Shame the Stars
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- 7,99 €
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- 7,99 €
Publisher Description
Eighteen-year-old Joaquín del Toro’s future looks bright. With his older brother in the priesthood, he’s set to inherit his family’s Texas ranch. He’s in love with Dulceña—and she’s in love with him. But it’s 1915, and trouble has been brewing along the US-Mexico border. On one side, the Mexican Revolution is taking hold; on the other, Texas Rangers fight Tejano insurgents, and ordinary citizens are caught in the middle.
As tensions grow, Joaquín is torn away from Dulceña, whose father’s critical reporting on the Rangers in the local newspaper has driven a wedge between their families. Joaquín’s own father insists that the Rangers are their friends, and refuses to take sides in the conflict. But when their family ranch becomes a target, Joaquín must decide how he will stand up for what’s right.
Shame the Stars is a rich reimagining of Romeo and Juliet set in Texas during the explosive years of Mexico’s revolution. Filled with period detail, captivating romance, and political intrigue, it brings Shakespeare’s classic to life in an entirely new way.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
McCall's (Summer of the Mariposas) complex historical novel explores a seldom-covered era: the struggle between American-born Mexicans (Tejanos) and white Americans in border towns during the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century. Narrated by 18-year-old Tejano Joaqu n del Toro, a secret poet impassioned both by his love for 18-year-old Dulce a Villa and his strong sense of justice, the book covers three-and-a-half bloody years in the small Texas town of Monteseco in graphic detail. Initially torn apart by their fathers' opposing stances on dealing with the corrupt Rangers who rule the town, Joaqu n and Dulce a are set up as Romeo and Juliet figures, but startling revelations bring the families to work for the same side. Sophisticated readers will appreciate the intricate political and ethical questions raised, as well as their relevance to contemporary border issues. McCall's depiction of two important female characters, who stand out for their strength and grace in an otherwise staunchly traditional and often hot-headed male hierarchy, is especially compelling. A character list helps readers track the extensive cast, primary-source newspaper clippings appear throughout, and back matter includes a glossary, historical background, and reading suggestions. Ages 12 up.
