Book Reviews & Giveaways – Amigoland

Author: Oscar Casares

In this first novel by Iowa Writer’s Workshop graduate Oscar Casares, we experience precise technique with wonderful content. The combination of well-honed writing skills and the theme of fragmentation and loss of families in this novel proves unbeatable.

The story of two brothers, Don Fidencio Rosales and Don Celestino Rosales collides with the intrusion of Sorocco, Celestino’s much younger Mexican girlfriend. Celestino and Fidencio are 20 years apart in age, and have not spoken to each other in ten years. Fidencio, now 92, is thrust into Amigoland, a nursing home. His daughter Amalia, feels that this is best although Fidencio feels imprisoned. As his body falls apart, and his freedom is taken away, Fidencio remembers the story of his grandfather Fidencio for whom he is named. Alone and terrified that he will be put in diapers and hand fed by the nursing staff soon, Fidencio suffers in pride, unwelcomed loss of bladder control, and large mutters of distress. No one hears him. He and his brother Celestino make contact when Sorocco convinces Celestino that she wants to meet his family – only Fidencio is left. They visit the old man at Amigoland. Celestino and Fidencio argue bitterly over their grandfather’s tale of having been kidnapped by Indians when Grandpa Fidencio was seven years old after witnessing the death of his entire village and family. The Indians for some reason drop Grandpa Fidencio on the other side of the border in Brownsville, Texas and ride off with the other kidnapped children.

Celestino is in his own hell. Thirty five years older than the kind, caring Sorocco, he cannot believe that she loves him and cannot tolerate another loss after his wife’s death. He hovers between pulling Socorro close and pushing her away.

Through Sorocco’s influence, and Fidencio’s desperation to leave the nursing home, Celestino and Sorocco agree to kidnap Fidencio to take the short trip into Mexico to find their grandfather’s birthplace, a small ranchito.

The losses both of these men face – loneliness, yearning for family, fear of their own mortality mirrors itself and channels through both brothers. Through Sorocco’s intuitive guidance, they find some sort of peace at the end of their journey and rise up through their fear to embrace what they have.

I found this novel brilliant. Not only is the writing wonderful, but I too worry about what will happen as I get older. I too have not talked to my brother in twenty years and have a fragmented family. I know that my sons would put me in a nursing home thinking that would be best rather than listening to what I want. These are questions that we all face and with the loss of the extended family they are valid and real. Casares has caught the humanity inherent in his characters, the humiliation of being old, and the confusion of the family on how to handle these aging issues within all elasticities. This was a golden gem of a book, and an astounding first novel. I hope to see more from Mr. Casales and will be buying his collection of short stories, “Brownsville.”

I want to thank Miriam Parker at Hachette book group for sending some wonderful novels my way as well as the books that we get to giveaway here on “the broads.”. I love great books!

Ratings are based on a 5-star scale.

Plot: 5

Characters: 4.5

Presentation: 5

Overall: 4.5 – 5

Review by Broad “A” – Ava

“Amigoland” can be purchased at Amazon.com for only $16.31

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