Kali Fajardo-Anstine: Woman of Light, One World/Penguin Random House Usa, 9780525511328, hardback

Kali Fajardo-Anstine's short stories "Sabrina & Corina" made it to the finals  of the National Book Award and where a true discovery  for me. I knew she would be someone to watch, her writing  is exceptional. 

But i really fell in love with her latest book, "Women of Light".  The novel just tugged at my heart with all the betrayal, heartbreak and injustice that befell  Luz Lopez, the main character, and generations of her mixed Native American and Latino family. The story switches between the voices of her anchestors beginning in 1868, following her Native American grandfather Pidre and her grandmother Simodecca and finishes in 1934 Denver, Colorado. 

All the characters are strong and stuck in my head whenever I stoped reading but Luz, who has the gift of seeing like her aunt Marie Josefina and her grandmother Simodecca,  shines particularly as does her brother Diego and her aunt Marie Josefina. The novel reminded me of Julia Alvarez's or Louise Erdrich's storytelling but Fajardo-Anstine has her very own distinct voice.  "Women of Light" is one of my favourite books of the year so far and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next...