The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

The Bullet Swallower is a beautifully compelling saga of identity, love, and the tangled interplay of fate and choice. Gonzalez James weaves the tales of Antonio Sonoro and his descendants across time, briefly spanning from the establishing generations, up through to Antonio, and later on to his grandson Jaime. It's an amazing genre mash-up with elements of magical realism, reflective of a Mexican, Western-style Homeric epic.

In 1895, after embarking on a treacherous journey to rob a gold-laden train, Antonio seeks revenge after the death of his brother at the hands of the Texas Rangers. Little does he know that the fate of his soul has been in the balance since his birth, when a mysterious figure decides to wait and see if Antonio can fulfill his obligations, and that his very actions may determine whether his descendants will continue to pay for the crimes of the Sonoro men.

In 1964, his grandson Jaime, a famous actor and singer, stumbles upon a book revealing a dark family history. When the same mysterious figure appears in Jaime's timeline, it's no longer clear whose soul will be made to pay.

Gonzalez James delves into intergenerational trauma, examining it both through the focused lens of the Sonoro men and the broader context of colonialism, border politics, and resultant racism. She deftly explores whether it's possible to escape the legacy of our predecessors' sins.

What begins as a straightforward tale of revenge, quickly unfolds to be a sprawling story about perception, reinvention, and the enduring quest for redemption. Antonio Sonoro, who becomes known by his nickname, El Tragabalas ("The Bullet Swallower"), is a powerhouse of a main character. His journey is double sided, one of crossing deserts and taking names that builds in momentum to clash with the other of self-discovery and transformation. The Bullet Swallower is a tangible adventure through challenging landscapes and the inner turmoil of confronting your true self.

Also, as this story is loosely based on the author's own great-grandfather, be sure to check out the Author's Note at the end.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.