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The Weight of All Things
The last time Nicols saw his mother, she was mortally wounded by gunfire that erupted in a crowded plaza. Watching while her body is dragged away with other victims, Nicols believes that his mother is still alive and vows to find her again. Thus begins the young boys harrowing journey through his war-ravaged country.
241 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
32 people are currently reading
1069 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Benítez
19 books41 followersSandra Benitez was born in Sandy Ables, Washington D.C. and spent ten years of her childhood in El Salvador while her father was based there as a diplomat. She attended high school in Missouri from aged 14 and subsequently graduated with a B.S. (1962) and M.A. (1974) from Northeast Missouri State University.
In 1997 she was selected as the University of Minnesota Edelstein-Keller Distinguished Writer in Residence. In 1998 she did the Writers Community Residency for the YMCA National Writer’s Voice program. In the spring of 2001 she held the Knapp Chair in Humanities as Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of San Diego.
(from Wikipedia)
In 1997 she was selected as the University of Minnesota Edelstein-Keller Distinguished Writer in Residence. In 1998 she did the Writers Community Residency for the YMCA National Writer’s Voice program. In the spring of 2001 she held the Knapp Chair in Humanities as Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of San Diego.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
January 15, 2009
WOW! I only found and read this book because of a specific challenge for this years winter challenge and I am so thrilled I found it. Sandra Benitez HAS to be one of the most talented authors I've ever come across. I felt like I was walking with Nicolas through El Salvador for the entire book. How the author was able to write so thoroughly from the mind and mouth of a nine year old boy I'll never know but from what I can assume she did a fantastic job.
My first love is non-fiction and I don't read fiction much at all. When I do I'm extremely picky. This is most definitely in the top 10 all-time favorite fiction books for me. The details are amazing.
Benitez's story follows Nicolas, who is a nine year old boy who loses his mother in the beginning of the story. Nicolas has a hard time admitting to himself that his mother is deceased as she was carried off by emergency workers and they were seperated right away. His country is at war, from every side, and this takes an extremely rough toll on his actions and thoughts. Nicolas lives with his Tata (grandfather) in a shalck in the hills. The guerilliros come to take the shack over, Nicolas and his Tata are forced to make decisions that most of us will never even dream of having to make. Along his journey Nicolas has visions of the Virgin Mother who helps guide him along his way.
*Note** Please- anyone who is skeptical about reading anything religious- do NOT let that have anything to do with your decision to read this book. I am not religious and don't like reading anything at all that has to do with religon. The extent of the religious words in this book are the appereances of the Virgin Mother to Nicolas, Nicolas and his family putting great importance on the Virgin Mother's statue, and a few quick prayers put forth in peril times.**
How Benitez was able to make me feel like I was standing next to Nicolas still boggles my mind. I could smell the tortilla and beans, I could see the Rumpal with the current running downstream, I could almost hear the gunfire coming from both sides as these people tried to make it out with their lives.
Just read the book.
My first love is non-fiction and I don't read fiction much at all. When I do I'm extremely picky. This is most definitely in the top 10 all-time favorite fiction books for me. The details are amazing.
Benitez's story follows Nicolas, who is a nine year old boy who loses his mother in the beginning of the story. Nicolas has a hard time admitting to himself that his mother is deceased as she was carried off by emergency workers and they were seperated right away. His country is at war, from every side, and this takes an extremely rough toll on his actions and thoughts. Nicolas lives with his Tata (grandfather) in a shalck in the hills. The guerilliros come to take the shack over, Nicolas and his Tata are forced to make decisions that most of us will never even dream of having to make. Along his journey Nicolas has visions of the Virgin Mother who helps guide him along his way.
*Note** Please- anyone who is skeptical about reading anything religious- do NOT let that have anything to do with your decision to read this book. I am not religious and don't like reading anything at all that has to do with religon. The extent of the religious words in this book are the appereances of the Virgin Mother to Nicolas, Nicolas and his family putting great importance on the Virgin Mother's statue, and a few quick prayers put forth in peril times.**
How Benitez was able to make me feel like I was standing next to Nicolas still boggles my mind. I could smell the tortilla and beans, I could see the Rumpal with the current running downstream, I could almost hear the gunfire coming from both sides as these people tried to make it out with their lives.
Just read the book.
