• Author
  • Book
  • Story behind the book
  • Media Links
  • Reviews
Kim Baccellia

Kim Baccellia

About

I'm the YA author of EARRINGS OF IXTUMEA, CROSSED OUT, and NO MORE GODDESSES.   I'm a reviewer for YA Books Central.

A Shadow in Yucatan

A Shadow in Yucatan

0.0
0 ratings

Description

<p>A mythical jewel of a story… A true story told on a beach in Yucatan, A Shadow tells Stephanie's story but it was also the story of the golden time. Its nostalgia sings like cicadas in the heat.</p><p>An American ‘Under Milkwood’, this distilled novel of the Sixties evokes the sounds, music and optimism on the free-wheelin streets and parks of Coconut Grove. You can hear Bob Dylan still strumming acoustic; smoke a joint with Fred Neil; and Everybody’s Talkin is carried on the wind.</p><p>Stephanie, a young hairdresser living in lodgings finds herself pregnant. Refused help from her hard Catholic mother in New York, unable to abort her baby, she accepts the kindness of Miriam, her Jewish landlady, whose own barren life spills into compassionate assistance for the daughter she never had.</p><p>The poignancy of its ending, its generosity and acceptance, echoes the bitter disappointment of those of us who hoped for so much more, but who remember its joy, and its promise, as though untarnished by time.</p>

Story Behind The Book

Media Links

Reviews

<p align="left"><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">&quot;Dream balances nightmare as Lupe makes a spiritual journey, comes face to face with living gods, and learns the truth about her parents, her own origins, and her destiny. Author Kim Baccellia uses Lupe's spiritual journey to frame some profound thoughts about our view of physical perfection (and how a Latina copes in a blonde world) and how traditional beliefs integrate with those of a faith like Catholicism. (When you're being threatened by Tezcatlipoca, do you pray to the Virgin of Guadalupe or to Ixchel?) Though herself a Mormon, Baccellia seems to have a good grasp of Latin Catholic sensibilities. In a genre market (fantasy) that is dominated by Celtic mythology and heroes drawn from a northern/western European aesthetic, a book featuring a young Latina heroine and a culture drawn from Native Central American and Hispanic influences is a welcome change.&quot; -<strong> Midwest Book Review</strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">&quot;I highly recommend this book for Latinos and gringos alike... it is an enjoyable read and would be a good addition to anyone's library. Its energy is similar to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. However, it is not a re-write of it by any means. It is a substantial work on its own. This book (also available as an e-book) is an excellent find and I for one would love to see a sequel from this promising author.&quot; - <strong>Thunder Child Review</strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">&quot;The use of Latino folk tales and culture was refreshing and gave a new twist to a familiar tale. The most well-developed character was Lupe's mother, whose inner struggle between serving the man she loves and saving her daughter was intriguing...&quot; - <strong>Writer's Post Journal</strong></font></p> <p align="left"><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">&quot;This is a fast-paced, easy read that will not only carry you to a fantasy land, but give you some insight into one of the fastest rising immigrant cultures in the United States. Classic themes are recombined and made new in this miniature saga.&quot; <strong>Huntress Reviews</strong>, three star review ***</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">&quot;I just wanted to tell you that I recently purchased your book on Virtual Tales and I am very impressed. I am also Latina and a former ESL teacher (currently a fourth grade teacher) in Huntington Beach, CA. I love your details and it is great to find literature that my students can relate to.&quot; - <strong>Temple Salas-Yoshii</strong></font></p>