The Road from La Cueva (Softcover)

By Sheila Ortego

Book Overview

Ana Howland is at a crisis point. As a constrained yet passionate woman, she finds few outlets for her desires in her role as mother and wife. She is subsumed by a controlling husband, but is craving her own fulfillment. Her frustrations find outlets through a friendship with an eccentric neighbor and an affair with a man who respects her and nurtures her spirit and independence. Through hardship and grim determination, she learns to look with her own eyes, to feel with her own heart. She discovers a deep well of resilience and compassion, with room for growth and freedom. Her story is one of a leap of faith, away from despair and toward life at its fullest. Despite all odds, she navigates herself, through small but profound changes, into new ways of living, of relating to her friends, her daughter, herself. "The Road from La Cueva" was a first place winner in the 2008 New Mexico Book Awards.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0865347115
• ISBN13: 9780865347113
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Sunstone Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Real Story of the Power from Within!

"The Road from La Cueva" not only brings alive the dynamic wilderness of New Mexico, but also the power of a young woman's drive to turn her life around. With many an obstacle to conquer, Dr. Ortego leads us through Ana's journey to untie the knots within--something all women can relate to. Her vivid pictures of day-to-day life tell the story of finding oneself somewhere you don't want to be and the way out, no matter how difficult the journey.

Wonderfully told story

The book is very well written. I enjoyed imagining the vivid scenery and the allegorical imagery that is presented in different sections throughout. Even though the subject matter is a very serious issue faced by millions of women every day, the author approaches it with triumph and encouragement to all.

Ana's journey to independence

I enjoyed every minute spent reading this story. Sheila Ortego has created an exceptional woman with whom the reader can take the journey to personal independence. Along the way, experience a bit of New Mexican geography, the richness of American Indian traditions, the magic of pottery making, and especially the confluence of the amazing characters. This is a wonderful book!

Courageous Survival

"Reviewed for Front Street Reviews" The Road from La Cueva by Sheila Ortego is such a wonderful read. It was short, far from sweet and to the point without all the added fluff and filler you will find in most books. This book could pertain to any number of women around the world in trouble. Ana Howland is an almost to perfect woman for a fiction novel. She's a wife, mother, friend, daughter and lover. Lacking self esteem, being depressed, feeling trapped and scared to death keeps her in a marriage of hardship. The story is a journey through a year of Ana's life and of the changes that come from a welcoming hand out of the blue. Each day, week, month offer up steps forward and steps backward while Ana tries so hard to find the tiniest morsel of courage to make the right decisions for her and her daughter. Ana is in an abusive controlling marriage with the constant threat of danger at every turn she makes. What she thought would be a life long loving relationship has been anything but. The only kindness her husband does show is to their young daughter and she wonders how much of that is true. A stranger comes along and offers her salvation but at what cost. A neighbor becomes friends with her on such a deep level that Ana's husband is jealous and forbids her to stay friends with this person. Both of these people help Ana see that life is not always what you're handed and you can change the outcome. All you need to do is ask for help but does she have the courage and will she escape unscathed. The author of this book deserves the best of reviews for this touching, heart melting story that could be of any one of our lives. The novel seems too real to be a work of fiction and I wonder how much is fact and how much is truly fiction. I would give this a 5 star rating because it captured me, educated me and let me see that there are true friends and love out there, you only have to reach for them.

Review from Alex Pattakos

Here's a review from Alex Pattakos, author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts: The Road from La Cueva"A powerful and passionate story about the defiance of the human spirit! The Road from La Cueva is an existential drama that needs to be read by anyone who has ever questioned the deeper meaning of their life's circumstances. In an engaging and empowering style, Dr. Sheila Ortego takes us on an adventurous road trip through the hills and valleys of the human experience. And she does it with characters with whom we can all resonate on some level! Here's an intimate, authentic account of the struggle within that all of us, as human beings, must face in our everyday lives."