The Music of Pedro

by Reb Cuevas, Sergio Pizano, Jared Cuevas (Illustrator)

Pedro Arriaga was always one to fluster the expectations of the people of Pivámoc. For his mother, he was meant to be a fair-featured girl; yet there he was, a boy with long black hair, cocoa skin, and gentle manners. For his father, he was meant to be a priest; yet he barely goes to church. For the town bully, he was meant to cower in awe and fear of Alejandro’s machismo; yet Pedro defies him. And for the exquisitely beautiful Catholic nun, Sister Margarita, he was meant to only ever be a student. So why can’t she stop thinking about him? Set in 1923 in a small town in Mexico, The Music of Pedro is a captivating from the soaring crescendos of success and love to the darkest notes of cruelty, tragedy, and murder, this stunning glimpse into the nature of humanity resonates with the soul.

Genres: Historical Fiction

581 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2019

Reviews

[LoveVickyHolt LoveVickyHolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite prose telling the story of Pedro, raised by his single scholar mother to become a renaissance man, and the woman he fell in love with. The characterization was so well done, they became real to me. Granted, many of the characters were inspired by real people, but the story was beautifully portrayed. The senses were enveloped by the sights, sounds and smells of a tiny town in Jalisco, Mexico. Again and again, the authors' writing reminded me of the full-bodied and rich storytelling of Isabel Allende, and fans of hers will devour this novel. Told in omniscient third person, this older style of writing threw me a little while also reminding me of the novel greats from the past who often used this perspective. The general feel of the book is immersive historical romance, but it reads like a memoir. A delight to lose oneself in with every loose end tied up in a neat bow, and many profound truths taught in a thoughtful way. A very enjoyable read, and a treasure to include in my personal library.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It's beautifully written, poetic at times. The story is compelling, and even though there is a full cast of characters, all of them were incredibly fleshed out and felt real. I loved learning more about Pivamoc in Mexico and the culture there. I felt like there was a little bit of slice of life writing, which I love. Illustrations were also beautiful. I would recommend this book to everyone I know!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the 1930's to 40's, this book gave me insight into life in small-town Mexico during this period. From the beginning, I was drawn in to the lives of the family Arriaga family and their unique relationships. I really enjoyed that each character was so drawn so completely and thoughtfully, no cardboard cutouts here!