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Malintzin's Choices: An Indian Woman in the Conquest of Mexico
Malintzin was the indigenous woman who translated for Hernando Cortés in his dealings with the Aztec emperor Moctezuma in the days of 1519 to 1521. "Malintzin," at least, was what the Indians called her. The Spanish called her doña Marina, and she has become known to posterity as La Malinche. As Malinche, she has long been regarded as a traitor to her people, a dangerously sexy, scheming woman who gave Cortés whatever he wanted out of her own self-interest.
The life of the real woman, however, was much more complicated. She was sold into slavery as a child, and eventually given away to the Spanish as a concubine and cook. If she managed to make something more out of her life--and she did--it is difficult to say at what point she did wrong. In getting to know the trials and intricacies with which Malintzin's life was laced, we gain new respect for her steely courage, as well as for the bravery and quick thinking demonstrated by many other Native Americans in the earliest period of contact with Europeans.
In this study of Malintzin's life, Camilla Townsend rejects all the previous myths and tries to restore dignity to the profoundly human men and women who lived and died in those days. Drawing on Spanish and Aztec language sources, she breathes new life into an old tale, and offers insights into the major issues of conquest and colonization, including technology and violence, resistance and accommodation, gender and power.
The life of the real woman, however, was much more complicated. She was sold into slavery as a child, and eventually given away to the Spanish as a concubine and cook. If she managed to make something more out of her life--and she did--it is difficult to say at what point she did wrong. In getting to know the trials and intricacies with which Malintzin's life was laced, we gain new respect for her steely courage, as well as for the bravery and quick thinking demonstrated by many other Native Americans in the earliest period of contact with Europeans.
In this study of Malintzin's life, Camilla Townsend rejects all the previous myths and tries to restore dignity to the profoundly human men and women who lived and died in those days. Drawing on Spanish and Aztec language sources, she breathes new life into an old tale, and offers insights into the major issues of conquest and colonization, including technology and violence, resistance and accommodation, gender and power.
303 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2006
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About the author
Camilla Townsend
34 books135 followersCamilla Townsend (Ph.D., Rutgers University) is professor of history at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ). Her special interest is in the relations between indigenous peoples and Europeans throughout the Americas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
February 2, 2023
Soy otra persona después de leer este libro, qué maravillosos aprendizajes. Emociones encontradas. Reconfigurar mis ideas.
May 11, 2020
Este libro merece 5 estrellas por muchas razones.
La primera es el aparato crítico: En un mundo donde cualquier hijo-de-vecino puede escribir un libro sobre cualquier tema, y sentirse experto, Camilla Townsend explica de manera clara, con referencias cruzadas, a veces intuitivas, la vida de una mujer de la que poco, poquísimo se sabe. El aparato crítico que presenta es gigante y super documentado.
Si bien es un libro para historiadores, la autora sabe manejar el lenguaje para hacerlo accesible a todos. ( Vuelvo a las citas, si usted nos quiere leer ninguna no pasa nada, el libro se defiende por si solo).
Es un libro que he atesorado y leído despacio, porque en verdad vale la pena cada detour y cada referencia.
La primera es el aparato crítico: En un mundo donde cualquier hijo-de-vecino puede escribir un libro sobre cualquier tema, y sentirse experto, Camilla Townsend explica de manera clara, con referencias cruzadas, a veces intuitivas, la vida de una mujer de la que poco, poquísimo se sabe. El aparato crítico que presenta es gigante y super documentado.
Si bien es un libro para historiadores, la autora sabe manejar el lenguaje para hacerlo accesible a todos. ( Vuelvo a las citas, si usted nos quiere leer ninguna no pasa nada, el libro se defiende por si solo).
Es un libro que he atesorado y leído despacio, porque en verdad vale la pena cada detour y cada referencia.
