The Bullet Swallower

  Historical family saga set in Mexico, the story was separate into two timelines following two men from the Sonoro family.  The first timeline followed Antonio, a poor farmer in the late 19th century, who decides to rob a train in Texas. The robbery ends in tragedy rendering Antonio a fugitive on the run looking for vengeance. This part felt very much like a western adventure full of action and tension.  The second plot followed the grandson of Antonio, a 1960s movie/music star called Jaime whose life is changed by a book on the horrible deeds of his ancestors and encounters with a strange man. This part was more of a literary mystery with a dash of magical realism. 
I really loved the evocative writing that perfectly painted a picture of Mexico in two different areas. Both of the main characters were compelling in their own ways, Antonio felt more like an antihero than Jaime. The mix in genres was refreshing and kept me interested on the characters' arcs. However, Jaime's chapters were shorter than Antonio and I did wish we saw more of his life.  I felt the pacing felt a bit too long at the end for Antonio's storyline and the tension between Jaime and his father resolved a bit too quickly for me as well.  The author took inspiration from her personal history, discussing some important themes like colonialism and racism, the weight and burden of familial history, fate and predestination and generational evil, forgiveness and redemption, poverty and wealth and privilege. 
Overall a very good book, and I'll be sure to check out this author in the future !