Historical Fiction

The Bullet Swallower

The Bullet Swallower

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  • Create Date：2024-01-25 07:22:03
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Elizabeth Gonzalez James
  • ISBN：1797169548
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Summary

A dazzling magical realism western in the vein of Cormac McCarthy meets Gabriel García Márquez， The Bullet Swallower follows a Mexican bandido as he sets off for Texas to save his family， only to encounter a mysterious figure who has come， finally， to collect a cosmic debt generation in the making。 In 1895， Antonio Sonoro is the latest in a long line of ruthless men。 He's good with his gun and is drawn to trouble but he's also out of money and out of options。 A drought has ravaged the town of Dorado， Mexico， where he lives with his wife and children， and so when he hears about a train laden with gold and other treasures， he sets off for Houston to rob it--with his younger brother Hugo in tow。 But when the heist goes awry and Hugo is killed by the Texas Rangers， Antonio finds himself launched into a quest for revenge that endangers not only his life and his family， but his eternal soul。 In 1964， Jaime Sonoro is Mexico's most renowned actor and singer。 But his comfortable life is disrupted when he discovers a book that purports to tell the entire history of his family beginning with Cain and Abel。 In its ancient pages， Jaime learns about the multitude of horrific crimes committed by his ancestors。 And when the same mysterious figure from Antonio's timeline shows up in Mexico City， Jaime realizes that he may be the one who has to pay for his ancestors' crimes， unless he can discover the true story of his grandfather Antonio， the legendary bandido El Tragabalas， The Bullet Swallower。 A family saga that's epic in scope and magical in its blood， and based loosely on the author's own great-grandfather， The Bullet Swallower tackles border politics， intergenerational trauma， and the legacies of racism and colonialism in a lush setting and stunning prose that asks who pays for the sins of our ancestors， and whether it is possible to be better than our forebears。

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Reviews

Camilo Duran ，

"The Bullet Swallower，" or "El Tragabalas，" imprisoned me within my own preconceptions。 It was a rollercoaster—I cracked it open expecting a simple cowboy-and-guns Western， not realizing it wasn't your typical linear story。Initially overwhelmed by the overly descriptive， romanticized prose， I contemplated abandoning ship。 But， it was a short book， around 250 pages， so I thought， "Why not？"Then， like magic， I found myself chained to an immersive and fantastic narrative， a story so real I question "The Bullet Swallower，" or "El Tragabalas，" imprisoned me within my own preconceptions。 It was a rollercoaster—I cracked it open expecting a simple cowboy-and-guns Western， not realizing it wasn't your typical linear story。Initially overwhelmed by the overly descriptive， romanticized prose， I contemplated abandoning ship。 But， it was a short book， around 250 pages， so I thought， "Why not？"Then， like magic， I found myself chained to an immersive and fantastic narrative， a story so real I questioned its fictionality。 I mind tricked me into believing o could see through Antonio's eyes， my heart pumping rage out of Jaime's desperation， and my nerves jumping up and down peering over my shoulder to find Remedio—it was all there。The author's note revealing the truth and fiction sent shivers down my spine。 Seriously， I can't stress enough how much I recommend this book—it's a must-read， hands down one of the best stories I've encountered！ 。。。more

Becky • bookmarked by becky ，

The Bullet Swallower may be a short book， but it packs a punch with its epic western adventure set in the unforgiving landscapes of Texas and Mexico。 The vivid imagery and magical realism elements make for an engaging read。 I particularly enjoy how Gonzalez James weaves in Mexican generational storytelling to explore themes of colonialism， racism， and generational trauma。On the surface， the book appears to be a revenge story。 However， for me， where the book shines is the junction between fate an The Bullet Swallower may be a short book， but it packs a punch with its epic western adventure set in the unforgiving landscapes of Texas and Mexico。 The vivid imagery and magical realism elements make for an engaging read。 I particularly enjoy how Gonzalez James weaves in Mexican generational storytelling to explore themes of colonialism， racism， and generational trauma。On the surface， the book appears to be a revenge story。 However， for me， where the book shines is the junction between fate and choice。 Throughout the novel， Gonzalez James raises the question of whether we must pay for the sins of our ancestors across generations。Audiobook narrator Lee Osorio gives a magnificent performance， perfectly capturing Mexican， Texan， and British accents and bringing the character of Antonio Sonoro to life。Overall， a great book worth reading。 Please read the author's note as she provides some personal history to the story。 One more piece of advice…grab a buddy reader when you start this one because the themes and subtopics are book club-worthy！ 。。。more