September 3, 2019
I've never read history done this way. This book answers the question of how to write about a historical figure who can't speak to you from the past because there isn't a single document written in her hand. Malintzin, a slave sold to the Spaniards, played an essential role as an interpreter between two cultures and has been called traitor, victim, survivor depending on who you talk to. Townsend does away with all that and retraces Malinztin's steps through every source - Spanish and indigenous - that've mentioned her, and uses poetry, literature and songs to reconstruct the world in which she lived, what she saw and thought, and what might have motivated her to make the choices she did. The result is a book that weaves reasoned speculation with an exhaustive study of archival material, and appeals to all audiences, not just academics. Beautifully written and mindblowingly brilliant.
January 12, 2023
Ta potente
March 6, 2023
Había tanto que no sabía de este personaje histórico y estoy en gran deuda con la autora por haberme enseñado tanto sobre Malintzin y su papel histórico en la conquista.
January 25, 2023
Quedé 🤯
October 18, 2017
So interesting but not as much about Malintzin as I'd hoped
February 28, 2023
Siento que este es el tipo de libro que nunca hubiera elegido por mi misma, quiero dar las gracias a los Sputniks Leyendo porque quedó ganador en nuestra votación de repechaje en enero.
Tengo que ser bien honesta, al principio me daba flojera leerlo y estaba avanzando muy lento, pero de repente (segundo capítulo) se puso muy muy interesante. Pienso que la razón principal es que como originalmente es un texto académico, la autora tiene muy bien documentadas sus fuentes y en algunas ocasiones no sólo compara las distintas versiones que hay de algún hecho en específico, sino que propone nuevas interpretaciones sin imponerle su versión al lector. Las notas a pie de página que incluye son de lo mejor que tiene el libro.
Aquí la lista de cosas que me volaron la cabeza de este texto:
1. El libro fue escrito originalmente en inglés, por la Universidad de Albuquerque (Nuevo Mexico).
2. Que tardaron casi una década en traducir y publicar el libro en español (gracias editorial Era).
3. La cantidad INMENSA de fuentes que toma la autora que fueron investigadas/escritas por autores de EEUU y países europeos, siento que es material al que difícilmente tenemos acceso los hispanoparlantes.
4. Que hay dos capitulos enteros dedicados a los hijos de doña Marina, en verdad yo no estaba enterada de su descendencia o de su matrimonio, una parte de mi siempre asumió que tuvo hijos ilegítimos con Hernán Cortés, pero nunca me tomé la molestia de investigar por mi cuenta.
Vale mucho la pena, 10/10, no hay más que agregar.
Tengo que ser bien honesta, al principio me daba flojera leerlo y estaba avanzando muy lento, pero de repente (segundo capítulo) se puso muy muy interesante. Pienso que la razón principal es que como originalmente es un texto académico, la autora tiene muy bien documentadas sus fuentes y en algunas ocasiones no sólo compara las distintas versiones que hay de algún hecho en específico, sino que propone nuevas interpretaciones sin imponerle su versión al lector. Las notas a pie de página que incluye son de lo mejor que tiene el libro.
Aquí la lista de cosas que me volaron la cabeza de este texto:
1. El libro fue escrito originalmente en inglés, por la Universidad de Albuquerque (Nuevo Mexico).
2. Que tardaron casi una década en traducir y publicar el libro en español (gracias editorial Era).
3. La cantidad INMENSA de fuentes que toma la autora que fueron investigadas/escritas por autores de EEUU y países europeos, siento que es material al que difícilmente tenemos acceso los hispanoparlantes.
4. Que hay dos capitulos enteros dedicados a los hijos de doña Marina, en verdad yo no estaba enterada de su descendencia o de su matrimonio, una parte de mi siempre asumió que tuvo hijos ilegítimos con Hernán Cortés, pero nunca me tomé la molestia de investigar por mi cuenta.
Vale mucho la pena, 10/10, no hay más que agregar.
August 11, 2021
The first half of this book was an incredible exploration of finding the lost voice of a historical figure and, in doing so, finding the voice of many who have been suppressed or presumed mute due to lack of written records. Then the second d half of the book sort of fell apart, in my opinion. When the focus shifted to Malintzin's progeny, things got messy. It felt like a huge topic shift and like we had lost the purpose of the book. Overall, this author gave me a lot to think about and I do appreciate that at the very least. This was a challenging topic to research and I give her a lot of credit.
