in 1964, we're with Jaime, Antonio's grandson, an actor who discovers the gruesome truths about his grandfather and decides Antonio's story must be shared with the masses, against his father's wishes.

There's violence and greed and revenge and a mysterious stranger named Remedio, who once made a decision that went against his nature and is now destined to follow the ripple of its effects through the Sonoro generations until its debt is paid.

Sounds intriguing, right?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of the Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James in exchange for an honest review.

I loved every chapter we spent with Antonio Sonoro as he tried to make his way home from the fallout of the Houston robbery. The story had light and dark elements and spoke on both the goodness and badness of humanity, while also providing an engaging adventure within the lawlessness of late 1800s Mexico and Texas. Gonzalez James has a strong voice, and an awesome backstory to how this tale came about - you can tell in her writing she loves what she has created.

I would have absolutely loved the story with 5 stars if we only stayed with Antonio the whole time, or if we had more interjections on the crimes of his family prior to his journey. Having them listed in the book given to Jaime was interesting, but I think having them more interspersed with Antonio might help us better understand the debt (and maybe why Remedio didn't start earlier if the family has centuries of lineage? Or is the book saying everyone before that had passed the burden of the debt along?) Being with Jaime in the 1960s was interesting, but I couldn't seem to match the description of " Jaime realizes that he may be the one who has to pay for his ancestors’ crimes, unless he can discover the true story of his grandfather Antonio" with Jaime's plot - especially when his own father is still alive. That and feeling like I couldn't entirely place Remedio or Antonio in a magical realist setting - to me it seemed like there were some elements of Christianity and hell and I feel like I may have missed some subtext with how this shadow of darkness followed the family.

This book absolutely did me in with all the emotions! I absolutely love Mexican/Tejano historical novels and this one gave me the generational curse and magical realism vibes I wanted sprinkled in and the result was absolute perfection. Elizabeth writes the emotional and internal conflicts of each of the men with such passion that I found myself rooting for all of them. Even the villains have heart wrenching stories and reasons for being bad. I could not out this book down and to know there is truth sprinkled in just made it all so much for warming.
I cannot wait to read her other works and I recommend this to anyone who loves and cherishes history.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and of course the lovely Elizabeth Gonzalez James for the ARC!

I so enjoyed The Bullet Swallower—from the gorgeous cover to the incredible author’s note at the end. It takes everything I loved from books like Lonesome Dove and adds a new layer of a multigenerational family saga that’s pitch perfect.

This book should be highly talked about! I LOVED it so much! I could not put this down. It's a story that stays with you .

A dazzling magical realism western in the vein of Cormac McCarthy meets Gabriel García Márquez, The Bullet Swallower follows a Mexican bandido as he sets off for Texas to save his family, only to encounter a mysterious figure who has come, finally, to collect a cosmic debt generations in the making.

This was a great novel. Full of magical realism and mystery. I look forward to seeing more from the author.

The Bullet Swallower is a beautifully compelling saga of identity, love, and the tangled interplay of fate and choice. Gonzalez James weaves the tales of Antonio Sonoro and his descendants across time, briefly spanning from the establishing generations, up through to Antonio, and later on to his grandson Jaime. It's an amazing genre mash-up with elements of magical realism, reflective of a Mexican, Western-style Homeric epic.

In 1895, after embarking on a treacherous journey to rob a gold-laden train, Antonio seeks revenge after the death of his brother at the hands of the Texas Rangers. Little does he know that the fate of his soul has been in the balance since his birth, when a mysterious figure decides to wait and see if Antonio can fulfill his obligations, and that his very actions may determine whether his descendants will continue to pay for the crimes of the Sonoro men.

In 1964, his grandson Jaime, a famous actor and singer, stumbles upon a book revealing a dark family history. When the same mysterious figure appears in Jaime's timeline, it's no longer clear whose soul will be made to pay.

Gonzalez James delves into intergenerational trauma, examining it both through the focused lens of the Sonoro men and the broader context of colonialism, border politics, and resultant racism. She deftly explores whether it's possible to escape the legacy of our predecessors' sins.

What begins as a straightforward tale of revenge, quickly unfolds to be a sprawling story about perception, reinvention, and the enduring quest for redemption. Antonio Sonoro, who becomes known by his nickname, El Tragabalas ("The Bullet Swallower"), is a powerhouse of a main character. His journey is double sided, one of crossing deserts and taking names that builds in momentum to clash with the other of self-discovery and transformation. The Bullet Swallower is a tangible adventure through challenging landscapes and the inner turmoil of confronting your true self.

Also, as this story is loosely based on the author's own great-grandfather, be sure to check out the Author's Note at the end.

I'll admit, I haven't read a lot of westerns. And by "not a lot of westerns," I mean before this I have read one western. But the description of a historical, magical realist litfic seemed close enough to my interests to make this worth picking up. 

