Setting is Mexico City where James Sonoro a famous actor finds out about his notorious criminal ancestors from 1895. He embarks on a journey of discovery to find out about his grandfather Antonio Sonoro.

Not to give anything away, I recommend reading this book to follow the journey and history of the Bandido.

This book was a vibrant read for me in which I thoroughly enjoyed and with the description of the characters so vivid which is important to me reading a book.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Bullet Swallower is a reimagined, magical Western, told in two time frames (Antonio, in the 1890s, the bullet swallower of the title, who is seeking fortune and revenge, and Jaime, a Mexican film star in the 1960s who is seeking to understand his family's story), and eventually their stories converge. (It takes a while.). There are a lot of gun fights (the violence level of this book should definitely be noted). But it's also a story about who controls the story (even the main characters do not get to decide what other people will call them, as their public selves as El Traba): the Texan Rangers who are hunting Antonio down, the mysterious Remedio who appears in both their stories, or the curse of the Sonoro family name, and I found this element especially satisfying. The novel is being marketed as magical realism, and there are some supernatural elements, but it feels more haunted to me, and both readers who enjoy full-blown magical realism and those who are simply seeking a reimagined Western from a more complicated perspective will enjoy this novel.

Thanks to the publisher, the author, and Netgalley for my earc. My opinions are all my own.

Book Review: The Bullet Swallower
by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I love a classic Mexican Western, epic in scope, with a dab of myth and a sprinkling of magical realism. The Bullet Swallower is all that and more.

In 1895, Antonio Sonoro’s town of Dorado, Mexico, once a thriving mining town, is ravaged by drought. His wife and children are going hungry and he’s tired of seeing that disappointed look in his wife Jesusa’s eyes. Over a deadly game of cards, Antonio hears about a train ladened with gold and untold treasures. He decides to rob the train along with his younger brother Hugo. Antonio’s plan fails miserably, and his brother is killed by Texas Rangers. Fueled by guilt and wrath, he sets off on an epic journey to avenge his brother’s death. Along the way, the bandito, Antonio Sonoro, earns the name El Tragabalas (The Bullet Swallower) and becomes a legend in his own time.

Mexico City, 1964, Jaime Sonoro is named one of Mexico’s highest-grossing stars. Jaime is in his study reading the trades, when he is visited by a rare-books dealer. She hands him a package claiming that it is the story of his family beginning with Cain and Abel. Jaime is both revolted and entranced as he learns that he is descended from generations of unscrupulous and ruthless men. Jaime questions whether his family is cursed, if he is fated to follow in his ancestors’ footsteps, and whether it is possible to be better than your predecessors. Meanwhile, his father warns him that it is dangerous to stir up the past. Is it? Or is it necessary to look to the past in order to right the sins of the fathers?

The Bullet Swallower is a beautifully written, sprawling family saga that examines themes of colonialism, racism, border politics, intergenerational trauma, legacy and freedom. Inspired by the author’s great-grandfather, the author states the events in the novel are “mostly” true. Be sure to read the author’s note to learn more.

Many thanks to the author @UneFemmeJames, @SimonAndSchuster and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this galley completely based on the cover and blurb. I knew nothing going in and really enjoyed this read. It gave me some Silvia Moreno-Garcia vibes , which if you know me is very high praise. The magical realism elements, especially, reminded me of her style. I liked the dual timelines about Antonio, the bandit, and his grandson, Jaime, the actor. It was violent in places which I struggled with as a sensitive reader, but for the most part it was manageable. I would be aware that there is a lot of death and some of it is particularly vicious. I liked the way the book explored what it means to be evil or be good. I also liked reading a book that took place predominantly in Mexico, as that is not a setting I read enough of. Don't miss the author's note on this book as it was really cool to read about the real life stories that inspired Elizabeth Gonzalez James.

The bullet swallower is an imaginative and original western mixed with magical realism. We follow the sonoros family across two timelines-the 1800s and the 1960s. We follow two brothers in the 1800s in a story similar to Cain and able-and in the 1960s we follow the grandson of one of the brothers, a movie star who is trying to get a movie sold about his family. The story follows themes of temptation, family, paying for the sins of our fathers-all set across a western tale and deals with the devil. I found this to be a unique tale and one that will please many readers! It is a fun and fast read, with themes that are deeper and heavier than the plot appears on the surface.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the arc via the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this delightful eARC.

A wonderful magical book that is destined to be a classic, a modern day Don Quixote that deserves to be required reading in any creative writing course.

