Gosh I really loved this book. It had multiple POVs and went back and forth through time. I loved learning all about luchadores and lucha libre. The characters were so real.

The best book I've read so far this year. The author is an incredible story-teller. The character-driven narrative is propulsive and compulsively readable. We are defined by choices that we make and the family we are born into.

The Sons of El Rey tells the story of three generations of the Vega family, chiefly focusing on the grandfather, Ernesto, the father, Alfredo, and the son, Julian. All three are flawed and also deeply human in their strengths and fears. I empathized with all of them. Ernesto seeks to escape the trauma of his upbringing and the poverty and pointlessness of country life by moving from the countryside to Mexico City where he becomes a luchador, a highly-stylized and performative type of wrestler. He gains great renown as his alter-ego, El Rey Coyote.

The reader learns much about this sport as well as the multi-generational impacts of the sport on the Vega family both in Mexico City and in East LA where Ernesto moves his family before his son is born. In the present, Ernesto is on his deathbed and he is visited not only by his living relatives but by the ghost of his wife and the spirit of his alter-ego in the ring, El Rey Coyote. This spirit is both master and conscience. Life is a struggle (often literal) for the Vegas. Ernesto and Freddy fight in the ring and are constantly nursing the wounds that come with the profession; Freddy struggles to keep the family gym afloat post-Covid; Ernesto's wife, Elena, warns her daughter to "not be fooled" by the roles society proscribes for women but to rage and resist. Both Ernesto and Julian struggle with being gay. Julian is lost and struggles with his career as an English instructor and pushes away the one man who loves him.

The author resolves the story in way that is at once moving, sad and hopeful--in a word, realistically. Secrets from the past that have had a great impact on the present are revealed. I will definitely take a look at Mr. Espinoza's earlier books and will eagerly anticipate his next one.
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Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I knew absolutely nothing about Mexican wrestling before this wonderful heartfelt expansive novel of a family, Three generationsnof men, all struggling with self for different reasons, voice this, as do others - and each voice is both strong and atmospheric, This surprised me- I thought it would be one I'd skim or DNF but Espinoza pulled me in and kept me reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Terrific read,

This was funny and entertaining. It reminded me of the movie Nacho Libre, with Jack Black for some reason. It was a good story, I’d recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. A story about three generations of Mexican-American men who explore their identities, both gay and straight, and how lucha serves as a salve to their pain and a way to escape what they can't face. While the men cannot talk about themselves or their own needs, they are able to create otherworldly identities that place them above it all. A beautiful, subtle story of how the past repeats itself in surprising ways and how traumas can take generations to heal. Elena was my favorite character, While she got the least print, i loved her because she was so clear in who she was and what she was prepared to do. The story is told without sentimentality yet manages to be very sentimental. Loved it.

Family saga about three generations of men spanning from Mexico to present day Los Angeles, all set within the world of lucha libre. Full of intense family drama and secrets, LGBTQIA+ rep and heartbreaking revelations. It’s a beautiful and compelling story, particularly the parts about being a gay man in the traditionally masculine world of wrestling.

This book felt a little out of my comfort zone (don't know anything about the world of Mexican wrestling), but I was eager to dive in because I love a good generational novel. Overall, I loved these characters. I felt like I could really understand their depth of emotion and their motivations. However, the structure of the storytelling was difficult for me to get used to. There's a huge amount of jumping around in time frames (even just with one character at a time), so I felt like it was hard for me to keep track of where I was in these characters' lives. This also made it challenging to link together certain family patterns, because the story was so non-linear. Also, the big reveal at the end seemed sort of predictable (and there was way too much buildup for what the secret was for it to not be all that dramatic). Espinoza is a talented writer, but it felt like there was a lot of repetition throughout (particularly with the character of Julian, who was the grandson). I loved the ending, but this just missed the mark in a lot of ways for me.