I am so glad I did. Elizabeth Gonzalez James is incredibly talented. And I wept, unexpectedly.
The western: An evil family is cursed, but a baby is spared. Baby grows into a fearless bandito, killing Texas Rangers and avoiding death a surprising amount of times.

The rest: A family is tormented by their own history, with our present-day protagonist Jaime learning all of the evils his ancestors committed that his father had tried to shield him from. In seeking the truth, we learn much more about our bandito protagonist Antonio Sonoro, grandfather to Jaime, and his quest to avenge his brother after a robbery went wrong. But more than that, we see a handful of characters carefully weigh good versus evil while also working through the demands of loyalty to both friends and family. 

The historical piece is certainly more interesting than the "present day" 1964 component, but the latter still serves its purpose as we see the continued legacy of family trauma. Plus we need little breaks from all that killing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-arc.

Historical western with magical realism? Sign me up.

The Sonoro family is cursed. Antonio seeks to change his luck by (less than legally) acquiring a fortune, but he should be more mindful of his ancient hex as he goes about this. When plans go south, Antonio sets out on a quest for revenge that will forever determine the fate of his entire family line. Generations later, Jaime is a successful showman, but when he starts digging into the past, he'll unearth more than he bargained for.

This one did not disappoint, y'all! We have a dual POV setup — Jaime in the 1960s and his ancestor Antonio in the 1890s. There is drama, comedy, adventure, and even a few tears for me. _The Bullet Swallower_ has everything I look for in a book, and you will not be disappointed if you vibe with historical fiction. Loved it!

Thank you to Elizabeth Gonzalez James, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for my advance digital and physical copies.

THE BULLET SWALLOWER by Elizabeth Gonzalez James is a wild adventure through Mexico and Texas. Magical Realism, family drama, and enough hold your breath moments to make you pass out. Highly recommend!

There is grit in the writing here. Never boring. I was concerned with the dual narrative, but I quickly loved Jamie's part in the story. The character of Remidio was also great. The magical qualities of the story translated to the prose. Smooth, and pulled me along like a friendly river

I can't wait to read more from this author.

I love contemporary Western-style novels. The gunslinger-with-a-twist trope keeps the classic genre alive and relevant to a new generation. The Antonio Sonoro storyline in The Bullet Swallower is pretty traditional (you get a lot more internal exposition from the character than, say, Josey Wales, but the plot is similar!). It is interspersed with the story of his grandson Jaime Sonoro, Mexico's most beloved actor/singer of the 1960s, and this is what really contemporizes the story. Jaime is approached by a mysterious woman who gives him a tome outlining the history of his family.. Jaime dives in and some pretty undesirable secrets are revealed. What follows is a struggle to resolve his known identity with this new ancestral knowledge. Throw in some magical realism, and you get an enjoyable fresh Western!

I really liked the characterizations of Jaime and Antonio. They felt like real people, and to a certain extent, I could really relate with their actions. Antonio grows as a person throughout his journey - it's always gratifying as a reader to witness this. Wondering who you are and from whom you came is a pretty universal question - Gonzalez James does a great job expressing Jaime's angst and eventual relief. It was a surprise to learn that this story takes root in the author's own family history - that too added to my enjoyment of the novel. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Gonzalez James.

***Thanks to Simon/Shuster and Net Galley for the ARC!***

I would like to preface this review by staying thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC of The Bullet Swallower in exchange for an honest review.

In 1895, Antonio Sonoro sets his sights on Texas to steal gold and return it back to his family in Dorado, Mexico. This task ends up bearing more consequences than Antonio could have imagined. In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is Mexico's most famous actor and singer. Jaime's life takes an unexpected turn when he is given a book on his family's history.

Gonzalez-James has quite the talent, she transports you back and fourth in time between 1895 to 1964. Sometimes, duel POVs can get confusing but this wasn't the case. I deeply appreciated the time spent on Antonio's story in order for us to understand the timeline of Jaime's story. I liked that they followed each other along with the story Jaime was reading. This book has a touch of magical realism but it is so subtle and ties the two storylines together. It beautifully shows how families can break generational curses and trauma.

There were times where I was reading this and felt like I was standing there in the middle of Texas watching the plot unfold. The atmosphere of this book is dark and heavy but also somehow light and funny at times. As much as you want to hate Antonio at times, you can't help but root for him at the same time. This book will leave you absolutely crushed by the end but there is a glimmer of hope to it. The Bullet Swallower is captivating, action packed, and classic. It will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next.

After finishing the epilogue, I was blown away. Only to continue on to read the Author's note which made my jaw hit the floor. I would share with you all, but I think you should check out this book when its released early next year to find out what I'm talking about!

I'm not much of a historical reader but the title of this book really captivated me and its stunning cover made me want to request it. Even if you're not into historical books, I would still recommend checking this one out. Gonzalez-James really put her heart into this one through extensive research to make this book accurate and magical. I am truly thankful for Simon and Schuster for sending me a physical ARC of this incredible book. The Bullet Swallower is out on 1/2/2024!