Arrived some time in the last 7 - 10 days, while I was out of town, from Better World Books.

What a lovely novel! I enjoyed it all the way through.

It is a story of Los Angeles by someone who understands this city. It is about Araceli, the Mexican maid with an unusual artistic talent. It is about the couple who employ Araceli - Maureen and Scott, privileged, progressive, ambitious. Mostly Araceli, though. And she is a joy as a main character.

Araceli is a hard-working determined maid who knows how to cook, clean, and keep ants out of the house. She also feels no need to hide her feelings and therefore earns a reputation for being disapproving much of the time. She doesn't complain about her work but she doesn't pretend it's her life's ambition either. A large intelligent woman from near Mexico City, she can be imposing and direct.

We follow Araceli after Maureen and Scott have a big fight over money and in some confusion leave the house separately, with Araceli and the two boys left behind. How she manages and what adventures await I will not divulge here. Suffice to say I loved the largeness of the story, with its many mini-biographies and its accurate descriptions of Los Angeles over the years, and especially the largeness of Araceli herself.

I so loved this. I hope it finds another enthusiastic reader or two.

reserved for bookstogive's general lit book box.

I took out of the general lit box some time ago but forgot to journal it.