Queen of America: A Novel - Hardcover

Urrea, Luis Alberto

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 141044712X ISBN 13: 9781410447128

Publisher: Thorndike Press, 2012

Synopsis

After the bloody Tomâochic Rebellion, Teresita Urrea, beloved healer and "Saint of Cabora," flees Mexico with her father to Arizona. Besieged by pilgrims and pursued by assassins, Teresita embarks on a journey through early twentieth-century America - New York, San Francisco, St. Louis. She meets immigrants and tycoons, royalty and ruffians, all waking to the new American century, as she decides what her own role in this modern future will be.

About this title

About the Author

Luis Alberto Urrea is the author of, among other books, The Devil's Highway, The Hummingbird's Daughter, and Into the Beautiful North. Winner of a Lannan Literary Award and Christopher Award, he is also the recipient of an American Book Award, the Kiriyama Prize, the National Hispanic Cultural Center's Literary Award, a Western States Book Award, a Colorado Book Award, an Edgar Award and a citation of excellence from the American Library Association. He is a member of the Latino Literary Hall of Fame.

Review

Praise for QUEEN OF AMERICA:

"'Who is more of an outlaw than a saint?'" one of Luis Urrea's characters poses. The answer is this ferocious, ribald romance of the border. Jaunty, bawdy, gritty, sweet, Queen of America has a bottomless comic energy and a heart large enough to accept-even revel in-all of human folly."―Stewart O'Nan, author of Emily Alone and Songs for the Missing

"Captivating...With deft humor and a poetic lyricism that seamlessly folds one scene into another, Urrea unfolds the story of his real-life great-aunt Teresita, a teenage saint who was known for healing miracles... Each scene in Queen of America unfurls gracefully like delicate wisps of smoke. Whether Teresita is being held captive in Northern California by a band of profiteering medical professionals, or being feted like a queen in New York's social circles, this epic novel paints a portrait of America-and its inhabitants-with grace and style. It will spark fire in readers' hearts."―Megan Fishmann, Bookpage

"Urrea delights in the texture of things. Turn-of-the-century America, particularly New York, comes alive at his fingertips: He sees both the silk and the mud... In imagining the story of his great-aunt Teresita, Urrea might have chosen to make her a hero; that would have been easier. What we get is more complicated, more modern... Hers is the story of what it means to have a gift, and how a talent can also be a burden."―Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times

"Colorful [and] exuberant."―Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal

"A magnificent work of literary alchemy, so masterfully infused with myth and history, you will feel these characters in your heart, your gut. You will grieve for their immortal souls."―Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

"A gritty, bold, and much-anticipated sequel to The Hummingbird's Daughter... Fiercely romantic and at times heart­breaking but also full of humor, Urrea's latest novel blends fairy tale, Western adventure, folk tale, and historical drama. Fans of Hummingbird and readers new to Urrea's work will surely enjoy this magnificent, epic novel."―Library Journal

Edition details

• Publisher: Thorndike Press
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 141044712X
• ISBN 13: 9781410447128
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 665