Author: Jessica Winters Mireles
Year published: 2020
Category: Adult fiction (thriller)
Pages: 328 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5
Location: (my 2025 Google Reading map): USA (CA), Mexico
Summary: Once a promising young concert pianist, Camille Childs retreated to her mother’s Santa Barbara estate after an injury to her hand destroyed her hopes for a musical career. She now leads a solitary life teaching piano, and she has a star student: Graciela, the daughter of her mother’s Mexican housekeeper. Camille has been grooming the young Graciela for the career that she herself lost out on, and now Graciela, newly turned eighteen, has just won the grand prize in a piano competition, which means she gets to perform with the LA Philharmonic. Camille is ecstatic; if she can’t play herself, at least as Graciela’s teacher, she will finally get the recognition she deserves.
But there are only two weeks left before the concert, and Graciela has disappeared—gone back to her family’s village in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. Desperate to bring Graciela back in time for the concert, Camille goes after her, but on the way there, a bus accident leaves her without any of her possessions. Alone and unable to speak the language, Camille is befriended by Alejandro, a Zapotec man who lives in LA but is from the same village as Graciela. Despite a contentious first meeting, Alejandro helps Camille navigate the rugged terrain and unfamiliar culture of Oaxaca, allowing her the opportunity to view the world in a different light—and perhaps find love in the process.
Review: I went to a local author event at our public library about a year or so ago. Local authors were selling their books, talking about books, etc. Jessica Winters Mireles and I have people in common, it turns out, so I bought her book. I am finally getting around to reading it. I'm glad that I did.
Winters Mireles tells a good story that kept me turning the pages. I also really liked the large cast of characters, even though Camille is difficult to like at first, with her ugly American, wealthy white woman assumptions and entitled attitude. I am sure we are all familiar with people like this, which makes Camille believable. Her attitude and behavior are in stark contrast to (most of) the Zapotec people whom she encounters.
I also really enjoyed reading and learning about the Zapotec culture as Camille navigates Oaxaca. The author knows her stuff, as her long-time husband is Zapotec. An insider's view of a cross-cultural relationship comes through in the story and the writing, and I appreciated it.
The story spans Los Angeles and Oaxaca, and it does become slightly fantastical near the end, but I didn't mind because I was invested in the characters and story. And, since I live in Santa Barbara, it was fun to read those bits and recognize the references.
Challenges for which this counts:
- Alphabet (Title)--X
- Cover Lover--Minimal design
- Literary Escapes--Mexico
- Mount TBR
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