The idea of history repeating itself was a thought that rang through my head as I read “Daughter of Fire” by Sofia Robleda. I am of Latinx descent and I am living in the US during a time that in some ways and in some parts mirrors how life was experienced during that time. Or I should rather say how some people experienced life at that time. Reading this beautifully written novel you are transported to the mid 1500’s Guatemala. As the story of Catalina Cerrato unfolds we are introduced to this slip of a girl, thrust into society, totally unprepared for it and the harsh realities of womanhood she now faces.
The themes of misogyny, religious overreaching, colonization, genocide, traditions, rituals and the desire to live as a feminist before feminism was even given birth to can all be found within the pages of the novel. Also within this story we are treated to the struggles of the lower class, the forbidden love between a same-sex couple and the betrayal between friends created from fear mongering that leads to murder. The story also captures a forbidden love affair, the kind that lasts a lifetime.
If coming of age, post colonization of the Mayan empire was the only challenge that this young noblewoman faced, the story would fade quickly; however it is not the case. The reader is given a glimpse of the aftermath of a world of the colonizer and those that suffered under their oppression. What sets this novel apart from others is that it is peppered with fact and fiction, woven together so masterfully that it could very well be taken solely as fact.
“There is so much that colors the pages of this work of historical fiction and so much detail is given that it seems as if we are standing alongside Catalina staring into a fountain searching for a flower to appear. ”
The reader learns of the mix of blood that flows through the veins of Catalina, half inherited from her mother, and the other half from her father. Two very different worlds, this clashing that gave birth to a young woman who would spend her life trying to live the path she was born to follow. Unfortunately, for her father, that is not the one that he wished she would take.
We see the lives of the Mexican Empire, Maya civilization, Spanish colonizers, the Catholic church and even the Indigenous peoples that inhabited the lands of both upper and lower classes as well as their struggles to coexist in the same world. There is so much that colors the pages of this work of historical fiction and so much detail is given that it seems as if we are standing alongside Catalina staring into a fountain searching for a flower to appear.
Finally, supporting our main character are such wonderfully described individuals, such as the cook with her impact on the life of Catalina; Cristobal, the cousin, whose dedication to Catalina is often misunderstood; her parents, one who is living as well as one that haunts her dreams, seeking a promise that needs to be fulfilled in order for a civilization’s history to not be lost. All of these characters add to the story and give life to the period making a portal for the reader to step through to another time and place.
I highly recommend this novel. You the reader will be pleasantly surprised at the attention to detail Robleda gives each character, as to that of the scenery that adds to the setting of each chapter. I also feel that you will be inspired by the author to learn more, or for the first time, the history of a civilization that would have been forgotten if not for the bravery of a few individuals that would not allow something like that to happen. Do yourself a favor and take the journey with Catalina.
Angela “Angie” Ybarra- Soria is a book reviewer, activist, mixed media artist, writer and entrepreneur. An obstacle that may have stood in her way happened in 2013, she suffered 4 brain bleeds and emergency brain surgery, Angela however likes to think of herself as a TBI THRIVER. Angie is a recent graduate of Northeastern Illinois University where she studied Latinx American Studies and Urban Development. Angela has been an advocate for stopping gentrification within brown and Black communities of Chicago. Angela enjoys spending her down time with her grandchildren and introducing them to the sights of the city where she was born and raised. Being of Mexican descent has prompted her to research much about the rich culture of her ancestral heritage. Angela plans to continue her education by pursuing her Masters Degree in Urban Studies to further allow her to better assist communities that have for generations been, or worse, still marginalized.
