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Storytelling is a powerful gift passed down from generation to generation, in the oral or written tradition. When Xochitl inherits the cuentista gift she must cleanse her village when they need it but she starts to feel abused by their privilege.
When a group of men come to take over her village and threaten their lives she decides to take action and starts a journey. With each new person we meet we hear their story. Oh the journey she befriends her enemies daughter Emelia and their relationship grows.
In this life, there are those people that are great listeners. And when you have a huge burden or anxiety or fear over something and you need to unburden yourself you unload onto them. You give them everything and feel so much better and you’ve given them all of those second hand feelings. But is this fair if you do it over and over with out letting them reciprocate. There are people that are empathic that will feel those stories like physical weights being placed on themselves while others might not even absorb your words. Each of us are alone in this world and each of us have our people. Each of us want to feel that our lives have meaning in this life and that we have purpose.
This story is an poetic blend of Spanish and English, (luckily my kindle is equipped with a translator for the words I don’t know). I found the narrative unique like it was a story directed solely to Solís. Which I then read the author’s note and it was written that way. I definitely felt like I was in a desert the world felt so hot and dusty. I felt so tired from the journey like I had been on it. I will tell you the familial relationships of two men and two women and pronouns used of they was beautiful. I’m so used to divisive language, that having it just be common was refreshing.
Anger is a Gift is on my TBR now. I live in Alameda and sometimes work in Oakland pre-SIP. I like reading books that are in areas I know.