Jessica ，

"Pride has ruined me far more than disease，" he said， "and so I fear it has ruined you。" Wow！ I wasn't sure how I would feel about this Western （not a genre I feel any particular way about） laden with magical realism （which can be hit or miss for me）， but I loved this book！The author's great-grandfather was a bandido who escaped from a prison in Texas， survived being shot in the face by Texas Rangers （and thereby earning the nickname "The Bullet Swallower"）， and made his way home to Mexico。 Using "Pride has ruined me far more than disease，" he said， "and so I fear it has ruined you。" Wow！ I wasn't sure how I would feel about this Western （not a genre I feel any particular way about） laden with magical realism （which can be hit or miss for me）， but I loved this book！The author's great-grandfather was a bandido who escaped from a prison in Texas， survived being shot in the face by Texas Rangers （and thereby earning the nickname "The Bullet Swallower"）， and made his way home to Mexico。 Using this as a springboard， she has spun a stunning and emotional tale spanning more than a century， transporting readers to a lawless Texas-Mexico border as well as an affluent part of Mexico City， touching on issues of colonialism， racism， and more。Chapters alternate between film star Jaime Sonora and his ancestor， the eponymous bandido， Antonio Sonora。 The latter plans a train heist， hoping to steal enough riches to lift his little family out of poverty， but gaining only a personal vendetta against a trio of Texas Rangers instead。 I was completely invested in this story line - the setting was gorgeously depicted， as we blazed trails through the chaparral beneath a luminous sky。 I adored the relationship Antonio winds up forging with sharpshooter Peter Ainsley， "The Gentleman Assassin"。 The link between Antonio's story and that of his descendant， Jaime， is the shadow of retribution， a literal dark figure who is tasked with collecting souls， and the Sonoro family is deep in cosmic debt。。。[He]， for all of his faults， woke up every morning and tried to be better。 And maybe that was all there was and all there ever would be: a daily dedication to the light。 The author is a talented writer， and this story got me right in the feels。 And that cover！ An all around beautiful book。 。。。more

Ashleyj ，

DNF at 40%。 So boring

Juri ，

Rating: 3。5 starsThank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an eARC copy of The Bullet Swallower in exchange for my honest opinion。When I first delved into the pages of "The Bullet Swallower，" the amalgamation of Historical Fiction， Western， and Magical Realism intrigued me。 The prospect of blending these diverse genres seemed ambitious， and I couldn't fathom how it would unfold。The narrative unfolds through two timelines， intertwining the lives of Antonio—El Tragabalas， the Bulle Rating: 3。5 starsThank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an eARC copy of The Bullet Swallower in exchange for my honest opinion。When I first delved into the pages of "The Bullet Swallower，" the amalgamation of Historical Fiction， Western， and Magical Realism intrigued me。 The prospect of blending these diverse genres seemed ambitious， and I couldn't fathom how it would unfold。The narrative unfolds through two timelines， intertwining the lives of Antonio—El Tragabalas， the Bullet Swallower—and Jaime， Mexico's esteemed actor and singer， who seeks a connection to his ancestry。 Despite Western narratives not being my preferred genre， I found myself pleasantly surprised by the book's enjoyability。 One notable aspect is the careful handling of violence—never overly graphic， striking a balance that allows readers to engage with the themes without being overwhelmed。However， what truly sets this novel apart is its unexpected philosophical depth。 The book， at its core， evolves into an exploration of existentialism。 Antonio， the Bullet Swallower， emerges as a captivating embodiment of human existence。 The narrative deftly portrays his character， showcasing the complexities of the human experience。 Even the supposed "villains，" Fish and Casoose， defy conventional expectations。 Neither wholly good nor irredeemably evil， they mirror the inherent flaws， fickleness， and mortality that define humanity。The strength of the narrative lies in its ability to blur the lines between right and wrong， challenging readers to confront the shades of gray within each character。 It prompts introspection， urging us to acknowledge the shared humanity that unites even the most divergent lives。 The conclusion， powerful and poignant， left me deeply moved。 The resonating message， "No one is too wicked for grace，" echoes long after the final page is turned。In "The Bullet Swallower，" Gonzalez James crafts a tale that transcends its genres， weaving a thought-provoking exploration of time， existence， and the universal struggle for grace。 It's a journey that surprises， challenges， and ultimately leaves a lasting impression on the reader's soul。 。。。more