July 10, 2022
Muy agradable e informativa lectura que plasma una visión sin prejuicios de una etapa tan importante de nuestra historia, siendo el eje central la figura de Doña Marina (Malintzin).
El libro está muy bien documentado y la autora nos ayuda a elegir una lectura más ligera al incluir extensas notas para cada capítulo al final. El lector puede decidir cuándo consultarlas y cuándo seguir con la lectura principal.
Sin ser propiamente una biografía, la narrativa nos adentra en el mundo en que vivieron Malintzin y sus contemporáneos, ayudándonos a entender la motivación detrás de sus decisiones y la importancia de su trascendencia hasta nuestros tiempos.
En ocasiones la narrativa se aleja de las figuras centrales para comprender el contexto social y político de situaciones o decisiones que tuvieron un fuerte impacto en la historia, sin embargo, la autora logra mantener un hilo que por más que se estire, siempre está conectado con la protagonista y su entorno, por lo que el regreso se siente muy natural y mantiene la continuidad de la historia y la atención del lector.
¡Un gran libro!
El libro está muy bien documentado y la autora nos ayuda a elegir una lectura más ligera al incluir extensas notas para cada capítulo al final. El lector puede decidir cuándo consultarlas y cuándo seguir con la lectura principal.
Sin ser propiamente una biografía, la narrativa nos adentra en el mundo en que vivieron Malintzin y sus contemporáneos, ayudándonos a entender la motivación detrás de sus decisiones y la importancia de su trascendencia hasta nuestros tiempos.
En ocasiones la narrativa se aleja de las figuras centrales para comprender el contexto social y político de situaciones o decisiones que tuvieron un fuerte impacto en la historia, sin embargo, la autora logra mantener un hilo que por más que se estire, siempre está conectado con la protagonista y su entorno, por lo que el regreso se siente muy natural y mantiene la continuidad de la historia y la atención del lector.
¡Un gran libro!
January 11, 2020
**This review can also be found on https://edwardrickford.com/ and Amazon**
By the time I read Malintzin’s Choices, I already knew that I was going to write a historical novel about the Spanish-Mexica war. I picked up the book not so much because I liked the cover or because I knew the author but because I knew I wanted to read a book about Malintzin. I’m glad I picked up Townsend’s book as it ended up being one of the best history books I have ever read.
Considering my strong interest in the Spanish-Mexica war, I will be publishing the second book in the Tenochtitlan Trilogy later this year and wrote my undergraduate history on the subject, I figure this type of praise may be easy to brush off. After all, nobody would be surprised to learn that a francophile enjoys macarons. But if I am going to be completely honest, I really didn’t know much about the Spanish-Mexica war (better known to the general public as the conquest of Mexico) prior to reading this book.
The thing is, I thought I did. After all, I had learned about the event in my AP world history class as well as my intro to world history class at GWU. My knowledge of the conflict was admittedly shallow but I was quite familiar with the legend that Cortes was perceived as a returning god. The idea that Cortes could return the exact same year the god was fated to return, and that he even shared a similar complexion, was incredible to me and almost Shakespearian. As it turns out, this great coincidence is more fiction than fact and Townsend makes a convincing argument that Cortes, like the Spaniards before and after him, were not perceived as gods. Those interested in the particulars of this argument ought to read the book and can expect to learn a great deal by doing so.
In all honesty, I did not expect a book about a long-dead translator to delve so deeply into Mesoamerican theology or the politicization of history, but that’s part of what makes the book so great. It’s so much more than a biography--it’s a reflection on how we study the past and which narratives get prioritized. History books, the good ones at least, ought to challenge our assumptions and broaden our horizons, and I suspect Malintzin’s Choices has done that for a great many readers.
Townsend’s interests can be admittedly niche, I have yet to meet the layman who can expound at length upon the complex political alliances of central Mexico in the early 16th century, but even readers who do not have a strong interest in the Spanish-Mexica war will find much to enjoy in this book. Townsend’s prose is both engaging and insightful, investing her book with the type of energy and wit more typical of fiction than non-fiction. I strongly recommend the book to readers interested in women’s history, Amerindian history, or historiography, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
By the time I read Malintzin’s Choices, I already knew that I was going to write a historical novel about the Spanish-Mexica war. I picked up the book not so much because I liked the cover or because I knew the author but because I knew I wanted to read a book about Malintzin. I’m glad I picked up Townsend’s book as it ended up being one of the best history books I have ever read.