I cannot describe just how special and well-crafted this novel is, I am planning on buying a copy for all my family members and friends.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Thank you to @simon.books for my ARC of this one! This was outside of my comfort zone and very unlike the books I usually read. It took me maybe 40 pages to get into, but once I hit that point I was very invested and couldn’t stop reading. It felt like an escape to a world in which I knew very little about. Antonio is an anti-hero who commits violent acts that have intentions misunderstood by the public. I rooted for him and his family and wanted him to get home safely, and by the end of his character arc, I viewed him as a good man. The imagery throughout was beautiful and kept me reading. I could picture vividly what was happening and how Antonio felt as he saw and endured great suffering. There was no shortage of action and blood shed, but there was also emotion and hopeful moments of redemption. Also, how cool is it that this is based on the author’s own family? The Bullet Swallower hits shelves officially 1/24 and was also an option for Book of the Month! If you are looking for a change of pace or a book to branch out to new genres, this would be a great one to pick up.

One-sentence summary: A generally bad man makes generally bad choices with generally terrible consequences, but does learn important lessons along the way while generations later his progeny must also sift through the aforementioned consequences and make choices of their own.

It started a little slow, exacerbated by the fact that our main character, Antonio, the Bullet Swallower, was difficult to like. I do struggle with an unlikeable main character. As his journey progressed, and especially once we met his British frenemy who was funny and lovable, I was invested. I wanted to see how things turned out, how they got out of each seemingly inescapable predicament, and I did care about Antonio’s quest for vengeance. The chapters set in the ‘60s were compelling with likable descendants who were haunted, literally, by Antonio’s legacy and struggling to leave their own.

Rating: A 2-star start combined with a few 4-star characters and some crazy, fun action and magical realism equals a solid 3 stars from me. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this exceptional novel from Netgalley, author Elizabeth Gonzalez James, and publisher Simon & Schuster. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Bullet Swallower of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Elizabeth Gonzalez James to friends and family. She writes from the heart about people we 'know'.

This story, based on 70 years of the history of the Sonoro family from 1895 through the 1960s, is a look through times, personal trials, and interactions that make our borderland history our own. It is the story of family, international dependence, and life in the southwestern US and Mexico, how it melds, how it sizzles. As a New Mexico resident for most of my 75 years, living an hour from the Mexican border at El Paso, this story resonates with me like a blues ballad. I can't recommend it highly enough with just the option of five stars.

Thank you to Elizabeth Gonzalez James, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for pre-approving me to receive an electrical Advanced Review Copy of The Bullet Swallower. All opinions mentioned in this review are my own.

Wow! What a phenomenal read.

In the Mexican, Western Homeric story, "The Bullet Swallower," Elizabeth Gonzalez James masterfully entwines two timelines to tell the captivating saga of Antonio Sonoro's transformation into the legendary bandido El Tragabalas, and the story his grandson, Jaime Sonoro, Mexico’s most renowned actor and singer shares with the world. The novel delves deep into themes of fate, identity, and love, while maintaining a poignant commentary on intergenerational trauma amidst broader issues of colonialism, border politics, and racism. Skillfully blending magical realism with historical fiction, the narrative craftsmanship vividly brings the characters and landscapes to life, making "The Bullet Swallower" not only an enjoyable read but a journey into a skillfully crafted world where magic and history intertwine in extraordinary ways.

The whole time I was reading, I couldn’t help but compare Gonzalez James’s writing prose with that of other Great American authors - Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Hemingway. I would not be surprised if “The Bullet Swallower” finds itself on AP Lit Syllabuses in the near future.

Review will post to duffRUNStough.com on Monday, January 22nd. Just in time for it’s publication date!

The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James is unlike any book you might read this year. It is a magical realism western with big characters.

" It's 1895 and the ruthless Antonio Sonoro heads to Texas with his brother for one big heist to save his family. It goes horribly wrong and Hugo is killed by the Texas Rangers. Now Antonio is dead-set on revenge.
In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is one of Mexico's leading actors and singers. He receives a book that supposedly tells his family's long, bloody history. When a mysterious man from the book shows up on his doorstep, Jaime wonders if he'll be the one to pay for family's crimes."

James puts you right in the middle of the conflict between the Texas Rangers and anyone they don't like. The side of right and good is often blurry. Much of the time you feel sympathy for Antonio even though you know he's not really a nice man. You feel for Jaime, especially if there's some dark history in your own family. "Why do I have to pay for their sins?" The movie he makes has some surprising parts that show up.

Read the author notes at the end. It's interesting how her family story fits into this. Good story from James.

