Santa Olivia

This novel was a pleasure to read and one I hated to finish. I never wanted it to end. The writing is superb and well-paced. The characters are all colorful and authentic – the latter being a harder aspect to capture on page, but Carey manages successfully. There is a particular character in the book with the look and feel of a bully, but unexpectedly develops into one of Loup's biggest crusaders. Boxing is a significant aspect of the book from start to finish, pretty much the book's metaphor for the struggle between the townspeople and the superior outside forces. The lesbian sub-plot between Loup and Pilar brings up so many interesting points about love, fear, and its association with homophobia – it's possibly one of the main reasons why I love this novel.

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