Carla ，

（Thanks to @simonbooks for the #gifted copy of this book。）THE BULLET SWALLOWER by Elizabeth Gonzalez James is a book with much to discuss as Susie from @novelvisits and I found last week when text messages were flying back and forth！ Today we’re going to try a joint review from the two of us！ This one gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 from us！At first， this seems like the most unlikely story to love: a western that involves a touch of magical realism， two things that don’t have any sort of obvious connection and o （Thanks to @simonbooks for the #gifted copy of this book。）THE BULLET SWALLOWER by Elizabeth Gonzalez James is a book with much to discuss as Susie from @novelvisits and I found last week when text messages were flying back and forth！ Today we’re going to try a joint review from the two of us！ This one gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 from us！At first， this seems like the most unlikely story to love: a western that involves a touch of magical realism， two things that don’t have any sort of obvious connection and often scare readers off。 But， within this magical western there is so much more。 From two different times， 1895 and 1964， we get the story of the Sonoro family， a family of men both feared and haunted。Carla 1895: The first timeline gives the background story of the Sonoro family and how they came to carry a generational curse。 It’s a complicated past that Antonio keeps trying to outrun， and while seeking revenge， he also comes to realize the importance of his family and home。 He vows to be a better person， but when he returns home， all he’s fought for is now gone。 Antonio’s transformation was my favorite part of the book; his development captured my heart， along with his witty and quirky demeanor。 Susie 1964: The second timeline features Jaime， a “singing actor” much beloved in Mexico。 Into Jaime’s possession comes a book that tells a dark history of his family， a history Jaime knew nothing of。 He’s terrified， ashamed and haunted by what he reads， and he can’t let it go。 Jaime needs to know if somehow he’s inherited the sins of his forefathers。 I loved Jaime’s quest to understand the evils of his family and his determination to bring their story into the light。The Bullet Swallower explores generational curses， racism， and colonialism。 Through powerful storytelling， and characters with memorable growth， this fairly short novel provides much to discuss！ Set against the brilliant Southwestern backdrop of the Mexico/Texas border， this book was a true delight！ 。。。more

Gabbi Levy ，

On its surface， The Bullet Swallower is the tale of two men: Antonio Sonoro， a bandito in the 1890s Dorado， Mexico who goes on the run - and then for revenge - after an attempted train robbery in Texas goes disastrously wrong and puts him in the crosshairs of the Texas Rangers; and Jaime Sonoro， his grandson， a movie star in 1960’s Mexico City， who is given a strange old book detailing the long and very evil past of the Sonoro family。Peel back the surface of this slim but blood-soaked tale， thou On its surface， The Bullet Swallower is the tale of two men: Antonio Sonoro， a bandito in the 1890s Dorado， Mexico who goes on the run - and then for revenge - after an attempted train robbery in Texas goes disastrously wrong and puts him in the crosshairs of the Texas Rangers; and Jaime Sonoro， his grandson， a movie star in 1960’s Mexico City， who is given a strange old book detailing the long and very evil past of the Sonoro family。Peel back the surface of this slim but blood-soaked tale， though， and Elizabeth Gonzalez James has turned a legend from her own family’s past into an exploration （with all the gentleness of a melon-baller to the flesh） of human nature。 Why do men throw away the things that bring them happiness， and stability， for adventure， money， glory？ Is the cost （often， quite literally， one’s soul） worth the spoils？ Restless and pushed to make reckless choices by a years-long drought， Antonio decides to go after a train filled with expensive goods。 He ignores the steep risks， bad omens and the refusal of anyone else who might normally take part in such a scheme and presses ahead， with only his pious adopted younger brother Hugo along。 When it inevitably goes wrong， the deadly ripple effects leave carnage in their wake。 Many innocents suffer for Antonio’s hubris。 Evil is in the Sonoro nature， it seems。 With a dash of magical realism （Fate， or perhaps the Grim Reaper personified by a shadow named Remidio）， the swagger of a Western， swirled up in the politics of race and the US-Mexico border， The Bullet Swallower is compelling。 I sometimes felt like I was reading it through my fingers （I’ll admit I’m a bit squeamish）， but it was worth not looking away。Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Alyson Moya ，