October 18, 2009
This was our school's common book for the English department this semester. The author lives in Eden Prairie, MN and came to speak to our students. She has family that lived in El Salvador during the civil war. I learned a lot about the civil war that took place in that country during the 1980's. The story is about a boy who loses his mother during the war and is caught in the middle of the struggle between the two sides. The boy grows up to become a doctor, which was the dream the author had while she was growing up. The story makes you feel as if you had been there. Anyone who has been through a civil war could relate to this book.
August 19, 2020
The Weight of All Things was a really interesting reading experience. For about the first half of the book, I was not especially taken with it. The excessive description (no noun is safe from being joined by at least one or two adjectives) felt like a kind of failed creative writing project, and the narrative was not flowing or drawing me in. But then somewhere around page 100, it become un-put-down-able and I wanted to race to the end. So either it took some time for Sandra Benítez to find her stride, or it took me some time to get into the flow and really invest in the characters. Either way, it’s a tremendous novel.
I confess that before I began reading The Weight of All Things, I knew little about the civil war in El Salvador, other than vague memories of news reports from my childhood, and U2’s song “Bullet the Blue Sky.” This novel, and a bit of extra reading I did online, have supplemented that sketchy knowledge I started with. The real-life story is, of course, very sad, and the book conveys that. But Benítez skillfully and beautifully weaves a fictional story into the real events to validate Rilke’s epigraph: “Life is heavier than the weight of all things.” That is, no weight of sorrow can entirely overwhelm life and continued hope.
The journey of protagonist Nicolás through the story is full of ups and downs, and there were many moments where I feared that terrible things were about to happen. But he is guided by la Virgen in miraculous ways. What I appreciate in Benítez’s storytelling is the way she makes religious faith a real option for life. In moments when Nicolás might have chosen to doubt or question, he simply holds onto faith, believing in what he has seen. The spiritual journey of his grandfather is shown with great subtlety, letting us fill in the spaces of whether he has come to share Nicolás’s confidence in la Virgen, or whether he is just allowing Nicolás to take the lead and enter manhood. (A couple of chapters from the grandfather’s point of view were a surprising and interesting shift in perspective.)
The story is rich with symbolism, and what I’m especially pondering is the idea of borders and boundaries. Life and faith for the Salvadoran villagers are not separate from the ground where they live, and moving from one place to another risks significant consequences. The climax of the story, along the banks of the Sumpul River that divides El Salvador and Honduras, highlights the border that Nicolás is learning to cross during his journey—the difficult move from boyhood to manhood. He needs to become more than just another person’s “pack mule,” and he demonstrates this growing wisdom in his final choice:
The Weight of All Things is a beautiful story. Benítez finds a way to show what the war meant to Salvadorans, but without being overwhelmed by the grittiest details. And at the end of it all, there is hope.
I confess that before I began reading The Weight of All Things, I knew little about the civil war in El Salvador, other than vague memories of news reports from my childhood, and U2’s song “Bullet the Blue Sky.” This novel, and a bit of extra reading I did online, have supplemented that sketchy knowledge I started with. The real-life story is, of course, very sad, and the book conveys that. But Benítez skillfully and beautifully weaves a fictional story into the real events to validate Rilke’s epigraph: “Life is heavier than the weight of all things.” That is, no weight of sorrow can entirely overwhelm life and continued hope.
The journey of protagonist Nicolás through the story is full of ups and downs, and there were many moments where I feared that terrible things were about to happen. But he is guided by la Virgen in miraculous ways. What I appreciate in Benítez’s storytelling is the way she makes religious faith a real option for life. In moments when Nicolás might have chosen to doubt or question, he simply holds onto faith, believing in what he has seen. The spiritual journey of his grandfather is shown with great subtlety, letting us fill in the spaces of whether he has come to share Nicolás’s confidence in la Virgen, or whether he is just allowing Nicolás to take the lead and enter manhood. (A couple of chapters from the grandfather’s point of view were a surprising and interesting shift in perspective.)
The story is rich with symbolism, and what I’m especially pondering is the idea of borders and boundaries. Life and faith for the Salvadoran villagers are not separate from the ground where they live, and moving from one place to another risks significant consequences. The climax of the story, along the banks of the Sumpul River that divides El Salvador and Honduras, highlights the border that Nicolás is learning to cross during his journey—the difficult move from boyhood to manhood. He needs to become more than just another person’s “pack mule,” and he demonstrates this growing wisdom in his final choice:
Nicolás pulled the weapon from Basilio’s hands. “I know what to do.” (234)What he does then is something fantastic that surprised me in the best way.
