La Maravilla

Partially autobiographical, La Maravilla tells the engrossing tale of a young boy growing up in a migrant workers' "town" outside Phoenix, AZ, in the 1950s and 60s.Speaking to some of the other reviewers' comments that the book is difficult to get into, I found that the "slow" beginning was actually the author building the base on which the wonders of the rest of the book so beautifully fit.Rarely have I felt such a sense of wonderment and connection while reading a work of fiction. Vea's depictions of some of his characters can (and should) be labeled magical realism, but those touches make the characters even more real and allow the reader a deeper understanding of the world Vea has constructed.Read this book. You won't regret it.

Vea's writing style is unique, unlike any other novelist who I have read. His style is layered and drops from one to another tale in a flash. His novel is intersperse with timely insights on today's society (esp with the nut case in the WH). Every page is packed. Vea is a masterful story teller.

I love this book. It resonated so strongly with me when I read it soon after it was published that I found myself searching for a copy 23 years later.

Author is known by another co-worker so I purchased all 4 of his books and have only read the first one. Kept my interest very well so I'm looking to the others.

The extensive descriptions of poverty and the ways to cope with it were most interesting.I liked less the parts using magical realism.

great

My candidate for great American novel. Vea is a brilliant novelist. Read anything he writes,

Love this book, such a great story

Amazing