The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera
Gina Maria Balibrera's debut novel, THE VOLCANO DAUGHTERS, is the story of two sisters, Graciela and Consuelo, and their flight from El Salvador to escape the genocide of the El Gran Pendejo regime. Graciela is the golden child, summoned to the capital to serve as an oracle for a rising dictator, where she meets Consuelo, a sister she did not know existed. During a massacre of indigenous people, the sisters become separated, each believing the other to have died. They escape,separately, fleeing across the globe from Hollywood to Paris to San Francisco -- haunted by the ghosts of their murdered friends who are not yet done telling their stories.
THE VOLCANO DAUGHTERS is a story that spans continents and decades. The story is told from the perspective of the sister's dead friends, who died in the massacre and want to set the record straight. I found this dual narrative a little confusing at times and it created some distance between myself as a reader and the two protagonist sisters. I wanted to feel more connected to them and the injustice they continued to experience once they reached the U.S. Both sisters experience bigotry and sexism in their adopted country.
I was intrigued by the statement on the back cover -- Every myth, every story, has at least two versions ... depending upon who tells their story and who listens. This carried me through the novel. I wanted to hear the different perspectives, but ultimately, no one voice dominated and it was difficult to feel connected to the story emotionally. Overall, I would recommend this book for historical fiction fans who enjoy elements of magical realism.