The Weight of All Things is a beautiful story. Benítez finds a way to show what the war meant to Salvadorans, but without being overwhelmed by the grittiest details. And at the end of it all, there is hope.
March 7, 2021
3.5* rounded up to 4.
Finally, I managed to find this book in the library and read a story set in El Salvador. Sandra Benitez wrote about a young boy from the countryside who is trying to understand what kind of war is plaguing his country. Left against right. It happens all over South America and the world. But I didn't know that El Salvador's civil war lasted from 1979 until 1992. Benitez' story takes place in 1980 and I think she did the right thing, writing from the perspective of a child.
Finally, I managed to find this book in the library and read a story set in El Salvador. Sandra Benitez wrote about a young boy from the countryside who is trying to understand what kind of war is plaguing his country. Left against right. It happens all over South America and the world. But I didn't know that El Salvador's civil war lasted from 1979 until 1992. Benitez' story takes place in 1980 and I think she did the right thing, writing from the perspective of a child.
"Caught between their guns were the people, the ordinary people for whose supposed benefit the war was being waged. On one side was the right, claiming it fought against the tyranny of communism. On the other side, the left, struggling, it said, against the injustice of oligarchs and militarists. But while the two sides fought for their principles, most of the dying was done by the people."At first, I was captivated by the story, but I think the second half of the book was a little bit sloppy. Too many coincidental things started to happen and even though I could tolerate the whole "la Virgen causing a miracle" at the first half of the book, it got a bit unrealistic in the second half. But overall, I think this novel gives the reader a solid glimpse into the Salvadorean civil war. Events mentioned: Killing of 35 mourners during the funeral of bishop Romero, who was assassinated (March 30, 1980). Massacre along the Sumpul River by Salvadorean and Honduran army (May 14, 1980).
October 8, 2016
War story through the eyes of the innocent civilians. This story takes place in the Spring 1980 in El Salvador.
Nine year old Nicholas who lives with his grandfather, Tata, in the mountains of eastern El Salvador is in the capital city of San Salvador visiting his mother. He witnesses a massacre at the funeral of the archbishop and is separated from his mother (he thinks), but in reality she was shot and killed. He travels back to his home village which had been destroyed by the Army in the one day he is gone. At the rancho with his Tata, the guerrillas take over their home for 3 weeks. Because the Army is approaching, the guerrillas hurriedly leave for the safety of the higher mountains. Nicholas is captured by the Army and taken to their garrison where he works for them but desperately is planning his excape. Returning to his home village and to Tata, they decide to evacuate across the Sumpul River to Honduras along with many other villagers. With the Army behind them and the Honduran Army blocking their entrance into Honduras, these innocents are massacred by both sides. Miraculously, Nicholas, Tata, and a friend escape the carnage. These episodes is a lot for a young 9 year old boy.
The massacre at the funeral of the archbishop and the massacre at the border of Honduras and El Salvador are real events.
After reading this story, I wonder about the innocent children and families in Syria who are caught in the war between rebels and the Army. Like Nicholas and Tata, what must they do to survive.
Easy and fast paced story. I found one error in the book. The author stated "It had been July, well into winter." El Salvador is in Central America which is north of the equator so July is summer, not winter.
"Life is heavier than the weight of all things." ---Rilke
Nine year old Nicholas who lives with his grandfather, Tata, in the mountains of eastern El Salvador is in the capital city of San Salvador visiting his mother. He witnesses a massacre at the funeral of the archbishop and is separated from his mother (he thinks), but in reality she was shot and killed. He travels back to his home village which had been destroyed by the Army in the one day he is gone. At the rancho with his Tata, the guerrillas take over their home for 3 weeks. Because the Army is approaching, the guerrillas hurriedly leave for the safety of the higher mountains. Nicholas is captured by the Army and taken to their garrison where he works for them but desperately is planning his excape. Returning to his home village and to Tata, they decide to evacuate across the Sumpul River to Honduras along with many other villagers. With the Army behind them and the Honduran Army blocking their entrance into Honduras, these innocents are massacred by both sides. Miraculously, Nicholas, Tata, and a friend escape the carnage. These episodes is a lot for a young 9 year old boy.
The massacre at the funeral of the archbishop and the massacre at the border of Honduras and El Salvador are real events.
After reading this story, I wonder about the innocent children and families in Syria who are caught in the war between rebels and the Army. Like Nicholas and Tata, what must they do to survive.
Easy and fast paced story. I found one error in the book. The author stated "It had been July, well into winter." El Salvador is in Central America which is north of the equator so July is summer, not winter.
"Life is heavier than the weight of all things." ---Rilke
January 7, 2018
The novel The Weight of All Things is one of the most inspiring and heartfelt novels that I have ever had the chance of reading. The author, Sandra Benitez, manages to capture the life of a young boy, Nicolás de la Virgen Veras, who lives in El Salvador during the Civil war of the 1980s. Although the characters may not be real people, this book is in fact based on two true events- the massacre of people gathered for the funeral of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, and the massacre of six hundred campesinos fleeing rural repression at the Sumpul River. The nine year old boy Nicolás leads readers through his journey between these two events, and it is clear that the real antagonist in the novel is not one of the sides fighting the civil war-such as the guerrilla(rebels), or Salvadorian military forces- but the war itself. As Nicolás fights to stay safe, the novel explores many themes of bravery, innocence, hardship, and poverty while also touching on the importance of the spiritual guidance that Nicolás is given from the Virgin Mary, as a reward for his utter faith in his religion. Seeing the War through someone who does not have a “side” and is a child is what makes this novel so unique. I think it is very important to read historical fiction novels, such as this one, that give the reader insight on what it is like for a child to experience so much trauma at such a young age. This novel could really appeal to anyone who like to learn about other cultures and enjoys historical fiction, but I think everyone should take the chance to read it as it is such an eye opener. As I have visited El Salvador before, I really connected with the culture of the characters in the book, but not everyone has to be familiar with El Salvador to read this novel. Anyone could fall in love with this book, and it is most definitely a five star novel.
November 26, 2014
Sandra Benitez uses Nicolas, a nine-year-old boy, to display the complexities of the El Salvadoran struggles of 1980. Nicholas’ experiences take him from urban, to rural, to the camp of guerillas to the military barracks and lastly to the shores of the Sumpul river where refugees were slaughtered in all directions by their own country’s military and the Honduran government not wishing them to cross.
To appreciate this book, one must accept that Nicholas is guided by visions of his patron saint and is wise, strong, and courageous beyond his years. Time and time again he escapes sure death, sometimes saving others with him. But, by using a child, all the different factions of the war can be examined because only a child could possibly have survived. No adult could have survived living in both camps. They would have been accused of conspiring or informing, nearly anything to have been killed. Nicholas follows his patron saint’s advice to be a lamb, though he is unsure of what that means, he speaks mostly when spoken to and does what he is asked to do. But he is also a lion which gives him courage.
What I loved about this book, though, was how well the story was told and how it absorbed me. The text is led by action, but infused with details that make the story palpable. Through Nicholas’ knowledge of and love for his home in the hills the tragedy of war is all the more crushing. But, the bleakness of the situation was always lightened by Nicholas indomitable spirit and attitude.
To appreciate this book, one must accept that Nicholas is guided by visions of his patron saint and is wise, strong, and courageous beyond his years. Time and time again he escapes sure death, sometimes saving others with him. But, by using a child, all the different factions of the war can be examined because only a child could possibly have survived. No adult could have survived living in both camps. They would have been accused of conspiring or informing, nearly anything to have been killed. Nicholas follows his patron saint’s advice to be a lamb, though he is unsure of what that means, he speaks mostly when spoken to and does what he is asked to do. But he is also a lion which gives him courage.
What I loved about this book, though, was how well the story was told and how it absorbed me. The text is led by action, but infused with details that make the story palpable. Through Nicholas’ knowledge of and love for his home in the hills the tragedy of war is all the more crushing. But, the bleakness of the situation was always lightened by Nicholas indomitable spirit and attitude.
January 10, 2014
This is a totally engrossing story of the 1980s war of rebellion in El Salvador from the point of view of the people who were victimized by it. Nine-year-old Nicolas, having lost his mother in a riot in San Salvador and having made his way back to his home in a mountain village, is caught between the guerrillas and the army. With courage, ingenuity, the love of his grandfather, and faith that the "Virgencita" is looking after him, he fights for survival. I was pleased to recognize a few characters from Benitez' earlier book, Bitter Grounds, although this book definitely stands on its own.
April 1, 2017
This war was something I grew up with since it was constantly referenced in my household. It was made clear that it was a horrific time in everyone's life, and most people my parents' age grew up with some kind of traumatic experience. It was all I needed to know. I didn't need specifics to know the pain and suffering they went through.
What I liked about this book was that it tried really hard to not take sides. I think she failed as it was clear who the monsters in the story were, but I appreciate the effort. both sides had monsters and both sides had good people. What I didn't like about it was the ending; it felt rushed, and after finishing it, I feel lost. 3.5/5
What I liked about this book was that it tried really hard to not take sides. I think she failed as it was clear who the monsters in the story were, but I appreciate the effort. both sides had monsters and both sides had good people. What I didn't like about it was the ending; it felt rushed, and after finishing it, I feel lost. 3.5/5
September 25, 2022
This book and its author are SO underrated. Some of the best prose I’ve read in a while, and yet, Benítez makes it realistic coming from a 9 year old boy. Amazing intro to Salvadoran history, while being deeply personal.
Nicolás loses his mother in the massacre at Monseñor Romero’s funeral (true event) and spends much of the book processing her death. Until the climax at the Sumpul River Massacre (another true event), Nicolás and his grandfather are used as pawns of both the guerrilleros and the armed forces. It’s both a tragic and uplifting coming of age novel filled with faith and love for one’s family, against the backdrop of the horror of civil war.
Nicolás loses his mother in the massacre at Monseñor Romero’s funeral (true event) and spends much of the book processing her death. Until the climax at the Sumpul River Massacre (another true event), Nicolás and his grandfather are used as pawns of both the guerrilleros and the armed forces. It’s both a tragic and uplifting coming of age novel filled with faith and love for one’s family, against the backdrop of the horror of civil war.
July 20, 2019
Based on events that happened in the civil war in El Salvador, the story is heartbreaking. It is told through the eyes of eight year old Nicolas, who maintains a certain innocent view of the world even as he learns to be pragmatic and prepared in the face of war. He walks right into the conflict on the first few pages of the book, and when he makes his way back to his home village alone, the war finds him. Powerful, and perhaps inspired by a particular person's true story.
October 31, 2008
First the good: I fell in love with the lead character in this book, Nicolas, almost immediately. He's a clever and courageous nine-year-old boy who overcomes tremendous odds with a combination of common-sense, quick thinking and a tremendous will to live. The story flows really well, and is a really fast read (mostly because you can't wait to find out what happens next). I really liked it. It gives an interesting window into an important historical moment in El Salvador.
And, the less than great: I don't really love the author's writing style. Too many details. I found myself skimming through entire paragraphs, and not really missing anything important when I did. Also, the novel puts a lot of importance on the Holy Virgin, which, I'm down with I guess. I was raised Catholic and am relatively versed in the uniquely latino style of magical realism that produces a lot of fantastic scendarios where La Virgen Milagrosa saves the day. That said, this element of the story is pretty boring to me, and is unfortunately pretty prominent. If you like those kinds of stories though, you should like this.
Nonetheless, I really liked this book, and would definiltey recommend it. I may read something else of hers, if I can assure that La Virgen doesn't have such a central role.
And, the less than great: I don't really love the author's writing style. Too many details. I found myself skimming through entire paragraphs, and not really missing anything important when I did. Also, the novel puts a lot of importance on the Holy Virgin, which, I'm down with I guess. I was raised Catholic and am relatively versed in the uniquely latino style of magical realism that produces a lot of fantastic scendarios where La Virgen Milagrosa saves the day. That said, this element of the story is pretty boring to me, and is unfortunately pretty prominent. If you like those kinds of stories though, you should like this.
Nonetheless, I really liked this book, and would definiltey recommend it. I may read something else of hers, if I can assure that La Virgen doesn't have such a central role.
February 25, 2017
With simple, clear prose, Benitez draws you into the small world of Nicolas, a young child in El Salvadore who tragically finds himself part of a much bigger, war-torn existence. Beginning with the assassination and funeral of Archbishop Romeo, Nicolas is forced to negotiate a world whose center suddenly, and explosively, drops away.
