Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Penguin Classics (2022), Edition: Reprint, 288 pages
Description
Ultima, a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic, comes to Antonio Marez's New Mexico family when he is six years old, and she helps him discover himself in the magical secrets of the pagan past.
User reviews
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
This isn't a book I would normally pick up due to its emphasis on Southwestern folk religion. However, my community selected this book for its "Big Read" program this month and I decided I would at least read the book, even if I don't attend any of the community events. I didn't realize until today
Although the book is often described as a coming of age novel, the main character is a tad young for the traditional coming of age novel. The book covers the 2-year time period from the summer before Antonio enters first grade through the summer after third grade. (Antonio is a bright child and skipped the second grade.) The book is about his spiritual coming of age, though, so the description fits.
Antonio is a sensitive, introspective child, who is exposed to violence at a young age. He wrestles with the problem of evil, especially in his nightmares. He longs for his first communion, when he will "eat God." Antonio expects to know the answers to all of his questions once God is inside him, and he is greatly disappointed by God's silence after his first communion. The Catholic rituals and catechisms don't address the kinds of questions he has for God. Ultima, the curandera who lives with Antonio's family, is the only adult who provides any real spiritual guidance for Antonio. Although she performs at least some Catholic religious customs, Ultima's religion has its roots in Native American shamanistic beliefs. The other major influences on Antonio's spiritual development come from two of his pals: his friend, Cico, who believes in a fish god, and his friend, Florence, who is an atheist.
I'm not sure why Bless Me, Ultima has been challenged so frequently, but my guess is that many challenges have come from parents who object to it as required reading for their children. The book does have a strong emphasis on the supernatural, and it could be disturbing to some young people. I would recommend that parents read the book and decide for themselves whether their child is mature enough for the book's themes. There are other good books that illustrate Hispanic American culture, so it should be easy to find an alternative reading selection that would accomplish the same purpose.
This well-written novel is recommended especially to students of cultural anthropology for its portrayal of Southwestern religious syncretism.
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that the book is on one of the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom's lists of frequently challenged books, so I've also participated in Banned Books Week.Although the book is often described as a coming of age novel, the main character is a tad young for the traditional coming of age novel. The book covers the 2-year time period from the summer before Antonio enters first grade through the summer after third grade. (Antonio is a bright child and skipped the second grade.) The book is about his spiritual coming of age, though, so the description fits.
Antonio is a sensitive, introspective child, who is exposed to violence at a young age. He wrestles with the problem of evil, especially in his nightmares. He longs for his first communion, when he will "eat God." Antonio expects to know the answers to all of his questions once God is inside him, and he is greatly disappointed by God's silence after his first communion. The Catholic rituals and catechisms don't address the kinds of questions he has for God. Ultima, the curandera who lives with Antonio's family, is the only adult who provides any real spiritual guidance for Antonio. Although she performs at least some Catholic religious customs, Ultima's religion has its roots in Native American shamanistic beliefs. The other major influences on Antonio's spiritual development come from two of his pals: his friend, Cico, who believes in a fish god, and his friend, Florence, who is an atheist.
I'm not sure why Bless Me, Ultima has been challenged so frequently, but my guess is that many challenges have come from parents who object to it as required reading for their children. The book does have a strong emphasis on the supernatural, and it could be disturbing to some young people. I would recommend that parents read the book and decide for themselves whether their child is mature enough for the book's themes. There are other good books that illustrate Hispanic American culture, so it should be easy to find an alternative reading selection that would accomplish the same purpose.
This well-written novel is recommended especially to students of cultural anthropology for its portrayal of Southwestern religious syncretism.
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LibraryThing member bookworm12
Antonio is a young Mexican American boy living with his family in New Mexico. At the beginning of the novel the local healer, Ultima, moves in with his family. Ultima was the midwife who helped bring Antonio into the world and he feels particularly close to her. He is the youngest child in his
The novel reminds me of many other American coming-of-age novels, especially Cold Sassy Tree. Bless Me, Ultima has a much more serious tone, but it shares many similarities of a young boy growing up in a tight-knit community. It consists of a string of connected events, more like a short story collection in some ways than a novel.
