3CS Book Club CDA discussion

I thought the teenage daughters who became giggly and secretive about their boyfriends (and were almost rude to their mother Beatriz) were pretty typical.

Agree. I guess mother/daughter relationships haven't changed much over the years. ;-) But, the sheltered life they led, i.e., Dad had them sent to stay with relatives so they wouldn't be in danger at their home, but Simonopio was not set away, showed the era they lived in.

Beatriz, although of a different time and culture, could be a neighbor. She clings to traditions, to domestic schedules, to expectations, to memories, to her children and grandchildren. She can be strong as nails in crisis, she can bury herself in mourning, and yet she can take the reins with foresight and logic, just like her husband had, once she's a single parent.
With Segovia’s wonderful development of Beatriz, I appreciated this character’s arc. I was drawn into this daughter-wife-mother-grandmother’s intense love, and her unbearable grief.

I must say, the least contemporary character, in one regard, was Nana Reja. A constant wet nurse, tending 20 + children over the years!
Nevertheless, descriptions of her in her old age, spending the day in her chair "just being," rings true even today.

I love this woman, Nana Reja! What strength and commitment she had that is now represented by the strong wood of her chair, which she resembles. For her to raise Simonopio to be such a loving, caring, and intuitive person speaks volumes about her. I can't get Simonopio out of my head....the sign of a good book to me.

Colleen wrote: "I love this woman, Nana Reja! What strength and commitment she had that is now represented by the strong wood of her chair, which she resembles. For her to raise Simonopio to be such a loving, cari..."

Well said, I agree with you. I keep thinking about the wisdom of this book, perhaps it is unintentional on the author's part, but I find Simonopio a metaphor, a way to look at man's relationship to the bees, or more broadly nature.