So I’m kind of in the middle with this one. I really enjoyed learning about lucha libre and the rich history and traditions surrounding it. It does a great job of really immersing you in the culture to the point where I have now gone down a deep dive and am trying to learn as much about lucha as I can! This in itself could be seen as a success. If a book makes you interested in its subject matter without you previously having an idea what it is, I think that means the author knows what they’re doing. However, I struggled with almost everything else about this book. This book is written in the perspective of three generations of Vega men as they navigate the influence that lucha has had on their life. I really loved reading from Ernesto’s perspective when he was in Mexico, but I found myself bored whenever we returned to modern day. I also personally hate when any book mentions COVID, but that’s just a personal problem of mine.

All in all, I think this book had a strong start and foundation, but it just kind of stalls halfway through and keeps repeating the same beats. Because you pretty much know the outcome of all the characters from the beginning, you begin to lose interest in their day to day struggles. I would still recommend others to read this because the setting and environment is so rich that I think it is worth it, but overall I think it was just OK. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC!

This book was such a compelling read. This multi-generational tale dives deep into the world of lucha libre, exploring themes of masculinity, love, and family through the lives of Ernesto, Freddy, and Julian Vega. The alternating perspectives, including Ernesto’s late wife Elena and his wrestling persona El Rey Coyote, offer a rich tapestry of voices that pull you into their struggles and triumphs.

The non-linear timeline can be a bit challenging, but it adds unique layers to the story, making each character's journey feel real and relatable. I found Elena’s perspective particularly moving, as it highlights the often-overlooked struggles of women in patriarchal cultures. Her ghostly narrative is a poignant critique of machismo and the sacrifices she made.

Espinoza’s vivid descriptions of Mexico City and Los Angeles provide a vibrant backdrop to the Vega family’s saga, making me nostalgic for my childhood growing up on the San Diego/Tijuana border. While the plot twist at the end felt a bit abrupt, the novel’s exploration of identity and legacy resonated deeply. As a mom with Hispanic roots, I appreciated the cultural depth and the way it sheds light on the complexities of identity and legacy. The Sons of El Rey is a beautiful blend of family drama and cultural heritage that left me thinking about the Vega family long after I turned the last page.

Description:

A timeless, epic novel about a family of luchadores contending with forbidden love and secrets in Mexico City, Los Angeles, and beyond.

Ernesto Vega has lived many lives, from pig farmer to construction worker to famed luchador El Rey Coyote, yet he has always worn a mask. He was discovered by a local lucha libre trainer at a time when luchadores—Mexican wrestlers donning flamboyant masks and capes—were treated as daredevils or rock stars. Ernesto found fame, rapidly gaining name rec­ognition across Mexico, but at great expense, nearly costing him his marriage to his wife Elena.

Years later, in East Los Angeles, his son, Freddy Vega, is struggling to save his father’s gym while Freddy’s own son, Julian, is searching for professional and romantic fulfillment as a Mexican American gay man refusing to be defined by stereotypes.

With alternating perspectives, Ernesto and Elena take you from the ranches of Michoacán to the makeshift colonias of Mexico City. Freddy describes life in the suburban streets of 1980s Los Angeles and the community their family built, as Julian descends deep into our present-day culture of hook-up apps, lucha burlesque shows, and the dark underbelly of West Hollywood. The Sons of El Rey is an intimate portrait of a family wading against time and legacy, yet always choosing the fight.

My Take:
The book matches its description, yet it leans more towards drama than action. As an avid professional wrestling enthusiast, my expectation was that the book would delve into the mechanics of wrestling matches and provide detailed portrayals of the luchadores, their character development, their costumes and more. I hoped to be transported into the gym, the ring, and the burlesque shows alongside them. However, the book merely makes cursory mentions of well-known American wrestling promotions and shows, which, while enjoyable, missed an opportunity to critique how lucha libre is represented to American audiences. The in-depth exploration of lucha libre I anticipated was absent, leaving me desiring more. On the other hand, the exploration of family dynamics and personal relationships resonated with me to a greater extent. Overall, this book checks several boxes: family drama, sports literature, Mexican and Mexican American literature, LGBTQIA+ literature, and pop culture, making it a valuable addition to any library or reading list.

