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Title details for My Mother Cursed My Name by Anamely Salgado Reyes - Available

My Mother Cursed My Name

A Novel

by Anamely Salgado Reyes
Yareli Arizmendi
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Three generations of fiercely strong and stubborn Mexican American women face grief head-on as they attempt to shed generational trauma and discover the true meaning of home in this "magical, haunting, and joyful" (Carolyn Huynh, author of The Fortunes of Jaded Women) novel that feels like "a grown-up Encanto with a Gilmore Girls twist" (Marissa Stapley, New York Times bestselling author).
For generations, the Olivares women have sought to control their daughters' destinies, starting with their names. In life, Olvido constantly clashed with her carefree daughter. Then teenage Angustias discovered she was pregnant and left her mother's home in search of her own. Ten years later, Felicitas finally meets her estranged grandmother and is terribly disappointed when Olvido is nothing like a grandmother should be. She is strict, cold, and...dead.

Now, Olvido is convinced the only way her spirit will cross over is if she resolves her unfinished business—to make sure Angustias is in a better place regarding family, job, husband, and God—and Felicitas is the only person who can see or hear her. Heartbroken about her mother's passing and desperate to put Olvido's tiny Texas home in her rearview mirror as quickly as possible, Angustias doesn't understand why suddenly everyone in town seems to be conspiring to set her up with every eligible bachelor in town, offer her jobs, and invite her and Felicitas to church every Sunday.

As Olvido attempts to puppeteer her granddaughter to "fix" Angustias's life from beyond the grave, Angustias tries desperately to find a better place for Felicitas, and Felicitas struggles to keep her ability to see the dead a secret from Angustias, all three Olivares girls are forced to learn how to actually listen to one another. "Incredibly written by Salgado Reyes, this is a spell-binding debut brimming with magic, secrets, and love that will stay with you long after the last page" (María Alejandra Barrios Vélez, author of The Waves Take You Home).

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    July 30, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781797182094
      • File size: 340931 KB
      • Duration: 11:50:16

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      A trio of talented narrators brings the story of these independent women to life. When grandmother Olvido dies suddenly, her daughter, Angustias, and granddaughter, Felicitas, travel home. Olvido pesters Felicitas, who is able to see the dead, to improve Angustias's life. Yareli Arizmendi portrays Olvido as she ages from domineering mother to caring grandmother with a deep understanding of complicated family dynamics. Marisa Blake's touching portrayal of Angustias covers both a grieving daughter who is out of time and a mother who is intent on not repeating generational mistakes. Karla Serrato is perfection as angsty Felicitas, who grows from a rebellious child to a loving daughter and granddaughter. This is one family reunion you can't miss! L.M.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      January 1, 2025

      Reyes debuts with a lyrical multigenerational story about Mexican American women, each of whom carries a name that is both a curse and a secret magical power. Olvido flees Mexico to escape her mother's debts. Years later, her daughter Angustias becomes pregnant at 16 and runs away from her controlling mother. A decade after that, Angustias's 10-year-old daughter Felicitas, named for happiness but who always frowns, hopes to one day break from this pattern of desperate flight and find a stable home. Felicitas can see ghosts, and when Olvido passes away, she asks Felicitas to help her grandmother's spirit move on. This layered and moving family novel balances humor and magic with its more serious themes. There are alternating chapters from each character's perspective, narrated by Yareli Arizmendi as Olvido, Karla Serrato as Angustias, and Marisa Blake as Felicitas. Collectively, the narrators craft distinct character portraits, capturing each woman's vivid personality. The audio is further enhanced by the seamless incorporation of Spanish words and phrases, as well as the haunting intro and outro music. VERDICT An absorbing story of generational trauma and family love, full of gentle humor and just the right amount of magical realism.--Taylor Skorski

      Copyright 2025 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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