I’m crying？ Really？I feel bad for the readers that didn’t get it because I enjoyed reading this from beginning to end。 It made me slow down and take my time to appreciate what I was reading， which did test me a bit。 I wonder if that was the point…。This novel takes you on a multi- timeline journey of a family’s greed and revenge and what’s done to satisfy it。 Even then， are they truly satisfied？BRAVA

Krista ，

What a wild ride！ With badass banditos， cowboy cantinas， train robberies， desert shootouts， and a familial curse， this story is a page turner。 Interested in southwest history and culture， I was immediately drawn to the book’s synopsis。 And through outstanding storytelling， James exceeded my expectations of an interesting tale。James’s characters are well-developed and the story is compelling， so I found this book to be unputdownable。 Based loosely on her own family’s story， the author did an amaz What a wild ride！ With badass banditos， cowboy cantinas， train robberies， desert shootouts， and a familial curse， this story is a page turner。 Interested in southwest history and culture， I was immediately drawn to the book’s synopsis。 And through outstanding storytelling， James exceeded my expectations of an interesting tale。James’s characters are well-developed and the story is compelling， so I found this book to be unputdownable。 Based loosely on her own family’s story， the author did an amazing job of weaving border history with enough fiction and magic to craft a riveting tale。 If westerns are due for a comeback， I think this book would make a fantastic movie！ 。。。more

Carol ，

BOTM

Blake Dishotel ，

This is everything I wanted in a western book。 Thank you so much Elizabeth for writing this masterpiece。

Shelley ，

This was almost a DNF for me。 The book got off to a slow start and I slogged through the first 50 pages。 However by midway I was hooked and really enjoyed it。

Faith Shirley ，

A western story within the newly formed Texas/Mexico border- full of folklore and shootouts and a little bit of mystical realism。 The Bullet Swallower follows two sides of the same coin within the family as they prove Death wrong- creating good from evil， and luck from pain。 This book was written from true characters and true folklore and the author pieced this all together with a spin of mystic in the perfect way。 Another BOTM win！

Jo El ，

I chose this as my 'book of the month' but gave up 47 pages in。 The reviews are all so awesome so I am not sure if I should stick with it。 However， the characters just aren't likeable enough for me to invest in them。 I chose this as my 'book of the month' but gave up 47 pages in。 The reviews are all so awesome so I am not sure if I should stick with it。 However， the characters just aren't likeable enough for me to invest in them。 。。。more

Canyon Zody ，

Confused as to the “purpose” of the book and the overall plot for the majority but followed through and ended up enjoying how it ended。 Sorta missed the “magic” that it’s described as having but I guess thats my fault for mainly reading pure fantasy books。 Worth reading。 Would recommend for something simple and different。

eri dawn ，

magical realism western？！？！？！？！ yes。 the visuals the language gave were stunning and exactly what I hoped for from a western。I wish it was a little faster paced at times。 I finished it and my eyes had little prickly tears oohh

Michelle ，

4。5 ⭐️ rounded up！ Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review 🤠 What an adventure！ The Bullet Swallower is a Western magical realism about a bandito traveling between Mexico and Texas in the 1890s， coupled with the story of his movie star grandson in the 1960s。 There’s everything you expect in a Western， plus a little magic and emotional reflection。 I was also so excited to learn that this is based on the authors real grandfather！ Stories like these that 4。5 ⭐️ rounded up！ Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review 🤠 What an adventure！ The Bullet Swallower is a Western magical realism about a bandito traveling between Mexico and Texas in the 1890s， coupled with the story of his movie star grandson in the 1960s。 There’s everything you expect in a Western， plus a little magic and emotional reflection。 I was also so excited to learn that this is based on the authors real grandfather！ Stories like these that are based in reality are just become even more special IMO。 The only caveat is that although this book is less than 300 pages… they were the longest 300 pages ever 😂 I totally expected to finish this in a day or two， and it took me much longer！ 。。。more

Noah ，

I couldn't get into it until about halfway through。 It’s one of those。 So this requires a commitment by the reader and once the Sonoro legacy is reached， it becomes easier。 I recommend for a reader with patience。 I couldn't get into it until about halfway through。 It’s one of those。 So this requires a commitment by the reader and once the Sonoro legacy is reached， it becomes easier。 I recommend for a reader with patience。 。。。more

