Honduran Pride guys. That's right. This book was written by an exceptional writer from Honduras. He was a passionate writer who created his work without any ostentatious words or phrases, for he described everything from his simple and humble point of view. He is the author of many renowned novels, yet this is one of his most famous works.
In this novel he tells the story of Folofo Cueto, a mere boy in his early adolescence, who in spite of the country's political and economical difficulties, manages to make a living by polishing shoes. He lives with his mother and older sister, yet his mother dies of stomach cancer during the first part of the story. After much pain and struggle, his mother gives her last breath, but not before telling both her children to stick together as the siblings they are. Natalia Cueto's death marks the lives of these two children, and gives way to the second part of the story, which you'll have to read to find out what happens (I won't spoil it for you; the book's too damn good.)
Besides narrating the sad story of the two brothers, the writer ingeniously describes the circumstances the people from Honduras have to undergo during their everyday life. The flourishing contrast between the high and low class is evident during the story, and it is easy to spot the differences between both. Most of the story takes place in the Central Park of the city Tegucigalpa, which is also the country's capital. In there, Folofo polishes shoes along with his best friend Lalo, but also shares experiences with other friends such as Miguelito, who sells newspapers for a living.
The evident poorness of the country is shown in Folofo's life. He, although being only a child, has to drop school and look for a job to make a living. He doesn't know how to read or write, yet he has a natural audacity that helps him in the profession he chose; this audacity is what some people might call being "street smart". This book is specially precious for its informational content. The book is a perfect example of how Honduran life for the poor is like. I being a Honduran myself can vouch for the accurateness of the book's depiction of Honduran society. In the story the author mentions several places which actually exist, he also mentions the most read newspapers that were present during those times in the city, and he creates dialogues between the characters using the colloquial dialect of the country.
This book is a crude narration of a real-life type of situation. He vividly recreates the desperation and desolation of people who have no one in the world to care for them. Catica Cueto, who is Folofo's older sister, is also victim of sexual harassment, and has to deal with the cruel taint of her psychological innocence by having to defend herself from the insinuations and accost of a morbid man. When her mother dies, she has to become the head of the family, and she sometimes feels pure despair at the terrible realization of their detrimental situation.
This book is one of the best books I've ever read. It creates conscience in Hondurans and also provides some insight about the country to foreigners who are not familiarized with its situation. I am not sure if the book is available in other languages besides Spanish, but if anyone is interested I can look it up. This is a book worth reading, and for those who think their lives are difficult and miserable, just a look of this book will totally change your mind in a second. Believe me.