Considering my strong interest in the Spanish-Mexica war, I will be publishing the second book in the Tenochtitlan Trilogy later this year and wrote my undergraduate history on the subject, I figure this type of praise may be easy to brush off. After all, nobody would be surprised to learn that a francophile enjoys macarons. But if I am going to be completely honest, I really didn’t know much about the Spanish-Mexica war (better known to the general public as the conquest of Mexico) prior to reading this book.
The thing is, I thought I did. After all, I had learned about the event in my AP world history class as well as my intro to world history class at GWU. My knowledge of the conflict was admittedly shallow but I was quite familiar with the legend that Cortes was perceived as a returning god. The idea that Cortes could return the exact same year the god was fated to return, and that he even shared a similar complexion, was incredible to me and almost Shakespearian. As it turns out, this great coincidence is more fiction than fact and Townsend makes a convincing argument that Cortes, like the Spaniards before and after him, were not perceived as gods. Those interested in the particulars of this argument ought to read the book and can expect to learn a great deal by doing so.
In all honesty, I did not expect a book about a long-dead translator to delve so deeply into Mesoamerican theology or the politicization of history, but that’s part of what makes the book so great. It’s so much more than a biography--it’s a reflection on how we study the past and which narratives get prioritized. History books, the good ones at least, ought to challenge our assumptions and broaden our horizons, and I suspect Malintzin’s Choices has done that for a great many readers.
Townsend’s interests can be admittedly niche, I have yet to meet the layman who can expound at length upon the complex political alliances of central Mexico in the early 16th century, but even readers who do not have a strong interest in the Spanish-Mexica war will find much to enjoy in this book. Townsend’s prose is both engaging and insightful, investing her book with the type of energy and wit more typical of fiction than non-fiction. I strongly recommend the book to readers interested in women’s history, Amerindian history, or historiography, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
September 21, 2023
I'm a big fan of Townsend’s prose in her work! The narrative is compelling and easy to read—I was enthralled!
Townsend writes that Malintzin, as a translator/strategist/consort who occupied a liminal space in Indigenous-conqueror relations, was a pivotal figure in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. In making such an argument, Townsend challenges previous interpretations of Malintzin as either “the ‘fucked one’” who committed an act of betrayal (3-4), or an idealised symbol of feminism, emphasising that these views are based on her symbolic significance, not her historical reality. Instead, Townsend seeks to understand Malintzin within the context of her time, exploring her agency/choices(!) and how she (possibly) viewed her own possibilities. In essence, Townsend's argument is that Malintzin was a significant/influential individual in her own right during a period of great social change, and not just a symbolic traitor/hero for the present.
I both appreciate/have personal qualms about Townsend's approach of contextualising Malintzin's life within the broader historical/cultural context of the conquest using historical documentation (e.g. Spanish ones), Indigenous artwork, and ethnographic information. On the one hand, that Townsend not only explores Malintzin’s actions but also infers her thoughts and motivations is intriguing and enthralling, as it humanises La Malinche and offers a compelling non-conqueror lens. On the other hand, as a modernist, the use of hypotheticals and “perhaps,” “most likely,” “probably,” etc. is striking! “Like all girls, she knew that women had their own importance…” (17). Did she know? Of course, Townsend mentions that “we [will/can] never know” certain things (27, 89, 135), and admits that some of her analyses “are conjectural” (89). As a young historian who was trained under the guise of “your work should always be backed up by primary sources,” my uneasiness and unsettled-ness is understandable. Reading this book was really refreshing and illuminating for me, and helps me reflect on the challenges faced by scholars who explore moments in history where sources are scant and hypotheticals are the name of the game. I’m glad to be able to read this type of history-writing! It has been so rewarding!
