I really loved the flow and life this book had. The writing was easy and flawless and such a good read. I definitely didn’t put it down unless I had to. I enjoyed all of the characters and the story line. Overall I gave it a 5 star on Goodreads and I’m so glad I got my hands on it thank you NetGalley and publishers! I’d love it in a physical copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon&Shuster for the eARC.

The Sons of El Rey follows three generations of la familia Vega through a changing tapestry of love, loss, and the world of lucha libre. Events are told from different character perspectives (Ernesto, Freddy, Julian, Elena, and El Rey Coyote) which reveals the pains, loves and disappointments of each. If only each was able to communicate with each other in this way.....something fairly common to all families.

As a fan that grew up watching lucha libre, it was fantastic to have this world serve as the story's backdrop....a breath of fresh air. The Vega men (and women) experienced wins and losses, but never gave up the fight.

Having El Rey Coyote as it's own character was a great move. I get that it's "The Sons of" but would have liked more from Elena. Mercy doesn't even get a single chapter.

Excellent subject matter - lucha libre, generations of a family in Mexico and LA, the passing down of tradition to the men in the family. I enjoyed all of that. Where the book lost me was first, in the female characters who seemed not fully fleshed out and peripheral, and second in the narration/viewpoint pages of El Rey Coyote. That narration didn't shed much light, didn't feel omniscient, and so what was the point? It almost seemed like a missed opportunity. There was a lot to like in this book, though, and I enjoyed the journey.

What an awesome book!

Espinoza takes us through DF (Mexico City) and Los Angelos as we follow flashbacks from one of the most famed La Luchadores - El Rey Coyote. A fantastic story of his genesis as first a pig farmer to a man of near rock star fame. His wife Elena, the matriarch of the story is also featured and her flashbacks add more of the generational tale including the storylines of their son Freddy and his own son Julian.

This quick moving culturally rich story will astound you. And if you haven't, you must see La Luchador Libre!
.#alexespinoza #thesonsofelrey #simon&Schuster

DNF.

This one just isn't for me. I can't focus, can't keep the characters straight, and the writing is uninspiring. I don't feel anything special towards this book in general. Next!

"The Sons of El Rey" by Alex Espinoza is a touching look at multiple generations of a Mexican family, both in their relationships to each other, to place and to lucha libre. The novel spans different times and places until the present day when the patriarch of the family is dying. I love the complex ways that Espinoza looks at sexuality and describes it, and the family's reactions to each other with love. I also appreciated the multiple points of view in the story. I appreciated Espinoza's insights into lucha libre, migration, desire and struggles of young professors. I loved learning more about lucha libre such as the masks, and the focus on the queer aspects of lucha libre were really interesting. Some of the unexpected responses and relationships around gay male sexuality were touching. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the eARC.

A unique, time jumping, multigenerational, multiple point of view family story following a former star of Mexican Lucha Libre - El Rey Coyote. It follows the lives, loves and secrets of Ernesto, his son Alfredo, and grandson Julian from Mexico to Los Angeles. Each chapter is clearly labelled to indicate the point of view which makes it easy to keep track.

It comments on changes in lucha libre, queerness, and Mexican identity through time and across borders. I liked this book and its original concept (especially not knowing much about the history of lucha libre) and its exploration of the masks people wear. It also illustrates isolation caused by not being truthful with our families.

I received a free ebook from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. I had not heard of the author before. The book sounded interesting. The author's writing style reminds me of Jodi Picoult.

The book is told from various characters point of view. The book jumps from different times in life. The book is, also, told from various cities ( some in the US, some central America, and some Mexico). It took me awhile to get into the groove of the book.

The book centers on a few main characters. The book isn't highly emotional. I did get to know the characters very well. For a fictional book, there are parts we here you will learn factual items

The book has a few main themes. It talks about family, life choices, struggles, life styles, and our legacy. The book can make you reflect on your own life, through the characters.

I read the book in about a week. It held my interest. The chapters are easy to read. The book changes so much, chapter to chapter. Some chapters I was so intrigued by the characters and stories. Others characters didn't resonate with me as much.

I am thankful for Netgalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I would be interested in reading more from the author in the future.

