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La Maravilla
“A powerful and enchanting story… a bridge between North and South America. From the very first sentence I was trapped and could not resist the invitation to cross that bridge.” —Isabel Allende, author of The House of the Spirits
Three thousand years of history and the myths of many cultures, as well as the fates of a dozen unforgettable characters, all collide one hot summer in 1958 in the community of Buckeye Road outside Phoenix. From this desert community blooms a world of marvels spilling out of the adobe homes, tar-paper-shacks, rusted Cadillacs, and battered trailers.
At the center of this rich multicultural community is Beto, who must navigate the challenges of belonging to two worlds, and being torn between the love and fear of both. Guided by his jazz-music loving Spanish grandmother and his Yaqui Indian grandfather, Beto experiences all the richness that this community has to Through food, spirit journeys, and manhood ceremonies, he discovers what it means to reconcile all sides of himself.
“Magic realism in the American Southwest… a wonderful story of cultures clashing and merging… captures the color, language and feel of the small-town South in a manner that is almost astonishing.” — St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Three thousand years of history and the myths of many cultures, as well as the fates of a dozen unforgettable characters, all collide one hot summer in 1958 in the community of Buckeye Road outside Phoenix. From this desert community blooms a world of marvels spilling out of the adobe homes, tar-paper-shacks, rusted Cadillacs, and battered trailers.
At the center of this rich multicultural community is Beto, who must navigate the challenges of belonging to two worlds, and being torn between the love and fear of both. Guided by his jazz-music loving Spanish grandmother and his Yaqui Indian grandfather, Beto experiences all the richness that this community has to Through food, spirit journeys, and manhood ceremonies, he discovers what it means to reconcile all sides of himself.
“Magic realism in the American Southwest… a wonderful story of cultures clashing and merging… captures the color, language and feel of the small-town South in a manner that is almost astonishing.” — St. Louis Post-Dispatch
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
17 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
About the author
Alfredo Véa
6 books33 followersAlfredo Véa was born in Arizona and worked as a migrant farm worker as a child and a young man. He served in Vietnam and after his discharge worked a series of jobs, ranging from truck driver to carnival mechanic, as he put himself through law school. Now a practicing criminal defense attorney, Vea is also the author of two previous novels, La Maravilla and The Silver Cloud Cafe. He lives in San Francisco, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
June 12, 2013
This is arguably my all time favorite book. A masterpiece due to it's warmth and ability to take the reader back in time to his childhood in the poverty of native american Arizona circa 1950's. For me there is magic in this book.
August 13, 2022
Magic realism turned up to 11. Essentially just a coming of age (from the boy Beto to the grown up Alberto) but leaving out all the things that are usually in comings-of-ages(!) and concentrating on spiritual education (mainly from his grandparents). The characterisation (esp of Abuela and Abuelo, but extending to neighbour Vernetta and all the locals), the dialogue, the sense of place and the spiritual framework are all off the scale. Easiest 5 Stars I've awarded in ages.
April 16, 2008
One of my all time favorite books
January 20, 2014
Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s beyond the fizzled out end of Buckeye Road – beyond where asphalt turns to dirt after Buckeye Road has left Phoenix – La Maravilla is a novel of the displaced fringes who congregate along this sandy road in the Arizona desert: negritos and indios, prostitutes and transvestites, Arkies and Okies, and Beto, a young boy who lives with his Mexican healer grandmother and his Yaqui Indian grandfather. Beto’s mother has abandoned him there in her quest for a shiny, new, dust-free life in California. Beto’s home at the end of Buckeye Road and his Mestizo-Yaqui-Filipino-American heritage reflect the author’s own background: Alfredo Véa, Jr., an American author with Mexican, Native American, and Filipino heritage grew up with his grandparents in in the Buckeye barrio outside of Phoenix, just as Beto does.