Lastly on sources: I absolutely appreciate the fact that some of the primary sources Townsend draws on are non-Indigenous-written sources (e.g. Spanish Chronicles). That she's able to take these sources and nonetheless use them to create an Indigenous-centred lens of the conquest is commendable!
In the end, Townsend has produced a meaningful and worthwhile microhistory. I'm glad to have been able to read it.
Townsend writes that Malintzin, as a translator/strategist/consort who occupied a liminal space in Indigenous-conqueror relations, was a pivotal figure in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. In making such an argument, Townsend challenges previous interpretations of Malintzin as either “the ‘fucked one’” who committed an act of betrayal (3-4), or an idealised symbol of feminism, emphasising that these views are based on her symbolic significance, not her historical reality. Instead, Townsend seeks to understand Malintzin within the context of her time, exploring her agency/choices(!) and how she (possibly) viewed her own possibilities. In essence, Townsend's argument is that Malintzin was a significant/influential individual in her own right during a period of great social change, and not just a symbolic traitor/hero for the present.
I both appreciate/have personal qualms about Townsend's approach of contextualising Malintzin's life within the broader historical/cultural context of the conquest using historical documentation (e.g. Spanish ones), Indigenous artwork, and ethnographic information. On the one hand, that Townsend not only explores Malintzin’s actions but also infers her thoughts and motivations is intriguing and enthralling, as it humanises La Malinche and offers a compelling non-conqueror lens. On the other hand, as a modernist, the use of hypotheticals and “perhaps,” “most likely,” “probably,” etc. is striking! “Like all girls, she knew that women had their own importance…” (17). Did she know? Of course, Townsend mentions that “we [will/can] never know” certain things (27, 89, 135), and admits that some of her analyses “are conjectural” (89). As a young historian who was trained under the guise of “your work should always be backed up by primary sources,” my uneasiness and unsettled-ness is understandable. Reading this book was really refreshing and illuminating for me, and helps me reflect on the challenges faced by scholars who explore moments in history where sources are scant and hypotheticals are the name of the game. I’m glad to be able to read this type of history-writing! It has been so rewarding!
Lastly on sources: I absolutely appreciate the fact that some of the primary sources Townsend draws on are non-Indigenous-written sources (e.g. Spanish Chronicles). That she's able to take these sources and nonetheless use them to create an Indigenous-centred lens of the conquest is commendable!
In the end, Townsend has produced a meaningful and worthwhile microhistory. I'm glad to have been able to read it.
October 18, 2024
The definitive biography on Malintzin, or "Malinche," or "Doña Marina," the woman who helped Cortés conquer Mexico. It has little interpolation beyond the known facts, which makes it a concise and fast-paced 220 pages.
She's one of my favorite historical figures. This is the fourth time I've read the story of her brief time on the world stage (after two primary documents, The Conquest of New Spain and parts of The Florentine Codex , and an appearance in The Rise and Fall of North American Indians ). Unlike those books, this book shows us plenty of Malintzin's life after Cortés, all the way to her death and beyond, following her children's lives as well.
I had seen this book listed on Fivebooks as one of the best books of Mexican history. I think it would be hard for a reader to come into this book without knowing the basics of Cortés's era. Expect to refer to the map that's included, and possibly to Wikipedia.
She's one of my favorite historical figures. This is the fourth time I've read the story of her brief time on the world stage (after two primary documents, The Conquest of New Spain and parts of The Florentine Codex , and an appearance in The Rise and Fall of North American Indians ). Unlike those books, this book shows us plenty of Malintzin's life after Cortés, all the way to her death and beyond, following her children's lives as well.
I had seen this book listed on Fivebooks as one of the best books of Mexican history. I think it would be hard for a reader to come into this book without knowing the basics of Cortés's era. Expect to refer to the map that's included, and possibly to Wikipedia.
October 15, 2020
¿Han oído hablar de la Malinche? También puede que la conozcan por los nombres "Malintzin" o "doña Marina", entre otros. Yo llegué a conocer a esta mujer indígena que vivió en el siglo XV durante la conquista española de México en una de mis clases de la universidad. Desde el primer momento quedé fascinada por su historia, y cuando mi profesora me sugirió este grandioso libro al respecto, no dudé en darle una oportunidad. Básicamente, este es un libro de Historia, aunque quiero creer que podría intersarle a más personas debido a su sentimiento literario. Además, es sumamente atrapante y muy importante en el acercamiento desde el feminismo a una Historia que tradicionalmente denominamos "de hombres". La Malinche fue una figura crucial que posibilitó la conquista de México al aliarse con los españoles y traicionar a las comunidades nativas precolombinas. Algunxs la etiquetan de "traidora", otrxs de "la creadora del mestizaje", y algunxs como un ícono feminista. Este libro se trata de entender a una mujer del pasado sumamente interesante. ¡Amé leerlo!
January 14, 2020
Camilla Townsend's research is excellent. I got a whole new appreciation and understanding of pre-Columbian cultures and the Conquest. I was so interested to see her impression of Malintzin. We have a general impression of her as Octavio Paz's "La Chingada" or Cortes' discarded girlfriend as in Neil Young's song "Cortes, Killer," but Townsend points us to historical sources and a different narrative of her as someone who took her own fate in her hands and, so far from betraying her own people, got vengeance FOR her own people against the rulers in Tenochtitlan and tried to mitigate Cortes' abuses of the people, by using her noble upbringing' training in diplomacy and ability to interpret. An wonderful and illuminating book. My only quibble would be that so much of what is in this book overlaps with her other book, Fifth Sun.
December 28, 2023
I had such a pleasurable time reading this book. Townsend did a superb job sorting through the contradictory primary sources and postulating a plausible set of events. I enjoyed the way she framed doña Marina's life, starting with an ethnography of Nahautl women and wrapping up with the fate of her children. I nearly cried when I reached the episode of don Martín's arrest in Mexico City, .
As you can tell, this book was remarkably successful at stimulating my imagination to wonder at the bewildering and fantastic story of the conquest of Mexico. Doña Marina was the woman at the center of it all. It is only too sad we'll never know the half about her life.
As you can tell, this book was remarkably successful at stimulating my imagination to wonder at the bewildering and fantastic story of the conquest of Mexico. Doña Marina was the woman at the center of it all. It is only too sad we'll never know the half about her life.
June 10, 2024
Fascinating! I thought I would just read a little bit of this book, because I was curious about the account of the first contact of the Spanish with the indigenous people in Mexico. But this book is so well written and approachable, even to someone with little knowledge of those events, and has so much vivid detail about the people, that I just kept going. And I am glad I did.
Malintzin, a young slave girl who became the main translator for Cortes, is treated with great compassion, as her life personifies the dilemmas and tragedies of that clash of worlds. Although little is really known about her, she comes alive in this account. The author uses primary sources, including Spanish accounts, but also oral traditions maintained by the local people, as well as archival material and legal documents, so I found it very convincing.
Malintzin, a young slave girl who became the main translator for Cortes, is treated with great compassion, as her life personifies the dilemmas and tragedies of that clash of worlds. Although little is really known about her, she comes alive in this account. The author uses primary sources, including Spanish accounts, but also oral traditions maintained by the local people, as well as archival material and legal documents, so I found it very convincing.
February 6, 2023
Malintzin: el idioma sin nombre
Nunca he sido buena para aprender idiomas, pero me gustan las historias. Me gusta imaginar que hay algo entre los distintos alfabetos que nos permiten comunicarnos, que nos permiten seguir interactuando.
Estoy segura que lo único que quería Malintzin era sobrevivir. Una mujer de sapiensa y gran carisma abriéndose paso ante un mundo nuevo que la atacaba.
Camille, a través de esta obra, expone el cariño que le tiene a esta personaja y nos comparte en más de 300 páginas la posibilidad de desaprender lo que hemos aceptado por verdadero todo este tiempo: su papel de villana.
Malintzin, estratega e intelectual, merecías más, pero ahora tu historia finalmente ha sido contada.
Nunca he sido buena para aprender idiomas, pero me gustan las historias. Me gusta imaginar que hay algo entre los distintos alfabetos que nos permiten comunicarnos, que nos permiten seguir interactuando.