It is set in the 1940s following World War II and Antonio sees the effects of PTSD first hand. He witnesses multiple deaths throughout the book, but none of them are gratuitous. The book touches on many issues that adolescents struggle with, like the division between the life your parents want for you and the life you want. It looks at the role of the healer in Mexican culture, the question of religion and the way a community reacts to tragedy.
BOTTOM LINE: A coming-of-age gem and an important piece of Chicano literature.
“Understanding comes with life,” he answered, “as a man grows he sees life and death, he is happy and sad, he works, plays, meets people—sometimes it takes a lifetime to acquire understanding, because in the end understanding simply means having a sympathy for people.”
“I made strength from everything that had happened to me, so that in the end even the final tragedy could not defeat me. And that is what Ultima tried to teach me, that the tragic consequences of life can be overcome by the magical strength that resides in the human heart.”
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family and as he grows up under the watchful eyes of his parents and Ultima he must learn what it means to truly lose your innocence. Despite their love and protection he bears witness to strife and violence in the community. The novel reminds me of many other American coming-of-age novels, especially Cold Sassy Tree. Bless Me, Ultima has a much more serious tone, but it shares many similarities of a young boy growing up in a tight-knit community. It consists of a string of connected events, more like a short story collection in some ways than a novel.
It is set in the 1940s following World War II and Antonio sees the effects of PTSD first hand. He witnesses multiple deaths throughout the book, but none of them are gratuitous. The book touches on many issues that adolescents struggle with, like the division between the life your parents want for you and the life you want. It looks at the role of the healer in Mexican culture, the question of religion and the way a community reacts to tragedy.
BOTTOM LINE: A coming-of-age gem and an important piece of Chicano literature.
“Understanding comes with life,” he answered, “as a man grows he sees life and death, he is happy and sad, he works, plays, meets people—sometimes it takes a lifetime to acquire understanding, because in the end understanding simply means having a sympathy for people.”
“I made strength from everything that had happened to me, so that in the end even the final tragedy could not defeat me. And that is what Ultima tried to teach me, that the tragic consequences of life can be overcome by the magical strength that resides in the human heart.”
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LibraryThing member RcCarol
Antonio Marez is a young Hispanic boy whose family is marked by a basic conflict between his father’s wandering vaquero life and his mother’s religious farmers. He finds his life changed when, in the last days of WWII, the curendera from his father’s llano moves in with the family. Elderly
I cannot believe that I have never heard of this novel or its author before I picked out the audio version, read by Robert Rodriguez. Apparently, this is a classic of Chicano literature. The back of the CD case compared the novel to Moby Dick, but I think a better comparison is To Kill A Mockingbird. Tony is an exceedingly likable protagonist who is trying to navigate the oftentimes harsh world he finds. The author presents the llano, the town, and the people with a vivid eye and an understanding of human nature. Tony is connected to a spiritual, mystical world, in which dreams foretell what will happen and witches exist. Some of the dreams are a little long, distracting, and somewhat pointless. But otherwise, the story flows well and the magical realism fits in well with the plot. Robert Rodriguez does an excellent job reading the story, and makes Tony a very appealing narrator. The only difficulty I had was with the use of Spanish here and there. A little bit of Spanish education did not help me understand it much, but the use was infrequent and did not inhibit my enjoyment. This is a book to be enjoyed, and a delight to listen to. This book is truly a classic.
