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Peregrino #1
Senor Peregrino
Jamilet is a beautiful young woman marred by a shockingly gruesome birthmark. It spills over her back and down her legs, twisting and writhing like a hideous cape of blood, causing her to be shunned by the villagers of her rural Mexican town. In search of medical salvation, this angel with the devil's mark is finally driven to escape north and cross the border illegally to Los Angeles.After acquiring false documents, Jamilet finds work at a mental hospital, where she is assigned to look after Señor Peregrino, an elderly man from Spain who is as disagreeable as he is mysterious. Jamilet is given strict orders to keep her distance, but when he cleverly snags possession of her papers, he bargains to return them upon the condition that she listen to his story. Jamilet begrudgingly agrees, and Señor Peregrino takes her back to the days of his youth, when he embarked upon a mystical and romantic journey along the legendary Road to Santiago in Spain. Jamilet and Señor Peregrino forge a spiritual bond that is more healing to them both than modern medicine could ever be. In an inspiring story of redemption, faith and the enduring power of love, Samartin offers an enlightening perspective on the true meaning of beauty.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
33 people are currently reading
656 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Samartin
28 books188 followersI was born in Cuba at the height of the revolution. My family left when I was nine months old so I have no memories of my own, although I "borrowed" countless memories from my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
I grew up in a quiet Los Angeles suburb and secretly dreamed of becoming a writer, but after high school I decided to study psychology instead and became a marriage and family therapist. I'm glad I did because my experience as a therapist is what finally inspired me to face my fears, and embrace my dream of becoming a writer.
Most of my clients over the years have been immigrants like me so many of my stories reflect the themes of lost homeland, and the search for meaning/identity in a new world.
I think of myself more as a story teller than a writer. Perhaps because as a story teller it is easier to envision myself engaging in a two way conversation with my readers, much as I do with my clients. Nothing is more gratifying for me than to receive comments and messages from my readers. I learn so much, and it inspires me as nothing else to keep writing.
I grew up in a quiet Los Angeles suburb and secretly dreamed of becoming a writer, but after high school I decided to study psychology instead and became a marriage and family therapist. I'm glad I did because my experience as a therapist is what finally inspired me to face my fears, and embrace my dream of becoming a writer.
Most of my clients over the years have been immigrants like me so many of my stories reflect the themes of lost homeland, and the search for meaning/identity in a new world.
I think of myself more as a story teller than a writer. Perhaps because as a story teller it is easier to envision myself engaging in a two way conversation with my readers, much as I do with my clients. Nothing is more gratifying for me than to receive comments and messages from my readers. I learn so much, and it inspires me as nothing else to keep writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
April 23, 2020
Uskomattoman kaunis tarina, jonka lukemista ei malttaisi lopettaa.
May 24, 2023
Tätä kirjaa oli kehuttu paljon, joten odotin siltä itsekin kovasti, mutta loppujen lopuksi kirja ei ollut mielestäni kummoinen.
Odotin jotenkin syvempää tarinaa, mutta kirjan toisiinsa nivoutuvat kertomukset keskittyivät melko pinnallisesti ihmiset ulkonäköön liittyviin asioihin ja vaikka tarina olikin mielenkiintoinen, jäi se omassa mielessäni jotenkin vaisuksi. Tai oikeastaan lopulta jopa melko oudoksi ja keskeneräiseksi (mitä varten sitten varmaankin ovat ne jatko-osat).
Kaiken kaikkiaan tämä ei kuitenkaan ollut kirja, jota suosittelisin kenellekään enkä usko, että tulen lukemaan kirjan jatko-osia.
Odotin jotenkin syvempää tarinaa, mutta kirjan toisiinsa nivoutuvat kertomukset keskittyivät melko pinnallisesti ihmiset ulkonäköön liittyviin asioihin ja vaikka tarina olikin mielenkiintoinen, jäi se omassa mielessäni jotenkin vaisuksi. Tai oikeastaan lopulta jopa melko oudoksi ja keskeneräiseksi (mitä varten sitten varmaankin ovat ne jatko-osat).
Kaiken kaikkiaan tämä ei kuitenkaan ollut kirja, jota suosittelisin kenellekään enkä usko, että tulen lukemaan kirjan jatko-osia.
June 24, 2013
Amateurs de romans d'apprentissage, n'hésitez pas à vous plonger dans ce merveilleux roman qu'est La Belle Imparfaite ! Cecilia Samartin possède un incroyable talent de conteuse qui vous emmènera loin ! Sur les chemins éprouvants mais magnifiques de Saint Jacques de Compostelle, vous rêverez et cheminerez à la découverte de l'amour spirituel et charnel.
