Cantora: A Novel

By Sylvia López-Medina

Book Overview

A lyrical evocation of four generations of Mexican women who defy tradition to discover themselves. Distanced from her heritage, Amparo is nevertheless spellbound by the histories of her grandmother,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345381661
• ISBN13: 9780345381668
• Release Date: November 1993
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.5" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

An incredible family history

Cantora is the best book that I read that was assigned by a schoolteacher. Even if I hadn't read for a grade at the time I first read it, my thoughts about it would have remained the same. It was very popular with my 11th grade English class(three years ago), and most of the students kept reading passed the days' assigned pages. Although I'm a person that's inclined to read sci-fi books, I found nothing in Cantora that I didn't like. Depicting a young woman's family history through several generations, this is a book that everyone can relate to, and even though it is a fictionalized history, it is believable that it could be mistaken for a real family history. Whether it's based on a real history or not, I do not know. Culture and struggle is everywhere in Cantora, and the characters are very well developed. In each generation, there is some sort of struggle against tradition, and it deals mainly with the women of the family. Cantora is a fast read because the the pages are not filled with many words that a person might look up. This is a real advantage that the book has for those people who aren't fond of reading. Many excellent are filled with hard language. But because Cantora has simple language, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, will get hooked by the second page. Even the people who are most notorius for hating to read will find nothing boring in this book. I guarantee that non-readers and readers who prefer different genres will find out that this is an excellent book. It is impossible to actually loathe this novel. Cantora really needs to be more widely reconized.

A must read!

I loved it! The women that Lopez-Medina portraits are strong and full of courage. First Rosario, then Pilar, then Amparo. Each story more moving than the one before. A unique way to look at heritage and culture. I own two copies of this book and read it over and over. I definitely recommend it. It makes you think about your own families. Although this is her first book, Sylvia Lopez-Medina writes a powerful and captivating. book.

Powerful...historic & a pleasure to read.

Ms. Lopez Medina perfectly blends traditional beliefs with contemporary contemplation. It was such a beautiful story I could not put the book down until I was done. THIS IS A MUST READ BOOK!!!

One of My Favorites

I could not put this book down. There is so much culture in this book. Who can't relate to Rosario's story? The love sick girl who will do anything for her love, inculd leave her family. The symbolism that Medina uses is beautiful, as is the lesson about life. The end definatly left me smiling, as it takes an unexpected, but joyous switch. I especially like how the book is written in two clear time periods, seperated by styles of type, which is a plus for any younger readers. I hope that it will leave you smiling too! :-)

Easy, breezy read

I enjoyed this book, particularly since I like books about family and ancestral ties, and the bonds between generations. This is a rapid read, and enjoyable.