I need to start off with saying that westerns are not in general my favorite, but I really love magical realism and this book was both so I had no idea how I would find this book when I started. In the beginning I wasn’t sure I would like it, but as this story developed I really began to enjoy it. I liked the adventure but I really loved the exploration of family history and how it played into the character development. I also really liked the magical realism part and thought that really added a lot to the story. Jamie is given a book and despite it having a nasty smell it is about his family history and he can’t help but read it. The more he reads the more he understands why his father always refused to talk about his family’s history.

At the start of the very first paragraph of the prologue of this book, we are introduced to Alferez Antonio Sonoro, and my initial gut reaction went straight to the Lone Ranger even though The Lone Ranger was actually based on Bass Reeves and this book takes place in Mexico. It still had those Lone Ranger vibes though, and I felt like I was about to get a story about a man on a quest for justice or revenge after an unmitigated wrong was done to him or his family. But then came the part where he buried a group of disgruntled workers and their families in a mine because they were planning a strike. Killed those Lone Ranger vibes instantly. Instead of revenge and justice, we instead get a tale of a familial curse passed through blood and centuries, even going so far back as the Cain of Cain and Abel. And, Alferez Antontio Sonoro is just the jumping off point.

There are two main plots of this book. One takes place in the late 1800s and surrounds Antonio Sonoro, Alferez’s grandson. The other takes place in the 1960s with Jaime Sonoro, who happens to be Antonio’s grandson. However, for a majority of the story we are back in 1895 with Antonio’s life, and what a life it is. The man is a douche. He lives in a good house that could be upgraded to a great house with work and saving. He has a great wife and two loving kids that he takes for granted. Instead of being at home, he galivants in the streets masquerading as a broken down Robin Hood. He’s an adrenaline junky who needs the excitement of being a bandito. He gives the things he steals away to people who aren’t his family because his ego and pride are too big to fit through the front door of his house. The man’s a loser. His wife, kids, and brother Hugo are his only saving graces, but he doesn’t give them the time of day.

One day, Antonio gets it into his head that he wants to rob a train in Texas. He tries to secure a posse, but no one wants to go, probably because they’re smart. So, Antonio sets off to go alone. Before he can go too far though, Hugo joins him. Sweet, lovable and on the straight-and-narrow Hugo is not made for the bandito life though. He really just goes along because he doesn’t want Antonio to go by himself. So, they go to Texas, rob the train, get caught, kill some Texas Rangers, find themselves on the run, and Hugo gets murdered. This is where Antonio’s story really begins. He goes on a quest to find the three rangers that killed his brother out of some sick and twisted revenge to try and honor Hugo, which is a lie because mild mannered Hugo would have never wanted that. The man is completely self-centered.

In 1965 we are introduced to Jaime, who is actually an actor and fits The Lone Ranger comparison much better than Alferez Antonio Sonoro, at least on film. In his real life, he is just your typical husband and father, with one exception. Jaime wants to know about his ancestors. His father, Juan Antonio, has only ever told him that his family died in Mexico and that they have no other family. So, one day when a woman drops a centuries old book in his hand chronicling his family tree, he dives head first ignoring his father’s warnings about learning about things that should stay secret. Eventually, Jaime learns about Antonio and his journey after Hugo’s death when he became known as El Tragabalas, The Bullet Swallower. And, in this way, the two stories of Antonio and Jaime eventually merge.

Despite my misgivings about Antonio, he’s a very interesting character. Conversely, Jaime is a little boring. He gives off a note of privilege that he can’t help because he just grew up in better times than Antonio. As for the other side characters, most of them were underdeveloped. Peter was probably my favorite side character. He was a book nerd, and I was here for it. His personality came through a little, but I would have appreciated knowing a little more about him.

There were quite a few repeated elements. Scorpions and a red bird were used multiple times. Also, there was a recurring theme of order and chaos and magic and religion vs being in charge of your own fate. The weather and lack of precipitation was also a key part of the story.

If you like Westerns or Historical Fiction with a touch of magical realism, this book is for you. Also, if you are wondering what a Bullet Swallower looks like, think Jonah Hex.

An intriguing mix of western, magical realism and family saga. I immediately dug Antonio's exciting account of a man driven to desperate measures for survival, and at first was very annoyed to have it continually disturbed when the book jumped into the future for Jaime's portions. Once these two storylines become more clearly linked and the 1964 one increased in depth, I truly started to appreciate what James was pulling off, especially when she reveals how much is inspired by her own family history in the Author's Note. A unique tale that pays off in the end.