Generally, I don't enjoy "books about nothing." The exception is if they are a snapshot of a life very much like mine or very much not like mine. Gay male Mexican in USA doing Lucha Libre? That's about as different as can be from my life. And so, this snapshot of trials and triumphs during the early Covid shutdown is fascinating and still very relatable.
It was a bit upsetting to remember what the world was like during those COVID years - face masks, vax cards, not being able to eat out or mingle with people.
I really enjoyable read with likable characters. Although it doesn't cover a large amount of time, it feels fairly fast paced and engaging because of the frank and matter-of-fact writing.

Thank God for a book that gets that las luchas is gay.

Thanks to the publishers at Simon and Schuster for the chance to read “The Sons of El Rey” by Alex Espinoza!

A family saga that jumps between the Guerra sucias of 1960’s/70’s Mexico, LA in the 90’s, and LA in the midst of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, “The Sons of El Rey” is about the life of dying patriarch Ernesto Vega and the legacy of lucha libre that follows into the next generations.

To me, the book is at its best when we spend time in Mexico City. Beautifully written, it uses the backdrop of authoritarian Mexico to get at just how remarkable El Rey Coyote’s rise to fame was, and the personal cost it took from our present day patriarch. There were so many times I had to pause reading and think of the fact that this was the Mexico of my dad’s childhood, and underscores why las luchas are still so beloved to this day.

The problem is that for all the lofty points “The Sons of El Rey” wants to make, the novel might benefit from a re-prioritizing of what content drives home which point. For example, Elena, and many of the other women of the family, are so peripheral to the larger narrative that the book’s theme that Lucha Libre can also be a space to play with gender, push back against sexism, and more feels entirely empty. None of them go through their own journeys of growth. I can’t help but feel that the book is trying to have its cake and eat it too in choosing not to engage with how Lucha Libre can also be a space of sexism but still celebrate Lucha’s glamor and fighting spirit.

The plot twist revealed at the end of the book about the parentage of a character to me is such a good example of this. It doesn’t work for me as a reader for multiple reasons but chief among them:

1) Wildly outta left field. There’s little foreshadowing or even a hint of some attraction there.
2) It makes boils down the only woman who got a POV in the novel down to her reproductive decision. For all of this character’s previous boasts of “somos guerreras” in her chapters, this decision - on top of having no ambition or interests outside of her husband- rings hollow to what the character says she values.
3) It takes what could have been a poly relationship that challenges our notions of a love triangle and family, and becomes instead a weirdly hetero ending that simultaneously invokes the bury your gays trope.

The timing of the reveal was also a little rough. It happens pages before the end, and as a reader, you’re left with no acknowledgement of how this informs any character’s relationships.

I loved this book, and that’s what makes its shortcomings so frustrating. It has the potential to be such an ode to queer Mexicans across generations, but falls painfully short.

I’m hoping other folks find much more catharsis through this book than I did. I’m also hopeful that this book can start some great conversation that can more thoughtfully expand on some of this book’s themes.

The stunning cover caught my eye.
The intriguing premise pulled me in.
The strong writing sealed the deal and kept me turning pages until the end.

Written with ethnic accuracy, the ambiance of this culturally rich novel gave me exactly what I was hoping for. From the crowded streets of a growing Mexico City, throughout the decades to present-day Los Angeles, you will traverse time and place through the perspectives of three generations of the Vega family. Interwoven in the mix is the spirit of the matriarch of the family, Elena, along with Ernesto's second self, El Rey Coyote. This generational story laden with forbidden love, sacrifice, and family is one to savor.

Final thoughts? Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience. Intriguing, gritty, and honest, this ambitious story soars from the top ring and demands your attention.

Oh, I loved this book so much. This is a great generational story - one of my favorite genres! I would have loved a little more on the luchador life.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
Some spoilers ahead.

Ernesto Vega the matriarch of the family is dying. As he is in a comma, he can see his dead wife Elena and reliving his life. We get to know the Vega family and the family secrets they are taking to the grave.

Ernesto was a famous luchador in Mexico, El Rey Coyote. At the height of his career, Ernesto and Elena leave Mexico to Los Angeles. Elena was pregnant was Julian(Ernesto’s lover). They make the decision to leave lucha libre and Mexico behind and begin a new life.

This book touched on grief and the sacrifices we make to later regret. How much are you willing to sacrifice for your family?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book. As a Mexican- American reader, I loved reading about the subculture of Mexican wrestling or luchadores.

This narrative spans three generations, unfolding through the perspectives of male members of the Vega family and their matriarch, Elena, across various timelines. It begins with Ernesto, on his deathbed in hospice, reflecting on his life, with the persona of his luchador alter ego, El Rey Coyote, and his late wife, Elena. Alfredo, Ernesto's son, grapples with preserving his father's legacy and struggling wrestling gym amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Julian, Alfredo's son and Ernesto's grandson, faces financial strain and navigates his identity as a Mexican-American gay man.

