Good Reads / Community Library Notes
House of Broken Angels
Luis Alberto Urrea
Review by Priscilla Comen
House of Broken Angels
Luis Alberto Urrea
Review by Priscilla Comen
House of Broken Angels, by Luis Alberto Urrea, is the story of the Angel family, their feelings, troubles, and dreams. It’s the story of Big Angel, the patriarch who must attend the funeral of his 100 year old mother and deal with the rest of his family. Big Angel was the head of his business enterprise and demanded respect from his wife, Perla, and his daughter, Minnie, both of whom love him very much. Although he knows he is dying, he tells Perla he is too busy to die.
The whole family is going to the funeral, and author Urrea makes them all come alive in the bars, on the freeways, on the border of Tijuana. India, Big Angel’s stepson, was there, but decides to leave. He hates them all. Lalo, Mary Lou, and Big Angel’s brother, Caesar, taller than everyone, are there. Lalo had been in the army and wounded in Iraq, is now an English teacher living far from the family in Seattle. He chooses this. Big Angel looks at his wife’s sister, La Gloriosa, and recalls how sexy she used to be. Now she’s as old as he is, but still attractive. She wears dark glasses and sees Little Angel flirt with her. Caesar’s wife, Paz, hates his sister, Mary Lou. Caesar stands between them to keep them from fighting. We see how complicated this family is.
Grand children, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, neighbors, and dogs are all in the big white tent the next day for Big Angel’s birthday celebration. Big Angel savors memories of his past when he rode behind his father on his policeman’s motorcycle. He forgets he is dying.
Big Angel and Little Angel confess the good and bad things they have done as they lie in bed together. They recall how their Mama tucked a green parrot into her cleavage to bring it across the border from Tijuana when they picked her up there. Urrea includes much humor in this story which may be part autobiographical. Will they forgive one another before Big Angel dies? How will the party end? Will their hopes and dreams come true? Who will take Big Angel’s place? Is it time for Minnie to become the matriarch?
Find the story of this wonderful family on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.
The whole family is going to the funeral, and author Urrea makes them all come alive in the bars, on the freeways, on the border of Tijuana. India, Big Angel’s stepson, was there, but decides to leave. He hates them all. Lalo, Mary Lou, and Big Angel’s brother, Caesar, taller than everyone, are there. Lalo had been in the army and wounded in Iraq, is now an English teacher living far from the family in Seattle. He chooses this. Big Angel looks at his wife’s sister, La Gloriosa, and recalls how sexy she used to be. Now she’s as old as he is, but still attractive. She wears dark glasses and sees Little Angel flirt with her. Caesar’s wife, Paz, hates his sister, Mary Lou. Caesar stands between them to keep them from fighting. We see how complicated this family is.
Grand children, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, neighbors, and dogs are all in the big white tent the next day for Big Angel’s birthday celebration. Big Angel savors memories of his past when he rode behind his father on his policeman’s motorcycle. He forgets he is dying.
Big Angel and Little Angel confess the good and bad things they have done as they lie in bed together. They recall how their Mama tucked a green parrot into her cleavage to bring it across the border from Tijuana when they picked her up there. Urrea includes much humor in this story which may be part autobiographical. Will they forgive one another before Big Angel dies? How will the party end? Will their hopes and dreams come true? Who will take Big Angel’s place? Is it time for Minnie to become the matriarch?
Find the story of this wonderful family on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.