Estoy segura que lo único que quería Malintzin era sobrevivir. Una mujer de sapiensa y gran carisma abriéndose paso ante un mundo nuevo que la atacaba.
Camille, a través de esta obra, expone el cariño que le tiene a esta personaja y nos comparte en más de 300 páginas la posibilidad de desaprender lo que hemos aceptado por verdadero todo este tiempo: su papel de villana.
Malintzin, estratega e intelectual, merecías más, pero ahora tu historia finalmente ha sido contada.
March 17, 2022
Tengo este libro en el limbo de las lecturas abandonadas .
Lo abandoné porque me aburrió .
Me ocupó tiempo ese 65% así que sumaré ese tiempo a mi reto lector de este año .
La verdad es que tiene tanta cosa histórica contada en ese tono histórico tan tedioso que no pude más .
Es un libro de investigación que me superó .
Quien guste de estas lecturas seguro lo disfruta .
Lo abandoné porque me aburrió .
Me ocupó tiempo ese 65% así que sumaré ese tiempo a mi reto lector de este año .
La verdad es que tiene tanta cosa histórica contada en ese tono histórico tan tedioso que no pude más .
Es un libro de investigación que me superó .
Quien guste de estas lecturas seguro lo disfruta .
April 19, 2020
This well-written and solidly researched book outlines the complexities of Indigenous survival amid the Spanish colonial invasion of MesoAmerica in the sixteenth century.
June 5, 2020
Formidable acercamiento al mundo en el que vivió Malintzin. Townsend se plantea ofrecer un rostro a la mujer sobre quien tanto se ha escrito (y la mayoría de las veces de forma muy visceral). La historiadora hizo una investigación con gran rigurosidad y que, a pesar de ello, no resulta en una obra para iniciados, al contrario, es asequible para cualquier interesado. Para entender a esta mujer que no sólo vivió el fin del mundo en el que nació sino que participó activamente en ese fin Townsend plantea una lectura que permita entenderla, a ella y sus motivos, aunque se carecen de textos escritos por su mano, la investigadora opta por estudiar los espacios, la sociedad y las personas con las que convivió. Así, esta obra permite entender la situación de las mujeres en las sociedades nahuas y mayas de las primeras décadas del siglo XVI; el papel que los traductores jugaron en los primeros contactos y en la misma conquista (papel que Malintzin asumió y que en ese momento fue único). Entender el proceso mismo de la conquista y la derrota de Tenochtitlán y la sociedad que surgió después, las relaciones que los españoles plantearon y cómo empezaron a enfrentarse unos a otros en los tribunales.
March 15, 2020
Sabes que has llegado a un punto de comprensión de sucesos cuando no polarizas a las situaciones ni personajes: no hay buenos ni malos solo situaciones complejas y decisiones limitadas por las mismas. En el caso de la conquista (que es cuando toma lugar la narración) es más complejo aún, además de la controversia actual hay una dificultad para recuperar datos, ya que fueron destruidos. Camilla hace una tarea difícil de tratar de dar una secuencia a los diversos escritos tanto españoles como aborígenes, todo el libro está conformado de pequeños debates contraponiendo las diversas fuentes y posibilidades. Es el resultado de sabernos multihistoricos, me quede con una sensación agradable y de ternura hacia lo que pudo ser Malintzin y suS historiaS; habiendo un mundo de diferencia entre las posibilidades y la oficial. La autora da voz y pasos a una figura que dentro del imaginario colectivo ha sido condenada aún con mínima información. Si puede llegar a divagar un poco con cuestiones con textuales, históricas o de personajes españoles, pero estoy satisfecho.
July 15, 2020
Una infinidad de preguntas respecto a la malinche me llevaron a leer este libro. Motivada por la visión de los buenos y malos, había catalogado a Malitzin del lado de las malas, las traidoras, seguro me había ayudado mucho Octavio Paz en su idea sobre la chingada en El Laberinto de la Soledad. Pero resulta que Camila Townsend, autora de este libro, realiza una minuciosa tarea de desentrañar a este personaje tan importante de nuestra historia. Tan solo les digo que de ahora en adelante me referiré a esta mujer como Malitzin, así, con mayúsculas. Su labor no solo se limitó a traducir al español del maya, del náhuatl, sino que manejaba los términos específicos para parlamentar con las dinastías existentes en ese momento en nuestras tierras. La autora va más allá al calificar a la mujer que fungió como la ‘lengua’ de los españoles como “mediadora cultural”.