I suspect that Alex Espinoza's The Sons of El Rey may wind up being my favorite read of the summer. It's a wonderful read, despite the fact the the novel's characters go through some decidedly un-wonderful experiences, but there's also joy—a lot like real life as we know and live it.

The novel tells the story of three generations of a family that becomes deeply involved in Lucha Libre. Ernesto, the patriarch of the family, is scouted in Mexico City as a potential Luchador. The work is demanding, bruising, exhilarating, and unpredictable. In East Los Angeles, his son Freddy (Alfredo) also becomes a luchador, less successful than his father, but competent; he also is trying to keep afloat the gym Ernesto founded. Freddy's son Julián will never be a luchador. He's fighting his own battles as a gay man of color trying to find a place for himself in the world. He's got an advanced degree and ekes out a living as a teacher of college composition, picking up classes wherever he can at a variety colleges and spending as much time on the freeways as he does in the classroom.

Each of these three men—and other characters as well, inclluding some of the women—narrate parts of this novel. No one has the complete story, and as the narrators alternate family secrets surface again and again. It's the unfolding of these secrets and the ways the characters manage their new knowledge that make this book so wonderful—and the fact that the secrets some of the characters uncover have to do with their own identities. You'll find things to like and dislike about every character, but whether you're liking or disliking them, you'll be glad you're journeying with them across these three generations.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

"A timeless, epic novel about a family of luchadores contending with forbidden love and secrets in Mexico City, Los Angeles, and beyond.

Ernesto Vega has lived many lives, from pig farmer to construction worker to famed luchador El Rey Coyote, yet he has always worn a mask. He was discovered by a local lucha libre trainer at a time when luchadores - Mexican wrestlers donning flamboyant masks and capes - were treated as daredevils or rock stars. Ernesto found fame, rapidly gaining name recognition across Mexico, but at great expense, nearly costing him his marriage to his wife Elena.

Years later, in East Los Angeles, his son, Freddy Vega, is struggling to save his father's gym while Freddy's own son, Julian, is searching for professional and romantic fulfillment as a Mexican American gay man refusing to be defined by stereotypes.

With alternating perspectives, Ernesto and Elena take you from the ranches of Michoacán to the makeshift colonias of Mexico City. Freddy describes life in the suburban streets of 1980s Los Angeles and the community their family built, as Julian descends deep into our present-day culture of hook-up apps, lucha burlesque shows, and the dark underbelly of West Hollywood. The Sons of El Rey is an intimate portrait of a family wading against time and legacy, yet always choosing the fight."

Tell me more about lucha burlesque!

The Sons of El Rey by Alex Espinoza is a captivating exploration of a family grappling with its deepest, most closely guarded secrets. With mesmerizing prose and unflinching storytelling, Espinoza's luchadores will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on your heart. This timeless and epic novel follows a family of luchadores as they navigate forbidden love and hidden truths in the vibrant settings of Mexico City, Los Angeles, and beyond.

I really enjoyed this tale of 3 generations of men from the Vega family. Their story is full of secrets, lies, queer and forbidden love, generational trauma, loss, and Mexican luchador culture. The POVs alternate between the main characters, including one from grandfather Ernesto’s alter ego: El Rey Coyote, which was very interesting to read from. I loved the writing style, it kept me engaged and wanting to learn more about their story. The reveals were not totally unpredictable but I still found them fascinating. I wish I felt a little more of an emotional connection, but I highly recommend this novel.

I found this book very interesting and thought-provoking. The Vega family is complicated and messy but I really enjoyed reading about their history. All of the background on the luchadores was fascinating. I would definitely recommend this book!