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and wise, Ultima takes Tony under her wing, teaching him about nature, the spirit, and the world. Tony witnesses the killing of a soldier stricken by PTSD, starts school, and welcomes his three older brothers home from the war. The drama really starts, however, when Ultima is asked to cure Tony’s uncle, who had been cursed by some local witches. Ultima’s cure works, but when one of the witches later dies, her father promises to make Ultima pay. The conflict for Tony is harrowing and bloody, played out in the midst of a spiritual awakening and crisis as he questions the Catholic faith of his family.I cannot believe that I have never heard of this novel or its author before I picked out the audio version, read by Robert Rodriguez. Apparently, this is a classic of Chicano literature. The back of the CD case compared the novel to Moby Dick, but I think a better comparison is To Kill A Mockingbird. Tony is an exceedingly likable protagonist who is trying to navigate the oftentimes harsh world he finds. The author presents the llano, the town, and the people with a vivid eye and an understanding of human nature. Tony is connected to a spiritual, mystical world, in which dreams foretell what will happen and witches exist. Some of the dreams are a little long, distracting, and somewhat pointless. But otherwise, the story flows well and the magical realism fits in well with the plot. Robert Rodriguez does an excellent job reading the story, and makes Tony a very appealing narrator. The only difficulty I had was with the use of Spanish here and there. A little bit of Spanish education did not help me understand it much, but the use was infrequent and did not inhibit my enjoyment. This is a book to be enjoyed, and a delight to listen to. This book is truly a classic.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
3.5***
Opening Lines: Ultima came to stay with us the summer I was almost seven. When she came the beauty of the llano unfolded before my eyes, and the gurgling waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning earth. The magical time of childhood stood still, and the pulse of the living earth
Antonio Marez (Tony) narrates this coming-of-age story as he recounts the several years that Ultima lived with his family in the mid 1940s. She was elderly and her small New Mexico village virtually deserted when Tony’s parents decided to bring Ultima to live with them. She had been a great friend to his mother’s and father’s families; a curandera, she had healed the sick and prayed with them to ward off evil. Her knowledge of plants and herbs is frequently sought out, but also results in some residents calling her “una bruja” (a witch). With her calm demeanor she helps Tony make sense of the world and the evil in it. She helps him to find his own inner strength and to recognize the power of goodness, love and forgiveness.
This is a magical, mystical story that reminds me of the oral story-telling traditions of my grandparents. It is a spiritual journey as much as a journey from babyhood to childhood. Antonio relates many of his vivid dreams – some quite disturbing – which Ultima helps him to interpret. He tries to puzzle out the realities and meanings in the teachings of the Catholic Church as he prepares for his first confession and first communion. He embraces education and learning, although other students make fun of him, and develops a good relationship with his first teacher. He begins to recognize the differences between his parents’ wishes for his future; his father is a man of the plains, a vaquero, and wants this free life for his son, while his mother hopes Antonio will be a priest. He loves and learns from his uncles on both sides of the family – ranchers and farmers. He witnesses some violent and disturbing scenes, but also marvels at the inner strength of his father, mother and Ultima, and learns about loyalty and friendship.
Over the course of the novel (about two years) Tony and his friends also figure out some lessons for themselves. At one point he and his friend Cico have to run from a group of bullies. He asks Cico why the gang attacked them. “I don’t know,” Cico answered, “except that people, grown-ups and kids, seem to want to hurt each other – and it’s worse when they’re in a group.”
I really liked the way in which the adults in the novel tried to explain the world to the child in ways he could understand, and in ways which helped him feel more secure and less troubled. Towards the end, Antonio realizes Ultima’s great lesson: “That the tragic consequences of life can be overcome by the magical strength that resides in the human heart.”
In Anaya’s writing the landscape becomes as important as any character. In fact, it is alive with movement, promise, danger, strength, and forgiveness. It can shelter you or injure you. It can nourish you or kill you.
The novel includes quite a lot of Spanish language words, phrases and even sentences. Non-Spanish speakers may feel a little lost, though I believe context and later paragraphs serve to everything pretty clearly. (Curse words are NOT translated, however.)
Opening Lines: Ultima came to stay with us the summer I was almost seven. When she came the beauty of the llano unfolded before my eyes, and the gurgling waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning earth. The magical time of childhood stood still, and the pulse of the living earth
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pressed its mystery into my living blood. She took my hand, and the silent, magic powers she possessed made beauty from the raw, sun-baked llano, the green river valley, and the blue bowl which was the white sun’s home. Antonio Marez (Tony) narrates this coming-of-age story as he recounts the several years that Ultima lived with his family in the mid 1940s. She was elderly and her small New Mexico village virtually deserted when Tony’s parents decided to bring Ultima to live with them. She had been a great friend to his mother’s and father’s families; a curandera, she had healed the sick and prayed with them to ward off evil. Her knowledge of plants and herbs is frequently sought out, but also results in some residents calling her “una bruja” (a witch). With her calm demeanor she helps Tony make sense of the world and the evil in it. She helps him to find his own inner strength and to recognize the power of goodness, love and forgiveness.
