The Family Izquierdo by Ruben Degollado
A masterful debut that weaves together the lives of three
generations of a Mexican American family bound by love, and a curse.
The tight-knit Izquierdo family is grappling with
misfortunes none of them can explain. Their beloved patriarch has suffered from
an emotional collapse and is dying; eldest son Gonzalo’s marriage is falling
apart; daughter Dina, beleaguered by the fear that her nightmares are real, is
a shut-in. When Gonzalo digs up a strange object in the backyard of the family
home, the Izquierdos take it as proof that a jealous neighbor has cursed
them—could this be the reason for all their troubles? As the Izquierdos face a
distressing present and an uncertain future, they are sustained by the blood
that binds them, a divine presence, and an abiding love for one another. Told
in a series of soulful voices brimming with warmth and humor, The Family
Izquierdo is a tender narrative of a family at a turning point.
