Review: Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

Wow! What an incredibly moving and touching story. Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras delivers a vivid, profoundly engrossing coming of age story that is told through two young girls who couldn't be more different, yet, they share a connection that is unheard of given the circumstances
Fruit of the Drunken Tree begins with the primary narrator, Chula, studying a photo of a young girl she once knew in Bogota. Chula and her family live a relatively comfortable life behind the walls and gates that protect them from the violence that ravages through Colombia. Chula recounts the time that Petrona, the other narrator, is hired to work in her home as a housekeeper. 

Petrona, although a little older than Chula, lives in a village that's been pillaged by the local guerillas. The burden of supporting her family rest on her young shoulders and it's heartbreaking.

Actually... much of this story is heartbreaking. Although Contreras writing is poetic, I couldn't stop feeling anxious for both Petrona and Chula as they navigated through the circumstances of their lives. Chula, so naive, so wholesome, so loving resonates with the reader. Although the narrator is obviously an older her recounting a definitive time in her past, there's still an innocence that contrasts remarkably from the stories backdrop.

Seriously Colombia was scary as fuck. 

Listen, I understand I'm not actually doing this read any justice with my layman's review. I can only say that I began reading this title not sure what to expect, nor sure I even wanted to commit to it. Before long, I couldn't tear myself away from Chula and Petrona's story. Both forced to make choices that would forever alter who they are. 

And to top it off, Ingrid Rojas Contreras discloses in the Afterword what parts of the novel were based on true events that happened in her life. And I couldn't help but kick myself for being just another dumb American who never once even considered learning more about Colombia. I just let it be the cocaine capital. I never once considered the people who lived in this hell. People who were forced to continue living even with the threat of kidnappings, or random bombings, the constant death, and with nobody trustworthy to run to since the police were as corrupt as the rapists or murderers.

Fruit of the Drunken Tree is a worthwhile read that I enjoyed thoroughly. This coming of age story of two girls who dealt with the pieces of their lives. Some agreeable and others not so agreeable. These instances ultimately teach them that life goes on and what once was no longer can be. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. ****

Copy provided by Doubleday Books via Netgalley