(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 Jamie, a “singing actor” much beloved in Mexico. Into Jamie’s possession comes a book that tells a dark history of his family, a history Jamie knew nothing of. He’s terrified, ashamed and haunted by what he reads, and he can’t let it go. Jamie needs to know if somehow he’s inherited the sins of his forefathers. I loved Jamie’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!

The Bullet Swallower

“The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

“[F]or I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation ….”
— Exodus 20:5

The concept of retribution for the sins of earlier generations is not new. Elizabeth Gonzalez James gives us another such tale centered around the slightly surreal story of El Tragabalas—the Bullet Swallower. Set in Northern Mexico, Texas, and Mexico City, this novel jumps back and forth through time as it covers the history of a family and the entity that interacts with it in a karmic way.

In its observation that “time moves in a spiral, not a line,” The Bullet Swallower recalls True Detective’s Rust Cohle (“‘Time is a flat circle.’ Everything we've ever done or will do, we're gonna do over and over and over again”) or even Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence. Although the idea is not new, this energetic retelling of the legend of El Tragabalas is worth your while.

The writing is brisk, often lyrical, and always interesting. The action is clear and the story is compelling. I really enjoyed The Bullet Swallower. It might remind readers a little of the “Cemetery of Forgotten Books” novels of Carlos Ruiz Zafón, at least in its tone and the touch of magic realism. While fatalism runs throughout, it ends with a suggestion of hope.

Thanks to NetGalley for a preview of this novel, provided in exchange for an unbiased review.

I almost DNFed this book early on but I’m so glad I kept reading because I ended up really enjoying it. This unique story is full of action, adventure, and family drama. There is magical realism that works so well in the story, and it has a lot of heart. The main character, Antonio Sonora, is a Mexican bandit with depth and I loved following his life and his journey..

I started reading this at 7PM and finished it at 3AM the next morning. Thankful for Kindle dark mode with books like these. It felt like I was an invisible companion on Antonio’s journey, thirsting with him in the arid desert for justice and vengeance.

I’ve never been a fan of Westerns, but from the perspective of an infamous Mexican bandido with a half-golden heart, I was rapt. This tale has the perfect mix of historical detail, gorgeous prose, vivid imagery, and just enough magical realism to deepen the dual timelines and encourage existential questioning.

As an exploration of human nature, The Bullet Swallower is unflinching in exposing the dualities that exist in every person and everything. Some questions I found posed by this novel include: Is it possible to overcome burdensome ancestral legacies? Whose responsibility is it to end these so-called curses? Do good or bad really exist, or do we walk in a sea of gray? And as Antonio learned in his adventures, one can never guess where allies will come from or what they’ll look like.

I definitely recommend The Bullet Swallower if you’re a fan of magical realism, historical fiction, Westerns, and don’t take issue with the complexities that come with dual timelines and the mysteries of multi-verse. This was a fun ride that left me checking my boots for sand.

Startling Historical Fiction

This is a an astounding epic that is galvanizing. The author provides two timelines for this Texas-Mexico border blockbuster.

Gonzales gives us a fascinating larger-than-life epic of the Sonoro family. Antonio Sonoro comes from a long-line of “bad” men from Dorado, Mexico. He is a man who knows what he has, a beautiful, faithful wife and wonderful children but he has dreams of riches. He does whatever he wants; he seems to be searching for the big jackpot. He looks for big trouble and became an icon when he survives a shoot-out with the Texas Rangers. His brother dies and he is left with a hideous facial injury. He becomes obsessed about revenging the death of his brother. During his retribution journey, the author introduces Peter Ainsley, a British desperado who became a friend and savior to Antonio.

The author creates a clever and readable technique. Chapters alternately cover the time periods between 1895 (Antonio) and 1964 (grandson Jaime – famous singer and movie star). She is adept at using figures of speech from both eras adding realism to the settings and family structure.

Many characters are killed off and others are brought back to life to add to the plot. Is everyone complicit? The books promises exciting scenes with blazing guns depicting Antonio’s vices and life. It’s a treacherous and sometimes deceitful history. Jaime, Antonio’s grandson, who is a famous movie star and musician, is the chosen character to unravel his family’s past.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

What an incredible saga filled with adventure and family and life lessons alike. An intergenerational curse, wrestling with your family's past, witty quips sprinkled in. It's classed as magical realism but it errs on the realism side, though we do get an eerie time-traveling shadow man and hell on Earth ("'Of course the supposed mouth of Hell would be somewhere in Texas.'"). This was adventurous, chilling, yet tender at times. An epic scope that is amazingly detailed for being under 300 pages.