Peppered with Spanish and Yaqui phrases; brimming with frijoles, burritos, and an elaborate Mexican fiesta complete with sixty pounds of pork and beef that simmered all morning “with fifty cloves of garlic, ten chopped onions, cups of crushed comino and a handful of cilantro;” and populated with a Catholic Mexican curandera (healer), the Mighty Clouds of Joy Negro Church, and Huichol, Yaqui, and Tarahumara Indians who go out into the desert to fly on spirit journeys, and eat peyote, and initiate Beto into these ways as part of his manhood ceremony, La Maravilla serves a rich, flavorful, satisfying banquete of Arizona culture:
"The woman in black looked up into the high, endless sky. The skin of the hand that shaded her eyes was browned and softened by the tannins of her life."
"Neither Manuel nor Joesphina was the same person in their different languages."
"The Arkies were kind of like Mexicans, the boy felt; they could suffer and do hard work and they always fed everybody’s kids."
"Ghosts are like tumbleweeds. No one pays attention to the plant when it’s green. No one even knows what it’s called. But when it’s dead it receives a name and people who see the weeds rolling across open fields are suddenly stricken with loneliness."
"I wish I could mourn for him like those crazy Mexicanos. The bake death and eat it. They roll it in sugar and put it on sticks for the children to lick at."
I admit that there were long portions of the book that dragged for me; I admit that were I not reading this for my Andrea Reads America project, I might have abandoned the book; and I admit there were many times when I wondered where Véa was going with this, and why he inserted this scene and that character. I’m still not sure I know, and I think the book could have been distilled for more potency, but like many books that I’m not sure I like when I’m struggling through them, my mind has returned many times to La Maravilla. I loved Véa’s use of Latino and Yaqui words, how they gave the narrative an authentic feel for being among the characters. Like Two Old Women, the other book I’ve read so far by a Native American author (Alaska), La Maravilla is filled with wisdom, spirituality, and a deep respect for elders, family and sticking together as a community.
Peppered with Spanish and Yaqui phrases; brimming with frijoles, burritos, and an elaborate Mexican fiesta complete with sixty pounds of pork and beef that simmered all morning “with fifty cloves of garlic, ten chopped onions, cups of crushed comino and a handful of cilantro;” and populated with a Catholic Mexican curandera (healer), the Mighty Clouds of Joy Negro Church, and Huichol, Yaqui, and Tarahumara Indians who go out into the desert to fly on spirit journeys, and eat peyote, and initiate Beto into these ways as part of his manhood ceremony, La Maravilla serves a rich, flavorful, satisfying banquete of Arizona culture:
"The woman in black looked up into the high, endless sky. The skin of the hand that shaded her eyes was browned and softened by the tannins of her life."
"Neither Manuel nor Joesphina was the same person in their different languages."
"The Arkies were kind of like Mexicans, the boy felt; they could suffer and do hard work and they always fed everybody’s kids."
"Ghosts are like tumbleweeds. No one pays attention to the plant when it’s green. No one even knows what it’s called. But when it’s dead it receives a name and people who see the weeds rolling across open fields are suddenly stricken with loneliness."
"I wish I could mourn for him like those crazy Mexicanos. The bake death and eat it. They roll it in sugar and put it on sticks for the children to lick at."
I admit that there were long portions of the book that dragged for me; I admit that were I not reading this for my Andrea Reads America project, I might have abandoned the book; and I admit there were many times when I wondered where Véa was going with this, and why he inserted this scene and that character. I’m still not sure I know, and I think the book could have been distilled for more potency, but like many books that I’m not sure I like when I’m struggling through them, my mind has returned many times to La Maravilla. I loved Véa’s use of Latino and Yaqui words, how they gave the narrative an authentic feel for being among the characters. Like Two Old Women, the other book I’ve read so far by a Native American author (Alaska), La Maravilla is filled with wisdom, spirituality, and a deep respect for elders, family and sticking together as a community.
