3.5 stars, rounded upThis multi-generational story is beautifully written and fleshed out the West in the early 20th Century. Fajardo-Anstine is definitely a wordsmith and I could easily see the scenes in the story. Told in a non-linear fashion, it covers five generations of a Chicano family from the Lost Territories from the late 1800s to the 1930s. The women in several generations have the gift of sight. The story focuses primarily on Luz, who lives in Denver with her aunt and initially, her b...

This was a beautiful multigenerational book that will be loved by historical fiction readers. It is very character based and the characters are written perfectly. There was a lot of struggle and loss but there was also just so much heart and love. I genuinely felt connected so strongly to the main character and just had to know how things worked out for her. It focuses mainly on the struggles of growing up as a girl of both Indigenous and Mexican descent in the early to mid 1900s. It really show...

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine is a wonderful historical fiction that takes the reader into the heart of the history of the American West. This is just such a fabulous book on so many levels. It is a multi-generational story set in the backdrop of the western lands of the US. We can see the ancestors recent and old and their respective stories told through (and around) the main character, Luz “Little Light” Lopez and her family through an array of avenues and snippets. We can see through...

Woman of Light is a multi-generational story set in the American West during the late 1800s spanning to the 1930s. The story line flowed effortlessly, which is a huge plus for me as a reader. Kali finds an ingenious way to intertwine the family's history through Luz and her current experiences.The vivid descriptions of the landscapes will transport you right alongside what life would have been during this time period. I loved every minute of this unique story and will be recommending this book t...

I've never been so excited for a book and Woman of Light lived up to the hype. Set in the southwest, the book follows multiple generations of a family and the many storylines each of them is involved in. Woman of Light is a western, but more than that, a book about love, about family, and about the risks we take in pursuit of them both. Loved & savored every page, already looking forward to my next read through of the book.

I am the biggest fan of Kali Fajardo-Anstine. Her short story collection, “Sabrina and Corina,” is one of my favorite books. I cannot remember the last time I was this excited to read a book, and, while very different from her short story collection, “Woman of Light” did not disappoint. This historical fiction novel takes place in the American West (more precisely Colorado) in the late 1880s through the 1930s. It’s a multigenerational story, going back and forth between our protagonists’ grandpa...

This was a great read. There were a lot of elements in this novel that I absolutely loved. I was particularly fascinated by the language. The sentences in this book are beautiful (they are alive). I also thought the structure was brilliant. This book sneaks up on you in the best way. Kali Fajardo-Anstine is a writer that is in complete control and one can feel that in the last section of the novel. I can see a lot of people loving “Woman of Light” when it comes out.

A stunningly beautiful multigenerational story of a family originally from “the lost territory” and ending up in Denver. I loved the connections between the generations, particularly with the women, and found it very refreshing to read a “western” that was so female-focused and told a non-white historical view of events. So much meaning is found in all the layers of the interconnected histories of the family, I was completely captivated by each one. I highly recommend to anyone interested in his...

I found this book to be interesting, but quite slow. It took me a long time to get into it. I found I kept reading bits and pieces and it couldn’t quite grip me like I wanted it too. I found the setting interesting and I liked the back and forth to different time periods. I enjoyed the multi generational aspect to this book. I thought bringing in historical news was also fun. Like Bonnie and Clyde. I just wish this one would have had a little bit more. I found the characters lacked some depth, e...

I took a quiz on one of the book sites about what historical novel I should read next, and "Woman of Light" was the recommendation. And, you know? It was completely right.Luz Lopez is one of the women of light in the story. She's the third generation of Native/Mexican women covered in the story, which is set in Denver at the first half of the 20th century. She lives with her aunt, Maria Josie, and brother Diego in a Denver tenement near the stockyards. They do menial jobs, with Luz reading tea l...

You will like this book if: you enjoy open endings, diverse stories, and strong (though messy) family tiesPlot: Luz, affectionately known as “Little Light”, lives in Denver with her aunt, brother, and cousin. As she navigates life, her tea leaf reading abilities morph into something more powerful, revealing bits and pieces of her family’s rich history in the Lost Territory. At the end I saw the plot, but it wasn’t very clear while I was reading. Characters: Luz, a tea leaf reader and daughter, a...

This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. The beautiful, almost painterly language of this lovely novel swept me into the story of Luz “Little Light” Lopez and her family as they establish their presence in the streets and neighborhoods of 1930s Denver. This subtle coming of age story unfolds through the lives of Luz, her brother Diego, their aunt Maria Josie, and their community. Luz is a tea-leaf reader, and as the book progresses, her visions develop to convey the history of her parents...

(3.5 stars) This multi-generational novel takes place in the American West in the late 1880’s to the mid 1930’s. It tells the story of Luz “Little Light” Lopez and her extended family. The family, which is of both Indigenous and Mexican descent includes Diego, Luz’s snake-charming brother, her lively, gay aunt Maria Josie and her sharp-shooting grandmother. Luz herself is a tea leaf reader and seamstress, trying through grit and determination to navigate the family through tough times. The chara...

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.Betrayal, love, fate, loss. Five generations of an indigenous Chicano family in the American West [Colorado]. Much in the 1930s [but starting in the 1868]. "Luz "Little Light" Lopez, a tea leaf reader and laundress, is left to fend for herself after her older brother, Diego, a snake charmer and factory worker, is run out of town by a violent white mob. As Luz navigates 1930's Denver on her own, she begins to have visions that t...

DNF at 70 pages/25%I really did not get on with this book. The prologue was brilliant: moving, evocative, intriguing. It pulled me right in to the story, and almost made me cry--it was that good. But then once we got on to the actual book it all just fell apart. By far my biggest issue here is the writing. It does not read smoothly at all; it had a very fragmented stop-and-start quality to it that made me aware of every single second that I spent reading this book. (After I DNFd this I started r...

Enjoyed this book Alot. The story of Luz a girl born of Indigenous and Mexican descent. Set in the west in the early 1900's. Great book for those who love historical fiction and long for more outside the wide variety of WW1 and WW2 books. Wide cast of colorful and interesting characters. I'm hoping for a part 2. I want to know what happens next.Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

This is the second time I read a book by Kali Fajardo-Anstine way in advance. I mean it’s basically - drop what you are reading to read her book as soon as you get it - type of vibes. This second time around, it again did not disappoint. I am only disappointed that I don’t get to experience it for the first time when everyone else does (yeah that was a galley brag, my bad lol). Fajardo-Anstine is quickly showing us that she’s a contemporary writer interested in writing us Latinx folks into the l...

Ughhhhhh this was SO SO good! The characters, the plot, the family dynamics, the landscape-it's all brilliantly done. Kali Fajardo-Anstine is a writer to be reckoned with and this book exemplifies that for sure! I loved every minute of this book and would recommend it to anyone that will listen.

I was surprised to read the author's bio at the end of this book, full of awards and accolades, because the book is just kind of meh. The characters lack depth and interiority and are often stereotypes (Diego the lover, sleeping with every woman he meets; David the shady Jewish lawyer; Mickey the Irish drunk). The protagonist, Luz, is like a damp rag--she's passive and easily maneuvered by others, has no strong opinions, no interests, only her talent for reading tea leaves and then lying to peop...

Woman of Light is a story about a lot of things, not the least a history of Denver, Colorado. The story of that part of the country--overrun as Americans moved west, building train tracks out to wherever they might dig something valuable out of the ground--is as sad as it is interesting. Telling the tale through the eyes of a young woman coming into her own life as a mixed race orphan whose beloved brother was run out of town by the family of a white woman he fell in love with (and impregnated)