Si comme moi, vous aimez les romans intelligents et bien écrits, vous ne pourrez qu'être conquis par la plume délicate et poétique de l'auteure. L'écriture de Cecilia Samartin est bouleversante. Elle sait magnifiquement rendre la pensée du Señor Peregrino, ce vieil homme acariâtre, plus perspicace que fou, dont Jamilet a la garde et qui lui raconte son pèlerinage à Saint Jacques de Compostelle. Magnifique destin, magnifique histoire, j'ai dévoré les chapitres qui lui sont consacrés ! J'ai bu les mots de l'auteure, vécu la passion, les angoisses et ressenti chacun des tourments du jeune Antonio ! Parce que Cecilia Samartin réussit à exprimer l'inexprimable et à mettre des mots sur les sentiments les plus profonds et les plus inavouables, son récit émeut aux larmes. C'est bouleversant, saisissant, violent même ! J'ai été transportée par la grâce et l'émotion qui transpirent de chacune de ses pages !
"Chacun doit concevoir ses propres miracles, chacun doit décider de sa réalité en choisissant ses histoires, et en y croyant de tout son être."
La Belle Imparfaite est un livre passionnant, qui emporte le lecteur loin de son quotidien et l'interpelle sur le sens profond de la vie et de ce qu'il veut en faire. La vivre ou la regarder passer, Cecilia Sanmartin laisse à chacun le soin d'en décider...
Palpitant, émouvant et profondément poétique, La Belle Imparfaite est un roman envoûtant, un fabuleux voyage initiatique qui pousse le lecteur à croire en ses rêves et à vivre sa légende personnelle... Une merveille à découvrir absolument.
Si comme moi, vous aimez les romans intelligents et bien écrits, vous ne pourrez qu'être conquis par la plume délicate et poétique de l'auteure. L'écriture de Cecilia Samartin est bouleversante. Elle sait magnifiquement rendre la pensée du Señor Peregrino, ce vieil homme acariâtre, plus perspicace que fou, dont Jamilet a la garde et qui lui raconte son pèlerinage à Saint Jacques de Compostelle. Magnifique destin, magnifique histoire, j'ai dévoré les chapitres qui lui sont consacrés ! J'ai bu les mots de l'auteure, vécu la passion, les angoisses et ressenti chacun des tourments du jeune Antonio ! Parce que Cecilia Samartin réussit à exprimer l'inexprimable et à mettre des mots sur les sentiments les plus profonds et les plus inavouables, son récit émeut aux larmes. C'est bouleversant, saisissant, violent même ! J'ai été transportée par la grâce et l'émotion qui transpirent de chacune de ses pages !
"Chacun doit concevoir ses propres miracles, chacun doit décider de sa réalité en choisissant ses histoires, et en y croyant de tout son être."
La Belle Imparfaite est un livre passionnant, qui emporte le lecteur loin de son quotidien et l'interpelle sur le sens profond de la vie et de ce qu'il veut en faire. La vivre ou la regarder passer, Cecilia Sanmartin laisse à chacun le soin d'en décider...
Palpitant, émouvant et profondément poétique, La Belle Imparfaite est un roman envoûtant, un fabuleux voyage initiatique qui pousse le lecteur à croire en ses rêves et à vivre sa légende personnelle... Une merveille à découvrir absolument.
June 17, 2016
It was a beautiful story, and i couldn't stop reading it. But I was really disappointed by the ending. Thats why it lost two stars. For me, it ruined the final experience of the book. It seemed like the author got tired of writing and just wanted to end it as fast as possible, and just published it. But, I have talked to other people who have read the book, and they do not have the same strong feeling as me about the ending. But in the end, this is a book you should read, because it gives you a perspective of culture, and peoples personal experiences. Good reading!
February 6, 2011
Loved this. Beautiful, original, with fascinating characters and stories, filled with emotion yet not too sentimental. I found the ending somehow a bit rushed (though I loved the final pages) and there were a few times where I felt confused by the logic of the events, otherwise I might have given it five stars. Will keep an eye out for Samartin's other works.
July 7, 2015
Read this by lack of something better on holiday. Anything else would have been better.
March 2, 2019
This is a fairytale for adults and in order to like it you have to have an open mind and just let things go. If you can do that you will enjoy it to it's fullest.
May 26, 2020
Muutama timanttinen hetki.
December 18, 2023
Mielenkiintoinen ja mukaansatempaava, mutta lässähti loppua kohden.
October 22, 2020
En fin och inspirerande berättelse. Första hundra sidorna gick det trögt men sen kom berättelsen igång och min läsiver väcktes till liv. Mysig höstlovsläsning!
February 21, 2017
IIIH! I really really really liked this book! When I studied Sociology in New York a couple of years back I took a class called "Sociology 35; global culture". During that course we focused a lot on USA and Canada's relation towards Mexico and the citizens there. Since then, I've been pretty much super fashionated about the Mexican border. Although, this time I didn't read course litterature or non-fiction books about the topic; I read a novel.
Jamilet crosses the mexican border to find a doctor that can help her get rid of a nasty mark on her back. To be able to afford this she gets a job at a mental hospital(where she must hide her identity as an irregular immigrant).
I had some trouble with the way Señor Peregrino was presented into the story. I expected some real scary monster-like person which everyone were scared to death of(since that's how they sort of told Jamilet he was like). Turned out he was just a grumpy man. Well okay... Although once we passed all that and I came to the part where he and Jamilet started bonding and hear his interesting life story, I started to like his character a whole lot more.
As for Eddie... Oh Eddie. I do not care for you at all. I did not get the whole potential love story going on there. Okay, I guess I have read a whole lot of love stories that were much much MUCH worse. He just felt so pointless. Sometimes a book will do just fine without love. Sure, Eddie was needed since he got her the job at the hospital and served as her new friend in a strange country. But love? Why not settle with friend?? Sometimes that's OK!
And last but not least; Carmen! I sooo enjoyed reading about her, Jamilet's aunt. She changed so much from the beginning of the book when she too lived in Mexico, to by the middle when she had lived in USA for about seven years and accepted Jamilet to her home. I laughed at basically anything she did (not a mean laugh, I just thought she was kinda cool). I would be so scared if I lived in her house! THERE we have a scary creature, she should have been Señor Peregrino...
But all in all, I love this book! I will definitely read more books by Cecilia Samartin, but this time probably in English. Read this one in Swedish and there were so many misstakes with the translation and grammar. But oh well, still a great story.
Jamilet crosses the mexican border to find a doctor that can help her get rid of a nasty mark on her back. To be able to afford this she gets a job at a mental hospital(where she must hide her identity as an irregular immigrant).
I had some trouble with the way Señor Peregrino was presented into the story. I expected some real scary monster-like person which everyone were scared to death of(since that's how they sort of told Jamilet he was like). Turned out he was just a grumpy man. Well okay... Although once we passed all that and I came to the part where he and Jamilet started bonding and hear his interesting life story, I started to like his character a whole lot more.
As for Eddie... Oh Eddie. I do not care for you at all. I did not get the whole potential love story going on there. Okay, I guess I have read a whole lot of love stories that were much much MUCH worse. He just felt so pointless. Sometimes a book will do just fine without love. Sure, Eddie was needed since he got her the job at the hospital and served as her new friend in a strange country. But love? Why not settle with friend?? Sometimes that's OK!
And last but not least; Carmen! I sooo enjoyed reading about her, Jamilet's aunt. She changed so much from the beginning of the book when she too lived in Mexico, to by the middle when she had lived in USA for about seven years and accepted Jamilet to her home. I laughed at basically anything she did (not a mean laugh, I just thought she was kinda cool). I would be so scared if I lived in her house! THERE we have a scary creature, she should have been Señor Peregrino...
But all in all, I love this book! I will definitely read more books by Cecilia Samartin, but this time probably in English. Read this one in Swedish and there were so many misstakes with the translation and grammar. But oh well, still a great story.
August 28, 2011
Once again, I am left amazed and reeling by the writing of Cecilia Samartin. When I read her work (and this is my 2nd one) I find myself pulling on my hair and muttering to myself, "Now this is a real writer, the kind of writer I only dream of being. My work sucks compared to this."
In Tarnished Beauty, there are two stories, the first one being about Jamilet. The time is... 1950s? (I assumed this because of the reference to Elvis music.) The setting is Mexico. Jamilet has a huge birthmark that covers her back, butt, and the backs of her thighs and upper arms. As a result, the suspicious and unkind people in her Mexican village shun her, throw rocks at her, and set her to dreaming of a better life north, in America where she can get her mark removed. Thus, when her mother dies, she dons male attire and crosses the border illegally...
For full review, please click on the link: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2011/08/...
In Tarnished Beauty, there are two stories, the first one being about Jamilet. The time is... 1950s? (I assumed this because of the reference to Elvis music.) The setting is Mexico. Jamilet has a huge birthmark that covers her back, butt, and the backs of her thighs and upper arms. As a result, the suspicious and unkind people in her Mexican village shun her, throw rocks at her, and set her to dreaming of a better life north, in America where she can get her mark removed. Thus, when her mother dies, she dons male attire and crosses the border illegally...