February 28, 2019
Addition to the review below: Wanted to add that my favorite scene, one that speaks to the center of why I love Vea so much, is the one where the old Indios are talking to the young protagonist about the multitude of ways of living in the world. They're very balanced, accepting even of cultures they don't understand. But, at the end, they say, with good humor, "but our way is best." In the midst of the depressing chaos of American politics and horrific violence damn near everywhere, I can't help but nod my head in agreement.
Magical, but not exactly magic realism, Vea's first novel immerses you in the community of Buckeye Road outside Phoenix in the 1950s (maybe early 1960s). It's a world filled with Indios, Spanish (not to be confused with Mexicans, who are also present), poor white Arkies, Chinese, transvestites, the African American congregation of the Mighty Clouds of Joy church, a Jewish survivor of the Nazi camps.....echoing with all the musics the cast implies. At the center is the loosely autobiographical character Beto, who's being raised by his Yaqui grandfather and jazz-piano loving devoutly Catholic grandmother. The narrative, which is driven as much by lyricism as conventional plot, circles in and out of time--linear, mythic, historical, relativistic.
No writer understands the possibilities of multiculturalism more deeply than Alfredo Vea. Really looking forward to his recently published fourth novel, The Mexican Flyboy.
Magical, but not exactly magic realism, Vea's first novel immerses you in the community of Buckeye Road outside Phoenix in the 1950s (maybe early 1960s). It's a world filled with Indios, Spanish (not to be confused with Mexicans, who are also present), poor white Arkies, Chinese, transvestites, the African American congregation of the Mighty Clouds of Joy church, a Jewish survivor of the Nazi camps.....echoing with all the musics the cast implies. At the center is the loosely autobiographical character Beto, who's being raised by his Yaqui grandfather and jazz-piano loving devoutly Catholic grandmother. The narrative, which is driven as much by lyricism as conventional plot, circles in and out of time--linear, mythic, historical, relativistic.
No writer understands the possibilities of multiculturalism more deeply than Alfredo Vea. Really looking forward to his recently published fourth novel, The Mexican Flyboy.
December 4, 2009
This was Vea's first novel, and what a stunning accomplishment it was. A beautifully written colorful, magical slice of American life. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the unique characters in this ragtag multi-ethnic community living on the fringe of the fringe of Phoenix during the 50s and 60s. Weaving the characters' myriad stories back and forth through time and space, Vea explores a number of themes including the emptiness of modern materialism, tensions (and perhaps similarities) between Catholicism and native religions, and the nature of love. But for me, the pimrary strength of the novel is in the characters themselves -- I won't easily forget the complicated and fascinating Spanish grandmother, Josephina, or her friend Vernetta, the white prostitute. Not to mention Boydeen, the black woman who moved in and lived under the porch of the local grocery after killing her abusive boyfriend, or the five maricones-- a trailer of male cross-dressers, and the list goes on and on. Unlike Vea's other book that I've read, Gods Go Begging, there's not a single story or event that holds everything together, but rather, the town itself, called Buckeye Road, and the relationship between Josephina, her Yacqui Indian husband, and their grandson, Beto. It's a happy, haunting, funny, tragic, sad, and colorful book. Highly recommended.
July 27, 2011
I liked the book a lot better once I finished it. Up to the end, there is a lot that is confusing which is Vea's way of writing. He messes with time throughout, and that can be kind of confusing. I read it for a class, and the professor had some good advice: read the prologue AFTER you finish the book.
September 14, 2013
Truly one of the best novels I have ever read. It is written in the magical realism style of so many Latin American writers that I love (such as Isabel Allende). Unfortunately, it was reading one of her novels that I realized I could never really be a good writer...not like that.
February 18, 2021
I often avoid leaving reviews because I don't feel qualified to make judgments. This book, though, was amazing. Confusing, provocative, soul wrenching, insightful, and at times funny. I highly recommend taking the time to try and absorb this book...and then try again.
March 24, 2024
Reading "La Maravilla" by Alfredo Véa Jr. I was both shocked and disgusted by how the author depicted and over-sexualised women in the book. Of all female characters (Josephina, Vernetta, Lola, Potrice and Sugar Dee, Wysteria Maybelle), most of them were written to satisfy male heterosexual readers, not adding anything important to the plot — such act known in feminist studies as the “male-gaze” (named by Laura Mulvey, feminist scholar). For example an almost-page-long description of Vernetta’s breasts (page 55); the author found it interesting enough to compose it into the story — yet it doesn’t serve any other function than bringing masculine excitement. Women are perceived, watched, depicted, but rarely have any agency (except of the main character, Josephina). Going into details of sucking sex-worker’s breasts or fingering her, author didn’t say anything new about the town, characters, or events which would be important for the book.
"La Maravilla" is not a single case when it comes to over-sexualising women in literature. In fact, there’s a whole pattern of doing so — and women have had enough of it. A few years ago English comedian Tiffany Stevenson wrote in a tweet: “Me writing about men like bad male authors write about women ‘He charged into the room, pert testicles bouncing gaily. I saw a scar & wondered if he’d had a vasectomy. He opened his plump lips, full of promise but annoying words came out…something about a football match’”, perfectly capturing the way women are presented in male-dominated literature. Now, coming back to Véa’s text, it’s good to compare a fragment in which Vernetta is described: “That legendary cleavage had held ballpoint pens and pinochle cards and matchsticks, whole packs of cigarettes, had swallowed silver dollars and dimes like the seat cushions of a sofa, and held the attention of every little Papago and Negrito in the neighborhood, not to mention their fathers.” It is extremely uncomfortable to read this passage as a woman, feeling this constant gaze not only on Vernetta, but on myself as well. Such a bad book.
"La Maravilla" is not a single case when it comes to over-sexualising women in literature. In fact, there’s a whole pattern of doing so — and women have had enough of it. A few years ago English comedian Tiffany Stevenson wrote in a tweet: “Me writing about men like bad male authors write about women ‘He charged into the room, pert testicles bouncing gaily. I saw a scar & wondered if he’d had a vasectomy. He opened his plump lips, full of promise but annoying words came out…something about a football match’”, perfectly capturing the way women are presented in male-dominated literature. Now, coming back to Véa’s text, it’s good to compare a fragment in which Vernetta is described: “That legendary cleavage had held ballpoint pens and pinochle cards and matchsticks, whole packs of cigarettes, had swallowed silver dollars and dimes like the seat cushions of a sofa, and held the attention of every little Papago and Negrito in the neighborhood, not to mention their fathers.” It is extremely uncomfortable to read this passage as a woman, feeling this constant gaze not only on Vernetta, but on myself as well. Such a bad book.
July 26, 2017
There wasn't anything wrong with this; I just only thought it was ok.
My favorite aspect of this book is the culture. It feels organic, accessible, and engaging. There's also quite a few standout quotes to me.
Even though I did enjoy this it was dense and flowery which made it a bit hard to get into. The chapters were also too long for me. I also didn't connect with Beto like I wished I had. I really feel like I would have enjoyed this significantly more had it been more of a YA novel.
Overall, I like the story being told, it just felt like a real commitment trying to get through this book. so much so that I ended up skimming parts because it felt like it wouldn't end
My favorite aspect of this book is the culture. It feels organic, accessible, and engaging. There's also quite a few standout quotes to me.
Even though I did enjoy this it was dense and flowery which made it a bit hard to get into. The chapters were also too long for me. I also didn't connect with Beto like I wished I had. I really feel like I would have enjoyed this significantly more had it been more of a YA novel.
Overall, I like the story being told, it just felt like a real commitment trying to get through this book.
October 10, 2022
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read
November 18, 2022
Super hard to follow as it is not a linear novel, but I really enjoyed it. Some interesting thoughts on identity and religiosity in general, and the characters are really rich.