The backdrop of this story is the very real history of the civil war in El Salvador that found the peasants and average people trapped between the rebels fighting an authoritarian regime, and the military aligned with the dictator and wealthy farmers. How do people survive in such a world? How does a young boy understand how to find his family under such conditions? How does anyone cope?
The characters feel real, the writing is simple and compelling, matching well the tone of the story being told. As painful as the subject and story is, I loved reading it. Nicholas is in my heart now, all the little boys and girls, their parents, siblings, grandparents, their Tias who make tortillas to calm the soul, I love them all. This book will stay with you long after you read the last page.
The backdrop of this story is the very real history of the civil war in El Salvador that found the peasants and average people trapped between the rebels fighting an authoritarian regime, and the military aligned with the dictator and wealthy farmers. How do people survive in such a world? How does a young boy understand how to find his family under such conditions? How does anyone cope?
The characters feel real, the writing is simple and compelling, matching well the tone of the story being told. As painful as the subject and story is, I loved reading it. Nicholas is in my heart now, all the little boys and girls, their parents, siblings, grandparents, their Tias who make tortillas to calm the soul, I love them all. This book will stay with you long after you read the last page.
October 19, 2009
Had this book on my shelves for a number of years. Glad I finally got around to reading it. A wonderfully easy read. Clearly a sad tale, but full of hope, unlike many non-fiction books on this subject. It's interesting to read about the civil war in El Salvador more than twenty years later, knowing it's outcome. Unfortunately, also how wars like those in Central America in the 80s and early 90s have continued in various parts of the world. It almost seems worse however when nations brutally torture and kill their own people. Sandra Benitez is a very talented writer - I'm looking forward to reading something else by her.
August 5, 2009
The last time Nicolas saw his mother, she was slumped over him, mortally wounded by gunfire that erupted in a crowded plaza during a funeral for a martyred archbishop. Watching while her body is dragged away with other victims, Nicolas believes that his mother is still alive. He vows to find her again, no matter what. Thus begins the young boy's harrowing journey through war-ravaged El Salvador.
July 25, 2011
The books I give the highest ratings all have one thing in common. They stay on my mind for quite awhile after I have finished them. This was such a book. The Weight of All Things was a totally satisfying read, on so many levels. The writing is beautiful, the story keeps you turning the pages (very quickly), and you go through nearly every emotion as you follow Nico on his journey through war torn El Salvador. I highly reccommend this book.
April 25, 2014
I enjoyed this book. I have read about massacres in other countries, but this tale set in 1980s El Salvador was the first I've read about this country. Sadness and hope are woven throughout this book. I appreciated the way the story was told -- without apologies and with stark honesty. I kept forgetting that Nicolas was only nine years old. He's an unforgettable character.
May 5, 2013
A young boy and his life in El Savador. It's amazing to me how well he adapted from his life with his grandfather, then one militant group that took over his home and then being captured by yet another militant group and finally going home to his grandfather.
"Life is heavier than the weight of all things." by Rilke
"Life is heavier than the weight of all things." by Rilke
November 30, 2014
Another great read from this author, set in a country I am very fond of.
March 18, 2015
The author takes you to the war in El Salvador in the 1980s, through the eyes of 9 year old Nicolas.
An amazingly descriptive story that won't let you put the book down!
An amazingly descriptive story that won't let you put the book down!
April 12, 2018
The Weight of All Things, by Sandra Benitez, tells the story of a young boy, Nicolás, searching for his mother. The book begins with Nicolás and his mother at the funeral of the assassinated Archbishop Oscar Romero. Gunfire erupts, and his mother protects him with her body, causing her to be shot and killed. She is dragged away from his, and Nicholás refuses to believe that she is dead. So begins a quest to find her. He starts by looking in the catedral, but has no luck. Then he goes to his grandfather’s ranchero to find the address of her employer. At the ranchero a group of FLP, the people’s army, soldiers take it over as a camp. When they move out Nicolás is captured by a government soldier and put to work at one of their bases. While working at the base he finally accepts the fact that his mother has died, with the help of la Virgen. He escapes and goes back to his grandfather, and then the two of them, along with some other friends try to escape to Honduras. The army raids the camp of hundreds waiting to cross the river. Most people try and cross the river, but Nicolás, his grandfather, and a friend hide and watch hundreds of their fellow refugees get killed by the Honduras and El Salvador armies while crossing the river. The theme of this book is life is hard, so you must be strong, but also caring.