THE SONS OF EL REY is told through three generations of the Vega family—Ernesto, his son Freddy, and his grandson Julian. Ernesto’s deceased wife, Elena, provides her point of view as does Ernesto’s alter ego, lucha libre superstar El Rey Coyote. The story is also told during different times periods as the narrative bounces between the different characters. After moving to Mexico City, Ernesto gets caught up in the world of lucha libre and becomes a major star. Life takes them to Los Angeles where Freddy grows up and becomes El Ret Coyote Jr. The novel explores masculinity, sexuality, and racism. THE SONS OF EL REY is very well written. It is a very intriguing novel though the twist at the end was a bit abrupt.

The Sons of El Rey folllows the story of a family of lunchadores from Ernesto to his son Alfredo and grandson Julian. At the start, we learn that Ernesto is an old man, slowly dying in hospice. His son, Ernesto, followed in his footsteps becoming a lunchadore at a time in his life when it gave him purpose and meaning. He also took over his father's gym he built after his wife passed away. Julian is a college professor trying to make ends meet. Scared of intimacy, struggling to understand his father and himself. What follows are chapters of their interwoven lives. Ernesto living in Mexico City with his wife Elena working construction with a childhood friend Julian when he gets discovered by lucha libre trainor. Ernesto is thrust into the spotlight and finds fame and fortune. Elena and Julian both struggle with his fame as their love for him can't seem to compete with his lucha libre persona, El Rey Coyote. Alfredo is struggling to find his own purpose as his father lays dying and the gym he built seems to be suffering the same fate. Julian has always felt distant from his father. A fear of failing or disappointing him by not being a lucha libre superstar or having much interest in it has strangled their relationship.

I enjoyed Sons of El Rey by Alex Espinoza. Like the characters themselves, what keeps you reading is that secret you can tell is just beneath the surface that you just haven't gotten to yet. It's the small snippets of from the haunting specters of Elena, Ernesto as he lay dying and the El Rey Coyote that offer you a glimpse into the inner world of a man like Ernesto. Battling with his want to live a happy, successful life as a married man and his deep love and passion for Julian. Their story is heartbreaking until the bitter end. It's the juxtaposition of grandson Julian willfully sabotaging his relationship with college friend Phillip despite being deeply in love and the relationship being one of genuine care and understanding compared to what Ernesto went through as a young man that gets to the theme of Sons of El Rey. All any of the fathers want is for their children and grandchildren to have better lives than they did. Julian has the opportunity to live openly, with parents who support him, and a true love he found early in life, but he's too afriad. Like his father and grandfather, he feels this generational trauma of needing to have his guard up, to protect himself. Not express too much emotion, not share too much information. It's not until Julian finds the photograph of his grandfather and his friend Julian that he realizes what the family legacy really is - true love.

While I admittedly know nothing of the sport, Lucha Libre has always been one of those vibrant parts of the Mexican culture. The amount of people it draws from a tiny backyard stage to a massive national stage is staggering. The book really speaks to that at different levels of fame.

It’s a multi-generational immigrant story about legacy. Always trying to make life better for themselves and their children while dealing with what was passed down. The difference in struggles between women and men, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons.

I loved the queer stories which for many years were so taboo in Mexican culture and for many, still is. The stoicism and ultimate lack of communication is something that many Mexican families can relate to.

While I wish I would have timed this for Pride month, I now get to encourage you to absolutely check it out next month on 6/11! Thanks to @simonandschuster @netgalley @ae_espinoza for this wonderful arc 💖

Following the Vega family through multiple generations through the life of El Rey Coytoa was an interesting concept. The story is told from the viewpoints of grandfather, father, son, Lucha, and grandmother. The story will skip from present time to back in time within the same chapter and the same character's voice. I do not like a disjointed timeline, so I had trouble getting into the story. I know that lots of people love the back and forth-in a story, so it might be great for others.

This was an interesting story, I liked it more than I expected to. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the gifted arc.