February 25, 2016
One of my favorite books of all time. It is very multi-cultural, including Pimas, Papagos, and a Yaqui; Mexican-Americans; blacks; drag queens; mixed race couples; and if memory serves, even a Scot. It encompasses the gamut of human experience, from discrimination against folks because of whom they love, to prostitution, poverty, religion (from the traditional, Catholicism, to curanderismo, Yaqui spiritualism, and the tongue-in-cheek Protestantism of the African-American church, Clouds of Joy) and sometimes, the conflict between what we've been taught is morally correct and what our hearts want), to redemption. Loved his use of magic realism and sense of place. I've read this twice (some time ago, now, so I'm doing this from memory), but it might be time to read it again. This is a book I've given to more than one person. I had kept a copy to have in my library but gave that one away, too.
July 22, 2009
3.5+ stars, maybe even 4 stars. Something about the story is captivating. Was required reading in an American Ethnic literature course I took, but I never got around to reading it until now. The book made me cry a little at the end. I think I will appreciate it a lot more the second time around.
February 21, 2008
Somebody, please, explain to me the hypnotic effect this book seems to have on so many. I just don't see it. It is beyond slow, it is plodding. There are too many one~dimensional characters. I got two~thirds through and had enough! Hardly a marvel.
February 3, 2008
Very powerful and poetic. This book changed my life. I will no longer make presumptions of people I don't know. Everyone has a story and everyone is a miracle.
April 4, 2012
Words cannot do this justice.
June 11, 2020
The first 225 pages of this book feel like futile exposition—confusing and incomplete vignettes told through muddy chronology. That being said....the last 75 pages are absolutely exquisite. I was brought to tears at the novel’s conclusion, reminded of my own relationships to spirituality, ancestry, and kin. Occasionally, Véa’s philosophical musings can be to his own detriment. But as a very wise friend pointed out, sometimes you must come to the end of your story in order to recognize your own fear of death, and only then do you regret rushing through all that came before. I can’t help but feel that Véa might actually agree......
May 19, 2021
This is one of my favorite books. I very much enjoyed the symbolism, interesting plot, and attention to detail that the author pays in crafting the story and building characters. The story line is so fantastical and unexpected, it can only have been born out of real life experiences, as was confirmed to me when I had the chance to meet the author. I cannot say enough good things about this novel.
August 24, 2018
This is pretty much my favorite book of all time. Beautiful, personal, gritty, authentic... A gorgeous work of magical realism that draws one in on a window of the desert in a time and place on the edge... Lovelovelove it
February 4, 2020
Wow! A strange story, told in quite a different way. There is a plot, but it’s not important. What is important is the painting of two different cultures living side by side, misunderstanding, coming to resolution. I really appreciated the bits of Spanish sprinkled throughout, added colour.
September 27, 2020
I couldn't access Beto. He says very little. Being unable to access his point-of-view made me struggle with the book. The descriptions and the setting are done so well. I just couldn't find a perspective to hold onto.
December 8, 2022
This book felt inaccessible to me. I can definitely see how people from a more religious/spiritual background than me would connect to the book and enjoy it more, but this was a difficult, dragging read for me.
May 18, 2023
Beautiful, poetic, topically of vast importance. Pieces connected from start to finish and I am amazed at the way Vea creates a novel that is so perfectly imperfect, just like the characters on Buckeye Road. Amazing.
August 23, 2025
I read until page 100 or so and couldn't find one single story line.
A real "maravilla", which means miracle: a novel without a story (unless there is one later on, but I couldn't care to find out as I was too bored to go on reading).
Not for me.
A real "maravilla", which means miracle: a novel without a story (unless there is one later on, but I couldn't care to find out as I was too bored to go on reading).
Not for me.
August 25, 2025
This one was goodddd. I love magical realism and Latino literature. This book was very powerful in aspects of spirituality and finding your purpose. I think pacing was a little off for me but altogether it was a fun read! My first book by Alfredo Vea Jr. so I’m excited to read more!
April 21, 2019
My favorite Alberto Véa book, hands down, and I love all of his writing.
August 26, 2019
My favorite book. A perfect book.
November 9, 2019
A reread of a beautiful novel
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews