The Hummingbird's Daughter

by: Luis Alberto Urrea

Published by: Back Bay Books

Reviewed by Karen Mors

The latest from critically acclaimed author Luis Alberto Urrea is nothing short of amazing. An engaging work of historical fiction and magical realism, The Hummingbird's Daughter is the story of Teresa Urrea, the author's own great aunt. Based on over twenty years of research, this epic tale follows the life of one girl and ends up telling the story of rural Mexico under Porfirio Diaz.

The bastard child of landowner Tomas Urrea, Teresita (little Teresa) is abandoned by her Indian mother when she is just a babe. Raised by an abusive aunt and unofficially apprenticed to the local medicine woman, Teresita is later acknowledged by her father and subsequently trained to be a proper young lady.

At age sixteen, Teresita is raped, beaten and left for dead. After seeming to rise from the dead, she becomes a local celebrity. As news of her healing powers spreads far and wide, she develops a cult following. She becomes known as the "Saint of Cabora" and Urrea family estate is flooded with pilgrims. Then, credited with spreading populist beliefs among the Indians, Teresita is dubbed the most dangerous girl in Mexico by Porfirio Diaz.

19th Century Mexico comes alive through Urrea's words, in all its grit and in all its glory. Urrea effortlessly melds the story of his great aunt with that of Mexico on the brink of revolution. Teresita's destiny, it seems, is inextricably tied up with that of Mexico itself.

While the book is a bit too long at 500 pages, the reader never wants to give it up because if flow effortlessly. The reader is enchanted, engaged, and entertained from start to finish.

Armchair Interviews says: A novel that has been twenty years in the making, The Hummingbird's Daughter is a masterwork.