The Weight of All Things is a very good book. It was very interesting to read, especially because I am also learning about the Salvadoran Civil War in spanish class. Nicolás calls la Virgen his mother, and also compares himself to a lion and a lamb, which I found was really interesting to compare himself to both. But by the end of the book I learned that it was good to be a mix of both. It was also interesting how he used la Virgen to bridge the gap between the two, like she was a mix of both, which Nicolás tried to be. This book was accelerated because it uses a lot of metaphors that can be hard to understand. It also talks a lot about the pains of the Salvadoran Civil War, which was very hard to read about and slightly confusing if you didn’t have prior news. I recommend this book to people who want to learn about the Salvadoran Civil War and reading about self discovery.
The Weight of All Things is a very good book. It was very interesting to read, especially because I am also learning about the Salvadoran Civil War in spanish class. Nicolás calls la Virgen his mother, and also compares himself to a lion and a lamb, which I found was really interesting to compare himself to both. But by the end of the book I learned that it was good to be a mix of both. It was also interesting how he used la Virgen to bridge the gap between the two, like she was a mix of both, which Nicolás tried to be. This book was accelerated because it uses a lot of metaphors that can be hard to understand. It also talks a lot about the pains of the Salvadoran Civil War, which was very hard to read about and slightly confusing if you didn’t have prior news. I recommend this book to people who want to learn about the Salvadoran Civil War and reading about self discovery.
February 12, 2018
When Living is a Revolutionary Act
Set in war ravaged El Salvador, The Weight of all Things is a historical novel sandwiched between two real events in 1980. It is at once a spiritual and inspiring story, and a deeply practical and realistic experience of civilians living and dying in a war zone.
It is the story of a young 9 year old boy who arises from beneath the dead body of his mother to witness brutal war-time atrocities, much of which reminds me of the brutal medieval-type siege in Sarajevo, Bosnia from 1992-1996. Both, the army and rebel soldiers vent their frustration with each other by in turns demanding aid and shelter from civilians, forcing them into labor for one side or the other, and then ultimately slaughtering the civilians who are caught in the crossfire though the only war they are fighting is to survive.
It also reminds me of elements of the video game, This War of Mine by 11 Bit Studios, which depicts civilians trying to survive in a war setting, caught in the crossfire. Like the game, this book does a good job of portraying the realism of war, where there is no glory for those trying to survive behind the walls of a war-torn city.
Sandra Benitez writes with a smooth and simple style that is poignant and direct, while spiritual and emotional. I read the book in paperback for my Around the World in 80 Books reading Challenge for 2018 for El Salvador. My next stop is Nicaragua. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in war stories. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down until I finished it. It is available in hardback and paperback on Amazon.
Set in war ravaged El Salvador, The Weight of all Things is a historical novel sandwiched between two real events in 1980. It is at once a spiritual and inspiring story, and a deeply practical and realistic experience of civilians living and dying in a war zone.
It is the story of a young 9 year old boy who arises from beneath the dead body of his mother to witness brutal war-time atrocities, much of which reminds me of the brutal medieval-type siege in Sarajevo, Bosnia from 1992-1996. Both, the army and rebel soldiers vent their frustration with each other by in turns demanding aid and shelter from civilians, forcing them into labor for one side or the other, and then ultimately slaughtering the civilians who are caught in the crossfire though the only war they are fighting is to survive.
It also reminds me of elements of the video game, This War of Mine by 11 Bit Studios, which depicts civilians trying to survive in a war setting, caught in the crossfire. Like the game, this book does a good job of portraying the realism of war, where there is no glory for those trying to survive behind the walls of a war-torn city.
Sandra Benitez writes with a smooth and simple style that is poignant and direct, while spiritual and emotional. I read the book in paperback for my Around the World in 80 Books reading Challenge for 2018 for El Salvador. My next stop is Nicaragua. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in war stories. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down until I finished it. It is available in hardback and paperback on Amazon.
