Epic portrayal of a Mexican family’s journey to a new life in the United States — at times poetic, at times hilarious. Through the story, the reader will fall in love with Lupe, who begins in the narrative as a little girl; admire the matriarchs of the two families as the true heroes; and question his/her emotions toward Salvador, the bootlegger who at once searches for the deepest levels of love and relationship on one hand, and a fundamental lack of ability for honesty on the other hand. Part of the wisdom of the book is Villasenor’s skill to have the reader see the good and the bad in the characters. The story denies the artificial yet ubiquitous practice to categorize everyone and everything as good or bad. Lastly, as a caucasian, who grew up in Texas and Southern California, I love the Hispanic people and much of the Hispanic culture. This book made me appreciate them both more.