Stephanie ，

3。5 stars

The erbs ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I really enjoyed this book， although the theological/mythical/ontological （I’m not sure exactly what category they fall into） questions had implied answers that didn’t make much sense。 In other words， I’m not entirely sure how the story related to good and evil in the world or the demands of cosmic justice。 I understand that Antonio chose to go to hell in the end， but I don’t understand how that paid his family’s debt and I don’t understand how the Sonoros ended up being symbolic of all the evil I really enjoyed this book， although the theological/mythical/ontological （I’m not sure exactly what category they fall into） questions had implied answers that didn’t make much sense。 In other words， I’m not entirely sure how the story related to good and evil in the world or the demands of cosmic justice。 I understand that Antonio chose to go to hell in the end， but I don’t understand how that paid his family’s debt and I don’t understand how the Sonoros ended up being symbolic of all the evil in the world。 In other words， the philosophical structure underlying this work was shaky at best。 But if you don’t think too much about that， it’s a very entertaining story that only occasionally dragged （mostly in the parts about Jaime）。 。。。more

Anita Schoenmaker ，

𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔Antonio’s family lost their fortune and the drought makes it impossible to provide for his family。 When he learns a train loaded with treasures will head to Texas he decides to rob the train。 His brother Hugo joins him and gets killed， and Antonio is left shot in the head。 After being taken care of by a sweet lady and her son he goes on a quest for revenge。 Many years later his grandson is given a book about their family， and after reading it he starts to understand his ancestors w 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔Antonio’s family lost their fortune and the drought makes it impossible to provide for his family。 When he learns a train loaded with treasures will head to Texas he decides to rob the train。 His brother Hugo joins him and gets killed， and Antonio is left shot in the head。 After being taken care of by a sweet lady and her son he goes on a quest for revenge。 Many years later his grandson is given a book about their family， and after reading it he starts to understand his ancestors were aggressive， criminal men。 When the “shadow” he read about also enters his life， he understands that someone in their family has to pay for their past…。 𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔Such an original story， I absolutely loved it！ The story goes back and forth in time and makes you realize bit by bit not everything is black or white。 The main character Antonio seems like a cruel bandit at first but he’s changing bit by bit and also tries to do what it takes to provide for his family。 His grandson Jaime seems be the loving family man and successful actor， while he mostly just does what he wants without thinking of others。 When he receives a book about his ancestors he also gets in contact with a mysterious man named Remedio。 When he realizes who he is he does everything he can to protect his family。 Be sure to read the author’s note at the end！ Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this great novel and happy pub day Elizabeth！ 。。。more

Colleen ，

“I couldn’t make him do anything bad， and I like my character to do bad things。”Was not expecting to love a western， but decided to give it a try because it’s a relatively short book。 I loved everything about it。 The author’s writing style， the character development， the different times， the description of the setting。 I love the touch of magical realism without being ridiculous。I’m glad the author included a passage at the end about the truth behind the story。 I found it rather interesting。

Allyson ，

3。5 Check out my review on readswithally on instagram

Brett ，

This was great。 An Odyssey-like story about choices， revenge， and redemption。

Priscilla | Books Imperfect Condition ，

Many thanks to @SimonBooks #SimonBooksBuddy for sending me this free book before it released！ First off， the literal feel of this book cover is gritty almost like sandpaper and I’d easily compare the story to that… true grit and I loved it！The author blends myth and memories into an action packed， gothic， mystical story that takes place in Mexico and Texas。 Told in dual timelines the reader is left not knowing what is fact or fiction and it kept me intrigued from exposition to resolution。 Elizab Many thanks to @SimonBooks #SimonBooksBuddy for sending me this free book before it released！ First off， the literal feel of this book cover is gritty almost like sandpaper and I’d easily compare the story to that… true grit and I loved it！The author blends myth and memories into an action packed， gothic， mystical story that takes place in Mexico and Texas。 Told in dual timelines the reader is left not knowing what is fact or fiction and it kept me intrigued from exposition to resolution。 Elizabeth is a master story teller， her words awoke a curiosity in me that I didn’t know was there。 I now have the sudden urge to delve deep into my family history。 As a Latina， native to Corpus Christi I was especially fascinated to read the portions of the book that referenced my hometown。 I was delighted to learn that Elizabeth is also native to South Texas and the story is loosely based on her great grandfather， Antonio Gonzalez， 𝙀𝙇 𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙂𝘼𝘽𝘼𝙇𝘼𝙎 𝙤𝙧 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙐𝙇𝙇𝙀𝙏 𝙎𝙒𝘼𝙇𝙇𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍 ！ 。。。more

Kathleen ，

4 stars。 Such a unique and completely different type of book than what I usually read。 Slow start at first but the pace picks up and you really feel like you’re in that place and time inside the story。 I loved the character of Peter Ainsley - thought it added humor as well。 Full of magical realism and the writing was exceptional。

Damien Roberts ，

Every now and then @bookofthemonth really goes left of center with their selections and usually it’s for the better。This is 100% one of those moments。 The Bullet Swallower jumps back and forth between Antonio in 1895 and Jaime in 1964。 Very quickly we know these two men are related in some way and the story is building to…well， something。 In all honesty the Antonio parts are where most of the fun is and really focuses in on the western portions of this book， but Jamie’s chapters are necessary fo Every now and then @bookofthemonth really goes left of center with their selections and usually it’s for the better。This is 100% one of those moments。 The Bullet Swallower jumps back and forth between Antonio in 1895 and Jaime in 1964。 Very quickly we know these two men are related in some way and the story is building to…well， something。 In all honesty the Antonio parts are where most of the fun is and really focuses in on the western portions of this book， but Jamie’s chapters are necessary for moving the plot as well。But really the wins here come from the writing and the questions the story poses about ancestry and race。 。。。more

Rachel Falkner ，

I was going to read this book from the title alone no matter what it was about。 I’m glad I did！ I hated what Antonio had done， and while wishing for him to learn from his past， I also wanted Karma by the name of Remedio to come for him。 I was not expecting a heart warming ending to this story， but I’m happy that’s what I got。 I can already tell this will be a book that I think about often for a long time。

Ryesa ，

Thank you Elizabeth Gonzalez James， Simon & Schuster， and NetGalley for the review copy！In 1895， Antonio Sonoro travels to Houston， Texas to rob a train filled with treasures and gold with his brother Hugo。 When Texas Rangers kill Hugo and thwart the heist， Antonio sets off to avenge his brother’s death and save his family’s future back in Dorado， Mexico。 In 1964， Antonio’s grandson， Jaime Sonoro， is a beloved movie star and singer who finds his life turned upside down when he discovers a book d Thank you Elizabeth Gonzalez James， Simon & Schuster， and NetGalley for the review copy！In 1895， Antonio Sonoro travels to Houston， Texas to rob a train filled with treasures and gold with his brother Hugo。 When Texas Rangers kill Hugo and thwart the heist， Antonio sets off to avenge his brother’s death and save his family’s future back in Dorado， Mexico。 In 1964， Antonio’s grandson， Jaime Sonoro， is a beloved movie star and singer who finds his life turned upside down when he discovers a book detailing the Sonoro’s bloodline and the horrific cosmic debt that follows him。 Both narratives collide in The Bullet Swallower as Elizabeth Gonzalez James tackles border politics， family ties， and identity while addressing the question of who pays for our ancestors’ sins。The prose was absolutely stunning in this book！ The landscape was so vibrant and lively， and James asks such hard-hitting questions of mortality and sin in such a beautiful way。 The author weaves in these fantastical elements with death and witchcraft through Cielita and Remedio’s presences that I really loved。 The book was also a great balance of fast-paced action with the shootout scenes and the slower deliberations of recovery in Cielita and Jaime’s homes。 I also found the characters to be rich and jumping off the page。 I also enjoyed how animals had such a deep presence in the plot and meaning of the story， as if they were spiritual guides in Antonio’s journey。 The author did an incredible job incorporating various mediums like music， literature， and Jaime’s book itself; it made the stories weave together quite nicely。 The ending did move me emotionally because of Antonio’s sacrifice in breaking the family curse。 Overall， this book was so rich and full of life， and I would definitely recommend it to everyone looking for a fantastic read！ 。。。more

Andie Wearden ，

Well written， but it feels like…the author doesn’t read or like westerns。 Which is kind of a weird position to be writing a western from。 Overarching themes were cool， and story was good。 Just noted。

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Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Bullet Swallower

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Bullet Swallower&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Bullet Swallower&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0