July 26, 2025
A historical fiction account of a young Salvadorian boy, Nicolás de la Virgen Veras. Bookended with two brutal events in March, 1980 and May, 1980. The story begins with the funeral of a San Salvador priest and the massacre that occurs at his funeral, killing and injuring many innocent people. Nicolás and his mother are at the funeral, the reader is aware of the fate of his mother but Nicolás is unable to accept the tragic end of his mother’s life. We follow Nicolás as he tries to return to his grandfather, Tata, in the mountain. The nine year old boy experiences life with guerillas and soldiers fighting on both sides and the brutality of war on the citizens. Nicolás is constantly guided by “La Virgin” the Virgin Mary and his patron saint, he believes he is visited by her multiple times in the story and is ultimately given knowledge to keep himself and his grandfather safe in the final uprising of Salvadorians seeking refuge in Honduras.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 18, 2020Being brought into the whipsaw back-and-forth of El Salvador's civil war in Benitez's deft hands was disorienting but eye-opening. Starting with the funeral of assassinated Bishop Oscar Romero, young Nicholas, whose mother was killed in the violence during the funeral, makes his way through the country and the narrative accompanied by a small statue of the Virgin Mary, and sometimes by his grandfather, companions, guerillas, and soldiers of the national army. Reading this aloud made it longer reading but it still held its tension, pathos, and longing for wholeness and healing in countries that are thrown into chaos as competing parties fight for control and power instead of their population's common good.
April 4, 2022
Nine year old Nicolás live in El Salvador during in the 1980's during the civil war. At the funeral of Archbishop Oscar Romero, a voice of El Salvador’s impoverished, that Nicolás and his mother are attending, shots break out. Nicolás only sees his mother wounded but loses her in the crowd. In search of his mother Nicolás begins to see the weight of all things. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and it allowed me to gain a lot of knowledge on the El Salvadoran civil war. However the writing was not my favorite. I thought that the author almost felt it necessary to write it more simplistically because of the age of the character, giving a lack of nuance to parts of the book. Despite this I still recommend the book.
April 25, 2023
This was honestly the best book I had to read for HNGR. Nicolas is a 9 year old boy who experiences insane injustice in his life and violence, is separated from his mother at an army attack, and has to venture alone to reconnect with his grandfather throughout the book. His bravery and the way he matures throughout the novel to keep going even after he was sick, or shot, or saw his loved ones die, makes me feel like I should have no excuses. And the fact that it was a TRUE STORY and Nico went on to study traumatology. Oh my goodness. Crazy good book. Totally encompasses how traumatic injustice and violence has been in our world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2019
This is a book that should be read to gain understanding of why our border is crowded with refugees from Central America. This is the story of Nicolas who was with his mother in San Salvador for the funeral of Archbishop Romero.
War breaks out, his mother killed, and he finds his way home only to be swept up in the Civil War that comes The reader looks at war through the eyes of a nine year old boy. The author has written a timely story that will make you think about the current border situation in a new light. Nicolas is a very brave boy.
War breaks out, his mother killed, and he finds his way home only to be swept up in the Civil War that comes The reader looks at war through the eyes of a nine year old boy. The author has written a timely story that will make you think about the current border situation in a new light. Nicolas is a very brave boy.
November 14, 2019
The Weight of All Things deals with the detrimental consequences of war. The narrator of the story is 9-year-old Nicolas. Nicolas lost his mother during the war in El Salvador, and you can honestly feel his sadness and grief. The poor kid goes through hell and back, but his resiliency and grit are breathtaking. Benítez does an incredible job of bringing El Salvador and its surroundings to life. If you would like to understand or learn more about the war in El Salvador, I highly recommend this book.
June 4, 2018
I found an old copy of this book & each time I pick it up to read more, I love it more. Powerful, tough topic, it really helps you understand how the simple campesino in the countryside of El Salvador has been trying to live for so many years. You also understand why so many brave Salvadorians do the tough illegal crossing into the US. Beautifully written from the perspective of Nicolas, a young boy who should not have to face what he did.
May 11, 2024
Beautifully written story of boy sustained by his faith, family, kindness of strangers as he navigates his war torn community. Thoughtful review of El Salvadoran life in rural communities and how life is sustained through mutual support. I have little experience of this part of the world and this book gave me a precious insight to the plight of folks torn apart by rebel / government conflict. I recommend the book!
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