This is a magical, mystical story that reminds me of the oral story-telling traditions of my grandparents. It is a spiritual journey as much as a journey from babyhood to childhood. Antonio relates many of his vivid dreams – some quite disturbing – which Ultima helps him to interpret. He tries to puzzle out the realities and meanings in the teachings of the Catholic Church as he prepares for his first confession and first communion. He embraces education and learning, although other students make fun of him, and develops a good relationship with his first teacher. He begins to recognize the differences between his parents’ wishes for his future; his father is a man of the plains, a vaquero, and wants this free life for his son, while his mother hopes Antonio will be a priest. He loves and learns from his uncles on both sides of the family – ranchers and farmers. He witnesses some violent and disturbing scenes, but also marvels at the inner strength of his father, mother and Ultima, and learns about loyalty and friendship.
Over the course of the novel (about two years) Tony and his friends also figure out some lessons for themselves. At one point he and his friend Cico have to run from a group of bullies. He asks Cico why the gang attacked them. “I don’t know,” Cico answered, “except that people, grown-ups and kids, seem to want to hurt each other – and it’s worse when they’re in a group.”
I really liked the way in which the adults in the novel tried to explain the world to the child in ways he could understand, and in ways which helped him feel more secure and less troubled. Towards the end, Antonio realizes Ultima’s great lesson: “That the tragic consequences of life can be overcome by the magical strength that resides in the human heart.”
In Anaya’s writing the landscape becomes as important as any character. In fact, it is alive with movement, promise, danger, strength, and forgiveness. It can shelter you or injure you. It can nourish you or kill you.
The novel includes quite a lot of Spanish language words, phrases and even sentences. Non-Spanish speakers may feel a little lost, though I believe context and later paragraphs serve to everything pretty clearly. (Curse words are NOT translated, however.)
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LibraryThing member msbaba
I read this novel for two reasons: first, because I had not yet read this classic work of Chicano literature, and second, because I wanted to participate in “The Big Read” initiative within the community where I volunteer. For those of you who may not know about this initiative, it is sponsored
Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, is a lyrical and deeply spiritual coming-of-age tale. Set in New Mexico during the years just before and after the close of World War II, the novel is told from the viewpoint of the child, Antonio Márez. In his own eyes over the course of the novel, Antonio ages from an innocent boy of six, to a mature youth taking his first faltering steps in an adult role at age nine. In between, the boy is exposed to four deaths. These and other events force him toward trying to fathom the mystical polarities of life, especially good versus evil, and forgiveness versus revenge. He struggles constantly with the antagonism between the Catholicism of his mother and the rich native paganism that is abundant in the local culture. The child feels torn between four separate paths toward adulthood: one toward the rich earth-bound farming life of his mother, a second toward the free open-plains cowboy lifestyle of his father, a third toward the priesthood that his mother so fervently desires, and finally, a fourth path that his three older brothers take toward the unknown world outside his understanding and experience. Thus the book is Antonio’s spiritual passage toward a more mature understanding of the world and his place in it.
Antonio’s spiritual guide on this journey toward maturity is his loving paternal great aunt, Ultima, a famous “curandera” (healer) who comes to live with his family at the opening of the book.
I was disappointed with this novel, probably because I expected more from such a famous classic, but also because this book is being promoted by the National Endowment for the Arts to help “restore reading to the center of American culture.” I wanted a better book for such a lofty goal. This is a good book, but it has many flaws. In particular, it is not a profoundly enjoyable book to read. There are just too many long stretches where event are described in endless boring detail. The author admits that the book is, in great part, a fictionalized autobiography. Obviously, he must have found it too difficult to edit out nonessential detail. If this book was chosen because it is a Chicano classic, then it does not seem to have enough Chicano meaning at its core, and frankly, there are better examples of Chicano literature that might have been chosen instead. On the good side, the writing is rich and lyrical, the characters are unforgettable, the violence is offset with many humorous incidents, and there are also countless heartwarming examples of deep friendship and family love throughout.
As a fanatical lover of good literature of all kinds, it pains me to see a book like this foisted upon the public as a piece of art that should be read by all. I am glad that I stuck with it and finished the book. There were times when I was sorely tempted to give it up. In retrospect, the book was more enjoyable than the process of reading it. I will enjoy hearing what others have to say about this book during upcoming events that are part of The Big Read in East Los Angeles.
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by the National Endowment for the Arts, and is an effort designed "to restore reading to the center of American culture." Communities can choose one of sixteen books, and then design a month of special programs and events focusing on that book. The idea is to get as many local citizens reading the same book, at the same time, as possible. From mid-March to mid-April 2008, Bless Me, Ultima is The Big Read for East Los Angeles, a primarily Mexican-American area near downtown Los Angeles. Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya, is a lyrical and deeply spiritual coming-of-age tale. Set in New Mexico during the years just before and after the close of World War II, the novel is told from the viewpoint of the child, Antonio Márez. In his own eyes over the course of the novel, Antonio ages from an innocent boy of six, to a mature youth taking his first faltering steps in an adult role at age nine. In between, the boy is exposed to four deaths. These and other events force him toward trying to fathom the mystical polarities of life, especially good versus evil, and forgiveness versus revenge. He struggles constantly with the antagonism between the Catholicism of his mother and the rich native paganism that is abundant in the local culture. The child feels torn between four separate paths toward adulthood: one toward the rich earth-bound farming life of his mother, a second toward the free open-plains cowboy lifestyle of his father, a third toward the priesthood that his mother so fervently desires, and finally, a fourth path that his three older brothers take toward the unknown world outside his understanding and experience. Thus the book is Antonio’s spiritual passage toward a more mature understanding of the world and his place in it.
Antonio’s spiritual guide on this journey toward maturity is his loving paternal great aunt, Ultima, a famous “curandera” (healer) who comes to live with his family at the opening of the book.
I was disappointed with this novel, probably because I expected more from such a famous classic, but also because this book is being promoted by the National Endowment for the Arts to help “restore reading to the center of American culture.” I wanted a better book for such a lofty goal. This is a good book, but it has many flaws. In particular, it is not a profoundly enjoyable book to read. There are just too many long stretches where event are described in endless boring detail. The author admits that the book is, in great part, a fictionalized autobiography. Obviously, he must have found it too difficult to edit out nonessential detail. If this book was chosen because it is a Chicano classic, then it does not seem to have enough Chicano meaning at its core, and frankly, there are better examples of Chicano literature that might have been chosen instead. On the good side, the writing is rich and lyrical, the characters are unforgettable, the violence is offset with many humorous incidents, and there are also countless heartwarming examples of deep friendship and family love throughout.
As a fanatical lover of good literature of all kinds, it pains me to see a book like this foisted upon the public as a piece of art that should be read by all. I am glad that I stuck with it and finished the book. There were times when I was sorely tempted to give it up. In retrospect, the book was more enjoyable than the process of reading it. I will enjoy hearing what others have to say about this book during upcoming events that are part of The Big Read in East Los Angeles.
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LibraryThing member rgruberhighschool
RGG: A mystical story of 1940's chicano New Mexico; young boy as protagonist; heavy emphasis on Catholicism and questioning of belief.
LibraryThing member dougb56586
This is a story about a young boy, Antonio, growing up in rural New Mexico in the years just after the Second World War. The story deals with Antonio struggling with the problem of good and evil, and life and death, and with the religious versus moral approaches to the same. It was the author's
When Antonio is six years old, Ultima, a local “curandera” (healer and midwife), who helped deliver all the Marez children, comes to live with his family in her old age. The story covers Antonio's and Ultima's friendship, Antonio's introduction to school and community, and his experiences with death. Four characters in the story, Tenorio Trementino and his three unnamed daughters, were essential to the plot, yet I felt that the motivation for their evil behavior was not clearly explained. Still, the lessons that Antonio learns from Ultima, his father, and even his schoolmate Florence make it an excellent story.
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first book, and in a few places the writing seems a little awkward or forced. However, the theme is dealt with in several original inter-related stories, so that overall, it is a well-written book.When Antonio is six years old, Ultima, a local “curandera” (healer and midwife), who helped deliver all the Marez children, comes to live with his family in her old age. The story covers Antonio's and Ultima's friendship, Antonio's introduction to school and community, and his experiences with death. Four characters in the story, Tenorio Trementino and his three unnamed daughters, were essential to the plot, yet I felt that the motivation for their evil behavior was not clearly explained. Still, the lessons that Antonio learns from Ultima, his father, and even his schoolmate Florence make it an excellent story.
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LibraryThing member bkwurm
Beautifully written coming-of-age story from the American Southwest. Rudolfo Anaya looks at religion, magic, family, culture and individuality from the viewpoint of a very precocious 6-10 year old. The struggle to gain wisdom through experience while still retaining some of that innocent idealism
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is the central struggle in this amazing story. Highly recommended!! Show Less
LibraryThing member FolkeB
This unique bildungsroman tale tells the story of Antonio Marez, a young boy who grows up in a llano of New Mexico. Ultima, a close friend of the Marez family, is a curandera who teaches Antonio various aspects of life that he may not have gotten elsewhere. While Bless Me, Ultima may be written at
Bless Me, Ultima is a very intelligent novel and offers some great surprises to people who may not expect such sophistication from such a young protagonist. Antonio’s story is sweet and touching and anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story should enjoy it immensely.
Amelia H.
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a less-than-college level, it offers some very poignant and relevant aspects on life…although Antonio is only seven years old, he seems to be far more wise than most would expect.Bless Me, Ultima is a very intelligent novel and offers some great surprises to people who may not expect such sophistication from such a young protagonist. Antonio’s story is sweet and touching and anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story should enjoy it immensely.
Amelia H.
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LibraryThing member amandacb
Oh, this little book has it all: magic, murder, intrigue, romance, coming of age, wisdom, religion, mysticism...it was given to me as a gift, and I'm glad it was, because it's not normally a book I would choose for myself. I absolutely loved the way Anaya intertwined Latino folklore and magic with
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Catholicism. Unfortunately that has led to some religious groups calling for its banning, but nevermind that. This is how a bildungsroman novel is done! Show Less
LibraryThing member writingjax
This book should be in everyone's classic collection. The language in the novel paints such beautiful images and the storyline is easy to follow. Great coming of age book to read!
LibraryThing member Aly2011
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, is a coming of age story about a boy named Antonio Marez. He struggles to know right from wrong, good and evil, so he goes to Ultima, a curandera that has started to live with him and his family when he turns seven. Tony learns many things from her, from potions
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with herbs, new religions that make him wonder about the religion he was brought up with, magical cures that worked when no other remedy worked including the work of a priest didnt work. Tony learns things that normal kids do not ever know or see, Tony watches a people die, and sees his best friend die. He says that he grew up after seeing these things, all that happens to Tony is this book makes him really think about life. This is a great book that keeps you wanting to know more, there are secret meanings throughout the whole book and there are magical things that happen, that really make you think and wonder if you know the truth or not. I found my self always wanting to pick the book back up and wondering what is going to happen next. If you like mystery then you would enjoy this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member heinous-eli
A nice romp for young adults into the realm of magic realism, and one of the better books on required reading lists for high school students. Valuable in that it could incite students to further explore the rich world of Central and South American literature.
LibraryThing member iammbb
A quick read.
Not really my cup of tea.
Not to say I disliked it. Just that I find the sort of superstition indulged in by many in this book frustrating.
But even so, the book had many redeeming qualities. For those particularly drawn to literature about the American Southwest, this is a gem.
Google
"Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her guidance, Tony will test the bonds that tie him to his culture, and he will find himself in the secrets of the past. A masterpiece of Chicano literature, this is the emotional, coming-of-age story of a boy facing the conflicts in his life among his Mexican and American heritage, his Catholic religion, and his identity."
I was particularly fascinated by one of Antonio's friends, Florencio and his disaffection with God and religion but felt that there were shades of the tragic mulatto in the fate assigned to Florencio by the author.
I was excited by what I saw as the author's boldness in voicing Florencio and then disappointed by what I saw as the author's cop-out.
Not really my cup of tea.
Not to say I disliked it. Just that I find the sort of superstition indulged in by many in this book frustrating.
But even so, the book had many redeeming qualities. For those particularly drawn to literature about the American Southwest, this is a gem.
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Books says,"Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her guidance, Tony will test the bonds that tie him to his culture, and he will find himself in the secrets of the past. A masterpiece of Chicano literature, this is the emotional, coming-of-age story of a boy facing the conflicts in his life among his Mexican and American heritage, his Catholic religion, and his identity."
I was particularly fascinated by one of Antonio's friends, Florencio and his disaffection with God and religion but felt that there were shades of the tragic mulatto in the fate assigned to Florencio by the author.
I was excited by what I saw as the author's boldness in voicing Florencio and then disappointed by what I saw as the author's cop-out.
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LibraryThing member JuliaEllen
A very interesting folk story. Definitely a great look at another time and culture.
LibraryThing member nerdliberation
A touching and magical book about a young boy coming of age in New Mexico.
LibraryThing member carissa8402
I originally had to read this for school, I hated it the first time around. I read it on my own though, and I loved it!
LibraryThing member Ronjaashley
This book takes place in a Spanish speaking New Mexico. Antoio is a little boy when Ultima comes to live with him. Ultima is a curandera, which is someone who is able to cure people and curses with the herbs she combines and mixes. She helps him get through his struggles, from learning to speak
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English to deciding which way to go either be a Luna like his mother or a Marez like his father. The best part about the book is always the excitement it always keeps you on your heels. Someone who likes action would definitely enjoy this book. Another thing that made the book good is the magic in it. Also the fact that something's you had to thing about more than others. This was a great book about a different culture and i definitely think it broadened my knowledge about the spanish culture Show Less
LibraryThing member ThatsFresh
A lot of my friends hated reading this book back in freshmen year, though I kinda enjoyed it. Really, out of all the books you're forced to read in school, this wasnt that bad.
LibraryThing member chelsealee
The book Bless Me, Ultima, is about a young boy, Antonio, and an older woman, Ulitma. Antonio is trying to fit into the world and find out why he is even there, and Ultima helps everyone, especially Antonio though his childhood. It takes you through his school age years as he wonders about religion
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and the people that he looks up to. It is strongly Spanish based, and it takes place in in New Mexico during WW1 times. It is a good book that you really want to keep reading to find out what is on that other page, and I truly recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member 17eMiLy19
Bless Me, Ultima is a book about a young boy named Antonio. Antonio had a lot of pressure on him even though he was just a little boy. His father, Gabriel, used to be a vaquero, which is a cowboy. Of course, Gabriel wanted Antonio to be just like him, but Antonio's mother, Maria, was from a family
When Antonio was six years old, his mother and father invited a woman to come and live with their family. Antonio began to draw very close to this visitor. She told him stories of his ancestors, and advice for everyday life. Antonio stuck by her side through everything, even when it became a life or death situation. Out of all of Antonio’s companions, this woman was the most significant.
Bless Me, Ultima was a very interesting book to read. There were some parts I liked, but there were also others that I disliked. I enjoyed reading this book because it always kept me wanting to find out more. There wasn't really ever a part that bored me. It was suspenseful, and it kept me alert because Antonio was always finding out new information. One thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. I wish the author would have told more about Antonio's life after he encountered a great loss. I also didn't like that this novel stated that God didn't always forgive because he does. Even though you might receive a punishment, God still forgives you of all your sins if you just ask Him. I would recommend this book to readers who like to explore different religions and cultures.
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of farmers, and she wanted him to become a priest. Antonio became very confused because he didn't know which way of life to choose since he was just six years old. Ultima, the curandera that lived on the llano alone, encouraged him to just live his life because he still had plenty of time to grow up and decide.When Antonio was six years old, his mother and father invited a woman to come and live with their family. Antonio began to draw very close to this visitor. She told him stories of his ancestors, and advice for everyday life. Antonio stuck by her side through everything, even when it became a life or death situation. Out of all of Antonio’s companions, this woman was the most significant.
Bless Me, Ultima was a very interesting book to read. There were some parts I liked, but there were also others that I disliked. I enjoyed reading this book because it always kept me wanting to find out more. There wasn't really ever a part that bored me. It was suspenseful, and it kept me alert because Antonio was always finding out new information. One thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. I wish the author would have told more about Antonio's life after he encountered a great loss. I also didn't like that this novel stated that God didn't always forgive because he does. Even though you might receive a punishment, God still forgives you of all your sins if you just ask Him. I would recommend this book to readers who like to explore different religions and cultures.
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LibraryThing member TaylorReynolds
Bless Me, Ultima is a about a 6 year old boy, named Antonio, and a curandera, named Ultima. The setting of the story is New Mexico near the end of World War 2. Antonio's family invites Ultima to live with them. He never knew she would be such a good friend to him. She helps him through all the good
When I read the first chapter I thought was going to be real boring. Boy was I wrong! To me, Bless Me, Ultima was great book. It was full of action. I could not put it down. It made me want to keep reading. I loved the ending. All the questions he was seeking from were answered by his father and Ultima's death. The ending almost made me cry.
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and bad times. The book goes into further detail of Antonio's adventures: going to school, the deaths in the town, and his first communion.When I read the first chapter I thought was going to be real boring. Boy was I wrong! To me, Bless Me, Ultima was great book. It was full of action. I could not put it down. It made me want to keep reading. I loved the ending. All the questions he was seeking from were answered by his father and Ultima's death. The ending almost made me cry.
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LibraryThing member ALiSHABAiLEY
Bless Me, Ultima is a very interesting book about a boy and a curandera who comes to live with his family when he is 6 years old. I do not really like or understand the book because there's so much violence, and killing that a 6 year old boy is seeing. I can relate with Antonio's life between
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family and social struggles, but besides those points the rest of the book is very unrealistic. Show Less
LibraryThing member jaemaree
what a fluid storyteller! and talk about laugh--i have cried laughing in this novel. the christmas production...ahem.
LibraryThing member leah.faleatua
Bless Me, Ultima is a coming of age tale about a young boy named Antonio Marez growing up in the llano, or plains, of New Mexico in the 1940s. The novel begins with a curandera, or folk healer, coming to live with Antonio and his family. Religion is a major theme in this novel. In the beginning,
I find Anaya's use of colorful metaphors, forshadowing dreams, and bilingual text to be simply beautiful. I loved the author's use of poetic imagery as well. For example, on page 71 Ultima speaks of where Antonio's innocence is: "There in the land of the dancing plains and rolling hills, there in the land which is the eagle's by day and the owl's by night is innocence. There where the lonely wind of the llano sang to the lovers' feat of your birth, there in those hills is your innocence". I would recommend this novel to anyone and everyone.
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Antonio knows only of one god. His mother pressures him to become a catholic priest. But as time progresses, he learns of another god called the golden carp and the wonders of nature itself. He becomes preoccupied with unanswered questions of destiny, life and death, and good and evil. In this novel, Ultima represents the good side of magic where as Tenorio and his daughter, the Trementina sisters, represent the evil side. The sisters are said to be brujas, or witches. They perform dark magic and lay curses on Antonio's uncle and a family friend. After losing two daughters and an eye, Tenorio vows to kill Ultima. He does so by killing her owl which is the spirit that connects her to this world. On her death bed, Ultima gives Antonio one final blessing. I find Anaya's use of colorful metaphors, forshadowing dreams, and bilingual text to be simply beautiful. I loved the author's use of poetic imagery as well. For example, on page 71 Ultima speaks of where Antonio's innocence is: "There in the land of the dancing plains and rolling hills, there in the land which is the eagle's by day and the owl's by night is innocence. There where the lonely wind of the llano sang to the lovers' feat of your birth, there in those hills is your innocence". I would recommend this novel to anyone and everyone.
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Subjects
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Classics — 2005)
Richard Harris Award (2016)
ALA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (Fiction — 1999)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1972
Physical description
288 p.; 8.06 inches
ISBN
0143137220 / 9780143137221