May 9, 2025
En su libro, Camilla Townsend nos presenta a una Malinche digna e inteligente: traductora, intérprete, viajera, estratega, doblemente esclavizada y doblemente sobreviviente. Madre de sangre indomable, Doña Marina abrió el camino para que sus descendientes se insertaran en el mundo de los vencedores. Fue una mujer indígena cautiva que resistió —como pudo— sus múltiples cautiverios, y que fue respetada incluso después de su muerte por quienes la conocieron. Mucho más que la mujer de Hernán Cortés, fue pieza clave para que la conquista no se tiñera de aún más sangre. Pilar inadvertido de una nación que la nombra todos los días sin conocerla realmente, Malinche fue, y sigue siendo, fundamental en la historia que nos habita.
March 4, 2018
Maybe 4.5?
I really enjoyed this read, which attempts to excavate the life and experiences of Malintzin, an indigenous woman who served as the translator for Cortes as he conquered the New World. There is little information about this woman's life, as she left none of her own records, but Townsend does an excellent job of uncovering what she can and providing a complex and sympathetic look at a woman who did what she could to survive, rescuing both her history and her reputation from those who call her a traitor. On a micro-level, the conquest of the New World was not as easy as "us vs. them" and Townsend's depiction of Malintzin makes that perfectly clear.
I really enjoyed this read, which attempts to excavate the life and experiences of Malintzin, an indigenous woman who served as the translator for Cortes as he conquered the New World. There is little information about this woman's life, as she left none of her own records, but Townsend does an excellent job of uncovering what she can and providing a complex and sympathetic look at a woman who did what she could to survive, rescuing both her history and her reputation from those who call her a traitor. On a micro-level, the conquest of the New World was not as easy as "us vs. them" and Townsend's depiction of Malintzin makes that perfectly clear.
November 27, 2025
After reading seven books on Mexican history and the Spanish conquest, I realized I had read maybe a few pages about Malintzin (and that’s being generous). Townsend gives her the depth and focus she deserves. Malintzin’s Choices reads almost like a novel—clear, vivid, and incredibly engaging. If you’ve ever wanted to understand what Malintzin may have experienced during the conquest and how she navigated the decisions she faced, this book is essential. Townsend’s writing is so well-done that I often felt as if I were seeing the world through Malintzin’s eyes. I highly recommend it. Long live La Llorona Cabrones!!!!
March 14, 2019
Follows a story line (there is a hint of speculation on certain events to draw the reader in, however the main path seem to be factual to a historical detectives account). Definitely one of those books that you can pick up and actually enjoy reading just for the story. I recommend this book for everyone even if you are not interested in understanding history in the professional and academic sense. It is simply a good read and is vividly articulated in the authors tone she presents. I really enjoyed this book as the first book of 2019
April 10, 2025
I really loved this despite it being more of a historical report than a story. I appreciated it for what it was though, and I loved how informative it was. I had to read it for school and I DNF the whole thing, but I read through most parts including the ending, it was just so interesting and also heartbreaking at times. It’s insane to know that it’s the most truthful account of that time possible. Doesn’t cut it as a pleasure read but it came surprisingly close, I’m really glad to have read it!
April 14, 2025
Malintzin is the woman who help Cortes by being, at the very least, his translation. She was enslaved and then given to the Spanish by her enslavers. To say that her reputation is besmirched by her working for/aiding the Spanish colonists would be to put it mildly.
Townsend, by her own admission, cannot really present Malintzin's side of the story, for she has left no surviving testimony. What Townsend does is give context to the bare bones we have of Malintzin's story. It makes for a fascinating and engrossing read.
Townsend, by her own admission, cannot really present Malintzin's side of the story, for she has left no surviving testimony. What Townsend does is give context to the bare bones we have of Malintzin's story. It makes for a fascinating and engrossing read.
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