Delving into the world of Mexican wrestling, the book captivates readers with its exploration of familial secrets and Mexican wrestling culture.

This was my first book from this author and I can happily say it will not be my last as long as Alex Espinoza writes more! This book was bleeding with cultura, queerness, love, family, and all the heavy topics that comes with each of those like generational trauma, machismo culture, and homophobia. This book touched on so much reality along with such a beautiful and fun story. I absolutely loved it!

"The Sons of El Rey" immerses readers in the multi-generational legacy of luchadores, skillfully navigating the complexities of family, love, and cultural struggles. While the 'family secret' may be predictably evident, the novel remains engaging, offering a vivid portrayal of relationships and the profound love for lucha libre. Julian's treatment and fate, however, veer uncomfortably close to the 'bury your gays' trope, adding a discordant note to an otherwise compelling narrative.

Despite these nuances, the novel's second half intertwines stories more seamlessly, revealing the generational impact and underscoring the theme that living is synonymous with struggling. The care invested in describing the relationships between fathers and sons and the love for lucha libre shines through, creating engaging characters and an enjoyable read. While some perspectives may feel lacking, particularly in exploring Mexican history, the novel's strength lies in Ernesto's viewpoint, offering a poignant and hopeful exploration of the struggles inherent in life.

Overall I enjoyed this book but found it lacking in some perspectives. I wish we learned more about the Mexican history and what the Vega family left behind when they immigrated. I felt the novel came together more in the second half when stories started to intertwine a bit more. While we were meant to see the generational impact in this story, I did not gain much from Freddy and Julian's perspectives and felt the book would have been stronger solely from Ernesto's point of view.

The Sons of El Rey by Alex Espinoza is a multi-generational tale of dual identities. Ernesto Vego, his son Alfredo and his grandson Julian alternate as narrators in this family saga that covers masculinity, sexuality, racism, immigration, family dynamics and mortality. Additional perspectives are introduced through narration by spouses, partners, and friends. The Sons of El Rey focuses on character development over plot creating well developed portrayals of the members of the Vega men. I really enjoyed this well written novel especially the author's brilliant ability to tell a story through so many perspectives. The book has a non-linear timeline which is sometimes a little difficult to follow. Nonetheless, this format creates unique and valuable perspectives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings: Racial/cultural fetishization, Hospice care, Homophobia

Espinoza’s novel uses lucha libre to explore machismo culture, queerness, love, and family, and for the most part does so successfully. The novel is presented in alternating points of views between three generations of men (Ernesto, Alfredo “Freddy”, Julian), a dead matriarch (Elena), and an anthropomorphization of El Coyote Rey (Ernesto’s wrestling persona). Each of these shifts is clearly labeled, and I didn’t find it confusing to move between voices and time periods.

Of these voices, I want to comment on Elena’s because I think it can be easy to overlook the nuance to her role. On the surface, she purely plays a part as part of a love triangle and giving birth. But Elena’s ghost recounts how she struggled in life, not just with trying to keep her husband’s love, but also as a woman in the patriarchal Mexican culture. She could not pursue her desire to be a nurse; she is constantly trying to speak but has no one listen to her. This comes up literally when she tells El Coyote Rey NOT to speak for her and to call her by her name. Her role, in other words, is as much a critique of the machismo culture as any of the men’s stories, but perhaps not as obviously.

I will say that the “family secret” in the novel was painfully obvious. Equally painful was how Julian (lover, not grandson) was treated as a character. We never get his point of view – only how Ernesto and Elena characterize him. All we know for sure is that he deeply loved Ernesto and was pushed away (despite an equal love) and fathered Freddy via Elena. Julian’s fate could have simply been left ambiguous, but instead El Coyote Rey (and thus Ernesto) envisions a slow, painful death and an unclaimed corpse, and then the one photograph of him that survives is nameless after Ernesto’s death. It just hit too close to the “bury your gays” trope for me, although I don’t think that was Espinoza’s intention at all.

Despite the obvious plot twist, the novel was still a fun read and had engaging characters due to the care given to describing the relationship between the fathers and sons, the love of lucha libre, and tackling different cultural struggles. The book emphasizes that to live is to struggle, but in struggling there is hope and forward progress.