For full review, please click on the link: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2011/08/...
March 20, 2022
Två historier i en. Handlar om den Mexikanska flickan Jamilet som tar sig olagligt till USA. Hon får jobb på ett mentalsjukhus där hon träffar den mystiske señor Peregrino som börjar berätta om ditt liv.
Tydligt fokus på skönhet. Får intrycket att författaren försöker nyansera synen på vad skönhet är, men tycker tyvärr inte att hon lyckas, snarare tycker jag hon förstärker den stereotypa bilden.
Ett enkelt språk som jag inte kan sätta fingret på om jag gillar eller inte. Det enkla språket ger en känsla av en gammaldags saga vilket jag gilla. Men det ger oxå ett ogenomarbetat och lite amatörmässigt intryck. På det hela taget är historien allt för banal för att bli intressant, men trots det gillade jag boken. Stark 3:a eller svag 4:a.
Tydligt fokus på skönhet. Får intrycket att författaren försöker nyansera synen på vad skönhet är, men tycker tyvärr inte att hon lyckas, snarare tycker jag hon förstärker den stereotypa bilden.
Ett enkelt språk som jag inte kan sätta fingret på om jag gillar eller inte. Det enkla språket ger en känsla av en gammaldags saga vilket jag gilla. Men det ger oxå ett ogenomarbetat och lite amatörmässigt intryck. På det hela taget är historien allt för banal för att bli intressant, men trots det gillade jag boken. Stark 3:a eller svag 4:a.
July 14, 2019
Två historier i en. Jamilet är en ung mexikansk flicka med ett stort födelsemärke över hela ryggen. På grund av märket har hon blivit stämplad i sin by, de vidskepliga bybor är övertygade om att Jamila är märkt av djävulen, och hennes liv har varit svårt sedan hon var liten.
Hon flyr till sin moster som bor i USA.
Hon börjar arbeta på ett hospital för psykisk sjuka och där träffar hon den märkliga Senor Peregrino som berättar sin historia för henne.
En lfin historia även om den aldrig berör mig på djupet. Läsvärd men inget mer än det.
Hon flyr till sin moster som bor i USA.
Hon börjar arbeta på ett hospital för psykisk sjuka och där träffar hon den märkliga Senor Peregrino som berättar sin historia för henne.
En lfin historia även om den aldrig berör mig på djupet. Läsvärd men inget mer än det.
June 20, 2015
Den här boken vann jag för snart två år sedan på Västmanländskans bokblogg. Just då var Cecilia Samartin väldigt i ropet och jag läste om hennes böcker i stort sett varenda dag. Ändå har boken blivit stående i bokhyllan och i år tog jag med den i min boktolva, så den säkert skulle bli läst. Läs mer på http://bokslut.blogspot.se/2015/06/se...
April 14, 2023
Banal and poorly written. Jamilet is on a handful of occasions described as "not like other girls", all characters under the age of forty are described by how hot our narrators think they are, and if you can't have the person you want, you might as well kill yourself. This reads like a Fabio novel wanting to be "The Sorrows of Young Werter", and the result is... not my cup of tea, is the polite way of saying it.
January 1, 2014
Viihteellistä hömppää, joka sopii luettavaksi loman alkajaisiksi. Toki tarina koukuttaa, mutta mitään uutta tai syvää se ei anna. Henkilöt ovat stereotyyppisiä: Jamilet kummajainen, outsider, joka tietysti löytää unelmiensa miehen unelmien Amerikasta. - Vaikeuksien kautta voittoon tässäkin suhteessa. Senor Peregrino muuttuu odotetusti hirviöstä hellyttäväksi sedäksi. Lopetus melkein hävetti.
July 10, 2015
Nopealukuinen ja imelä höpöhöpötarina. Hahmot ja juoni ovat niin typeriä, ettei voisi vähempää kiinnostaa miten heidän tarinansa jatkuu. Muistelisin kokeneeni samanlaisia epätoivoisia fiiliksiä Paulo Coelhon parissa. Ei enää ikinä, kiitos.
HelMet: kirja, jonka tapahtumat sijoittuvat Suomen ulkopuolelle
HelMet: kirja, jonka tapahtumat sijoittuvat Suomen ulkopuolelle
June 4, 2022
Light fluff. I wish I'd stopped after this one. Anthony and Eddy are absolutely useless, Jenny is extremely unlikely, and Rosa is so flat and perfect you'd think it was written by a man. I'd call it historocal fiction, but we're actually not given much historical detail at all. Feels like the author just skimmed the blurb of the wiki article of the camina.
