42   Mexico – Laura Esquivel – Pierced by the Sun– December 2016 (Score 5.07)

Lupita, a local policewoman, witnesses the murder of her local “Delegado”. The story revolves around Lupita’s life and her attempts to persuade her corrupt senior officers that she has something to contribute to the case, and ultimately to keep it going at all. In fact, there was an attempt to frame her for murder, and another on her life. Just a typical day in the life of a policewoman in Mexico.

The book describes vividly the effects of drugs and alcohol on Lupita, caused by the effect on her of accidentally killing her child, for which she served a sentence in jail (not part of the story).

The book finished with a moment of great hope for the future of Mexico. I enjoyed it, and gave it 7.5. On the other hand we must bear in mind the range of scores among our group. Four didn't like the book while three did. Hence the average score of 5.07, compared to mine of 7.5.

You may find interesting what the book tells us about the history and religion of Mexico, and of the Aztecs whose descendants are a large part of the current population as are a number of tribes also remaining from pre-conquest days.

We learn about their creation myth as well as a number of Aztec gods including Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent) and Tezcatlipoca (Smoking, or Obsidian, Mirror).