Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

Summary: In the vein of Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a mesmerizing debut set against the backdrop of the devastating violence of 1990's Colombia about a sheltered young girl and a teenage maid who strike an unlikely friendship that threatens to undo them both.

The Santiago family lives in a gated community in Bogotá, safe from the political upheaval terrorizing the country. Seven-year-old Chula and her older sister Cassandra enjoy carefree lives thanks to this protective bubble, but the threat of kidnappings, car bombs, and assassinations hover just outside the neighborhood walls, where the godlike drug lord Pablo Escobar continues to elude authorities and capture the attention of the nation.

Condition: Pre-owned, like new condition

My Personal Review: 5 stars! This book was incredible and I think will stick with me for some time. The author did an amazing job of writing the story from such a young point of view. I really felt for her and all that she had seen and internalized as a young girl. I liked the balance of the horrible news mixed with the inner workings of a family. The girls, while learning the realities of their world, were still kids - running around the neighborhood with their friends and the older sister teasing her little sister etc. I liked the mom's quirky youthful personality and the superstitions. Petrona was also an interesting perspective to have as well and really brought the climate into a fuller picture. It was a huge contrast to my own life, having grown up in the same time period but in the United States. The ending was kind of perfect. It's happy but can only be "so happy". Highly recommend and I'm sure my thoughts will continue to develop as this book sinks in with time.