The Family Izquierdo, Ruben Degollado
The Family Izquierdo, Ruben Degollado
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The Family Izquierdo
A Novel

Author: Ruben Degollado

Narrator: Rogelio T. Ramos, Thom Rivera, Kyla Garcia, Frankie Corzo, Roxanne Hernandez, Carolina Hoyos, various narrators

Unabridged: 8 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/06/2022

Synopsis

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.

About Ruben Degollado

Rubén Degollado is an educator from Texas and the author of the young adult novel Throw. His fiction has appeared in Beloit Fiction Journal, Gulf Coast, Hayden’s Ferry Review, and Image .

About Kyla Garcia

Kyla Garcia is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. Born and raised in Hoboken, New Jersey, she discovered acting at the age of eight when she played Lady Macbeth in a children’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy. She made her off-Broadway debut at fifteen when she played Dorothy in Oz: A Twisted Musical. Eleven years after she discovered her passion for acting, she would go on to play Lady Macbeth once again in London at the Globe Theatre, where she studied Shakespeare during her third year at Mason Gross School of the Arts. She received her BFA in acting from Rutgers University.

About Frankie Corzo

Frankie Corzo is a film and voice-over actress and audiobook narrator. She obtained a BA degree in theater studies from Montclair State University.

About Roxanne Hernandez

Roxanne Hernandez is an audio narrator and a top narrator choice for young adult, adult drama, and Latin American/Chicano literature. She was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2011.

About Carolina Hoyos

Carolina Hoyos is an Afro-Indigenous (Quechua-Kichwa) stage and film actor, director, voiceover artist, and musician. A fellow in La Skins Fest Native American TV Writers Lab, she earned a coveted spot on the LA County Artist Roster, is a West Hollywood Directing Artist Grantee, and is in development with It's Personal on her debut solo show. She performs regularly with the comedy troupes Dad Jeans and Nightpantz and the theater artist ensemble Native Voices at The Autry.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Ruben on January 30, 2023

I really tried my hardest.......more

Goodreads review by Emily on September 29, 2022

An endearing family saga filled with trials and tension, but also overflowing with faith and love. Each perspective is earnest, in depth, and contains inner struggles as well as triumphs, it is so easy to have an affection for each character, even while recognizing their flaws. The style is as belie......more

Goodreads review by Jill on July 31, 2022

Families, it is said, are like branches on a tree. They grow in different directions ,yet their roots remain as one. Meet the Izquierdo family. With my smattering of college Spanish, I know that izquierdo means from the left or left-handed. Who knew that it also meant “you have always been cursed”? C......more

Goodreads review by Ann on February 05, 2023

This wonderful novel tells the story of three generations of a Mexican American family, and beautifully describes their lives and culture – which I believe Ruben Delgollado captured absolutely perfectly. We see the lives of the first generation, who were immigrants, their children and their grandchi......more

Goodreads review by AndiReads on July 29, 2022

What a great concept and execution! Meet the family Izquierdo (left handed/cursed). There's patriarch Tavo and his wife, daughter Dina, son Gonzalo and all are falling apart! Told via vignettes, we learn that there may very well be someone casting spells against them, that the Izquierdos are truly c......more

Quotes

“A luminous ensemble brings this delectable audiobook to life…The narrators are consummate professionals, creating a rich and rewarding listening experience. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.” AudioFile

“This family saga is at its core an exploration of love, forgiveness, loss, and faith.” Today Show

“There are trials, yes, but also plenty of love and miracles in this beautiful chronicle of family.” Austin American-Statesman

“A full cast of narrators…speak English and Spanish as fluently as the family members themselves. Passages of untranslated Spanish are peppered throughout, but the narrators are so expressive that listeners will be able to sense the author’s intent, even without a translation…A glorious and sprawling tale.” Library Journal (audio review)

“Each story is powerful and indelible…Reading this beautiful debut felt like coming home.” Good Morning America

“A novel of Tejano plenty blooming among the literary plains of desolation…expanding with a musicality that only strengthens as it grows.” New York Times Book Review

“Shines in its depiction of South Texas and how the region has shaped Latinos over time.” Texas Monthly

“Filled with the rich complexities of Latinx culture…[and] captures the way people in all families have different versions of the same tale.” High Country News

“[A] gloriously rich epic.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Portrays the family’s mix of faith, superstition, and intergenerational volatility…This is a gem.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Awards

  • AudioFile Earphones Award
  • New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice
  • Amazon Editors' Pick
  • PEN/Faulkner Award
  • Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books
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