Amazon.com: ESPERANZA'S BOX OF SAINTS: Maria Amparo Escandon: Books
Esperanza's Box of Saints and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more

Kindle Edition
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
ESPERANZA'S BOX OF SAINTS
  
Start reading Esperanza's Box of Saints on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

ESPERANZA'S BOX OF SAINTS [Paperback]

Maria Amparo Escandon (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)


Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition --  
Library Binding $23.00  
Paperback, Bargain Price $4.80  
Paperback, 1990 --  
Unknown Binding --  

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Product Details

  • Paperback
  • Publisher: Scribners (1990)
  • ASIN: B001BZOPSQ
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,437,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

55 Reviews
5 star:
 (30)
4 star:
 (15)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (4)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (55 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Colorful, Magical Tale of Love with a Mexican Soul, October 21, 1999
By A Customer
We chose this book for our book group and everyone just loved it. From the very first chapter it grabbed our imaginations, but more importantly, Esperanza grabbed our hearts. She was such a charming character, full of innocence and yet wise beyond her years. The author painted such vivid pictures with words and you could almost feel the heat of the locations, hear the lilt of Spanish being spoken. I personally hated to finish the book because I had grown to love the unfolding of Esperanza's journey - both literally and figuratively. What delightful surprises and twists of fate! Maria Amparo Escandon is such an original and compassionate writer who captured the true spirit of her character, Esperanza. I found myself laughing, even while feeling sad. It was probably the most enjoyable book I've read in years. Our book group discussion was so animated and we had trouble ending the conversation about the story, the characters and how close we felt to Esperanza. We are praying (to Esperanza's saints) that Senora Escandon will treat us to another book very soon!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Put away the oven cleaner, there's magic in that grime., March 13, 2006
"Esperanza's Box of Saints" is a sweet, poignant story. The plot is fast-based as it follows Esperanza across Mexico and into the US as she searches for her daughter who she believes has been kidnapped and sold into prostitution.

The novel is billed as being in the magical realism vein, but those elements are very subtle. There are brief episodes of Esperanza's saints talking to her or otherwise giving her signs, and there is the sense that she is somehow protected, or charmed, as she is able to remain relatively unscathed while undergoing some potentially dangerous or degrading experiences. Otherwise, the story seems very grounded in an everyday world which is pious, sordid, beautiful, and freaky.

For me, the main thing that kept the book from achieving 5 stars is that the characters throughout are fairly superficial - which is something that is common to most "picaresque" novels. Even Esperanza, who undergoes some life-altering events, doesn't really experience any character development since she doesn't take time to reflect on what is happening to her even during her confessions to her priest. Actually, I felt that the priest was the most complex, and even compelling, character of the story and was a little disappointed that there weren't more interactions between him and Esperanza, or at least that there wasn't more depth to the interactions they did have.

One of the strengths of the novel are the descriptive narratives. Ms. Escandon really brings to life the world Esperanza inhabits, from the tropical sights and smells of Veracruz, to the barrenness of Tijuana, to the weirdness of LA. If you read this book you'll never be able to look at dirty ovens or rust stains, or smell tamarinds, in the same way again.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars What a trip! With San Judas Tadeo to assist..., November 11, 2001
Our funny little tale begins when a young recently widowed mother loses her 12 year old daughter during a routine operation. Esperanza lives with Soledad (both of whom have lost their husbands in the same bus accident) and Esperanza's daughter, Blanca - of course the most beautiful, sweet girl in the village. After Blanca dies, Esperanza swears to her local priest that San Judas Tadeo has appeared to her on her greasy oven window to let her know that Blanca is not really dead! Esperanza, much to the chagrin of both her priest and her friend Soledad, take off to `track' down Blanca - whom she believes has been kidnapped (by the doctors who can't be trusted) and forced to be a prostitute.  Her journey takes her north through Mexico, to Tijuana, and even up into Los Angeles where she finds something completely unexpected. The story is a very fun read and absolutely and completely unbelievable. Esperanza is helped by people who are not the helping kind, and she is cared for and also very lucky in her escapades. She meets the strangest characters including pimps, prostitutes, madams, and a very handsome professional wrestler.  Probably the funniest parts of the book are the missives that Esperanza sends back to Father Salvador (her local priest) who seems beside himself with her wanderings and in constant fear that something horrible will befall her. Again, this is not literature by any stretch - but if you enjoy the Latin spirits in your writing and you want a light-hearted book for a change - this one is a good one to choose.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews











Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence:
It's me again, Father Salvador, Esperanza Diaz, the mother of the dead girl. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
oven window, wrestling angel, wrestling magazine, feathered cape, prayer cards, confessional box
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
San Judas Tadeo, Doña Trini, Father Salvador, Pink Palace, Los Angeles, Fiesta Theater, Virgen de Guadalupe, Scarlet Room, San Martin de Porres, Don Arlindo, Mexico City, San Antonio, United States, San Diego, San Rafael Arcángel, Scott Haynes, Blanca Diaz, Juan Soldado, San Pafnucio, Santo Niño de Atocha, Thank God, Miss Norma, San Pascual Bailón, Viajes Paseo, Virgen de la Candelaria
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 

Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   





Look for Similar Items by Category