July 24, 2014
It´s been a little over a year since I´ve read it, but the impression Señor Peregrino made in my life hasn't left me yet. It's a beautiful, poetic story about young Jamilet and her journey towards self-acceptance and love.
July 2, 2016
Härlig med en seriös underton. Passar nog för de som vill ha en feelgoodhistoria, men med djup och fina karaktärer. Ser fram emot att läsa de två andra i serien
August 9, 2017
The movie Don Juan DeMarco came to mind part way through this book. Not the love affairs part, but the story being told by the mental patient which you want to believe, but seems made up. In this case, the person being told the story is a young woman with a disfiguring birthmark who crossed the border from Mexico hoping for a medical miracle and instead winds up working for this special patient at the mental ward. I liked Jamilet well enough, and her Aunt Carmen and her boyfriend Louis. Eddie and his girlfriend were okay, but ended up feeling unnecessary to the story. I'm not sure he provided much growth of character and he was easily dismissed by the end of the book. Senor Peregrino, I wasn't sure about. I didn't understand what he did to the other workers that scared them off immediately, when he wasn't scary very long to Jamilet. Obviously there was a turning point where he saved her from the janitor, but even before that it didn't seem he would run her off within a month. And his story was good enough, but then after the story telling concluded and it was time for the present day actions to take center stage, I kind of disliked where it went at the end. Nurse B seemed too much the bad guy, there wasn't much nuance to her at that stage, and the plan to travel and the bible vow of adoption all seemed a bit much. And then Aunt Carmen interfering in the plan for Spain was disappointing. And after that part about traveling is let go, I'm not clear what was supposed to happen. Was Jamilet going to go live with her new 'grandfather', because they don't seem to be going to Spain, but she just wrote off her only other connections in America. And it seems unlikely that Jenny will just let them go off happily. So the ending was too silly and not well enough explained for me. Which is too bad, because I liked the story up until then. I may have been happier with the Don Juan ending, where you are never sure what parts of the story are true or false but you choose to believe anyway.
November 11, 2019
Mexico. Mental institute. Legend.
Story : Lorena gives birth to her daughter Jamilet hidden away in a poor village in Mexico. Jamilet is born with a vast birthmark that covers her back from shoulder to legs. Unable to attend school to due bullying, Jamilet helps around the house and dreams of having the mark removed from her someday.
Language: Told in third person from Jamilet's perspective with interspersed storytelling from a second character in first person. The beginning of the book is set in Mexico. Near contemporary.
Characters: Jamilet is the narrator of the story, a child in the beginning of the book and an innocent teenager for the rest of the book. Her family also plays a large role in the story.
Cecilia Samartin visited the Helsinki Book Festival in 2018. I wasn't familiar with her works before but was interested in reading some after her event. I finally got around to doing so and am glad I did. Definitely worth a read.
Story : Lorena gives birth to her daughter Jamilet hidden away in a poor village in Mexico. Jamilet is born with a vast birthmark that covers her back from shoulder to legs. Unable to attend school to due bullying, Jamilet helps around the house and dreams of having the mark removed from her someday.
Language: Told in third person from Jamilet's perspective with interspersed storytelling from a second character in first person. The beginning of the book is set in Mexico. Near contemporary.
Characters: Jamilet is the narrator of the story, a child in the beginning of the book and an innocent teenager for the rest of the book. Her family also plays a large role in the story.
Cecilia Samartin visited the Helsinki Book Festival in 2018. I wasn't familiar with her works before but was interested in reading some after her event. I finally got around to doing so and am glad I did. Definitely worth a read.
January 9, 2022
Jag läser ”Señor Peregrino” för andra gången, ungefär tio år efter att jag läste den för första gången. Det är en berättelse med flera berättelser i: den om att korsa floden och gå i land som illegal flykting i USA, den om att längta efter förändring och den om när kärleken förändrar allt. Även efter den här läsningen är det de levande beskrivningarna av pilgrimsfärden mot Santiago de Compostela som blir kvar längst hos mig - och förhoppningen om att jag en dag vandrar den jag med.
February 19, 2019
I really liked listening to this book. Senor peregrino's story was so facinating, I did not want him to stop talking. The conclution was very satisfying and while I saw somethings coming, it did not dampen my enjoyment of the story.
May 8, 2017
3 1/2 🌟
January 5, 2018
Utgivningsår: 2010 ISBN: 9789170282126
June 9, 2018
Herlig lesning
April 4, 2021
Annorlunda story, men den växer enormt! De sista 5 kapitlen håller man andan av spänning. Slutet lämnar en ändå undrande och man vill veta vad som händer sen
Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews