I really enjoyed the beginning of the Bullet Swallower. However, it fell flat for me about halfway through the novel. I had a difficult time connecting with the characters and lost some interest in the plot. I did enjoy the two timelines and the writing quality. I hope to read another Elizabeth Gonzalez James novel in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an eARC in exchange for my honest review

3 stars

I'm sure there's a parable somewhere in "The Bullet Swallower", of the perpetual battle between good and evil, of the never-ending quest for vengeance that can only end one way, of the cycle of karma always finding you, and of the ultimate redemption that can come only from forgiveness and empathy.

The story is of the Sonoro family, over multiple generations and centuries, and of a particular scion of that family - Antonio, the titular bullet swallower. The story begins somewhere in the early 1800s with a hunger for gold and money, before moving north across the border to Texas, where a series of epic showdowns are set to happen between Antonio, his (half-?) brother Hugo, and later his friend Peter on one side) against a pair of Texas Rangers on the other. Antonio is no saint to begin with, and when he loses Hugo, he vows a retribution so terrible it will take him to places and lengths he didn't know existed, while experiencing pain he didn't know was conceivable.

This is not an easy read, and the amount of violence here is quite stunning. I haven't read many stories of incessant violence, of the notorious Wild West, with more than a touch of primal barbarism. Descriptions of violence and its aftermath are abundant here, and while admittedly there's not much gore or gratuitous violence, there are a lot of bullets. The sections describing those encounters are very well written, with the dark mood literally leaping out of the pages, and the visceral horror of it all clawing at you. Once Peter enters the story, he is the only possible foil to Antonio's pessimism and perpetually downcast perspective of everything. He earns Antonio's respect, who grudgingly accepts Peter's company - knowing fully well it will probably kill the latter.

The portions of the story in the parallel timeline of the 1960s are at first a bit difficult to follow, seeing how distinct they are from Antonio's timeline and narrative. The world looks nothing like how it was in the late 19th century, and while the parallels are tenuous to begin with, as more details emerge it again acts to counter the hopelessness of the older narrative.

Ultimately, the purported story of the Sonoros is supposed to be cursed from time immemorial (from the times of Cain and Abel!), but we don't really get to know any of those earlier generations or what the curse means to them. And then there's Remedio, a timeless shadow of a character who is supposed to mete out justice to Antonio or the Sonoros, but it is not clear why, or what history - if any - he has with them. There are allusions to a prior timeline, but nothing is explicitly mentioned.

Which brings me to the parable element in the story. Remedio seems to represent divine justice (or is he just Hell's messenger, come to drag off their souls to the Underworld?). If so, why hasn't he done so already? What's stopping him, and what makes the Sonoros special to him? None of it is clear, and hence my initial mild diatribe - there's perhaps a parable, that seems to allude to some Mexican mythology that the characters in the story never quite really talk about. They are fatalistic enough to know something is amiss when they see Remedio, some of them even know who or what he is, and some of that is to be taken at inference face value.

Other than that vagueness, the book is a stunning piece of writing, that will stay with you for a long time. There are numerous comparisons to works of Cormac McCarthy, and to Garcia Marquez, and to Sergio Leone's most famous epic spaghetti Western trilogy of all times - and those are all well deserved accolades. You can almost hear Morricone's music in the background.

The sheer icing is that per the author's note in the end, the story is loosely based on her own great-grandfather!

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and the author for providing an eARC, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This book was not my cup of tea, but I can see the appeal for other people. The writing was superb, but fell a little flat for me at times.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Receiving an advanced copy was a delightful surprise. I believe both existing fans and newcomers will find it equally enjoyable.

In this modern day western tale, Antonio Sonoro and Jaime Sonoro, 2 generations of the same family, grapple with inner demons, real-life demons (The Texas Rangers!), and love for their family. Antonio is a bad boy who doesn't do much good but as a reader I still had so much empathy & sympathy for him. The many lives he leaves in his wake weave the story of the love he has for his family. The relationships he makes throughout his journey are full of hope, friendship and bravery. The plot is unique and not one I typically read but I can see why this will be a highly acclaimed 2024 book. I love how Gonzalez James weaves the rich Texas landscape and the history of the area into the tale! It had me googling tales of Espantosa Lake late into the night. Pick this one up for a story of family, bravery and a good bit of western adventure!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book. I enjoyed so much the combination of elements here! Magical realism wove throughout the narrative that also had a twinge of western themes and a rugged story about survival. Very compelling read with characters I cared about deeply.

From its opening lines, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 sets itself apart as a bold and unique blend of magical realism, family legacy, revenge and redemption – all packaged in an exciting turn-of-the-century western epic across Mexico and Texas. You’ll be reminded of Macondo and Don Quixote as you follow the stories of the Sonoro family through generations – but Gonzalez’s distinct integration of the legacy of colonialism in the Americas adds a layer of depth that you don’t often see in many adventure stories. While fun and exciting throughout, it does lag a bit in execution. However, the western element worked very well for me; considering I'm not normally into that genre, I think it exemplifies the author's skill in putting together a compelling story and creating characters you want to root for.

This book was really interesting because it kept going back and forth in time and to a different Generations of the family. I like how the author tied together. This book beginning with the past to the future. And how she interpreted the book into this book. Based on the family's history. In 1895 Anton ECS ONO. N I was a farmer in d o n a d o mexico. He had a brother named H u g e who was a book person who really did not know what to do with his life. The family had money in the old days but it seemed to dry up. Antonio's wife was very unhappy because he would go out and not come back. He heard about this train bringing gold to houston. So he decided to robert with this brother. Things got very complicated and the rangers call it up with them after they stole and burn part of the train. So they were chased through this whole place and bad things happened to his brother. Antonio survived because of this lady who was an Used herbs and stuff to bring him back to life. Then it went to the present time to a man named j. A. M. E!S o n oand. This was interesting because he started to read this book. And his grandfather told him not to read it. Explain the history of this family. And it was very murderous and types of crimes that are committed. Then it went back to eighteen ninety five again and how he was chased through the Parts of texa The story became l Like a fable from the past. He leaves this lady's house and he starts as journey to revenge these Texas. Men who killed his brother. He meets this english man named peter who is like his side kick and he went everywhere with him. 11 Mexican turned against their own people. And he worked with the Texas rangers and he was also chasing him as well. Then it went back to the present time because this man appeared because one of his kids got hurt. This man was a very famous singer and actor. But he recognized this person as a shadow. And he got very nervous and he asked me to leave the house. Because things started to go really wrong when he showed up. It's a very interesting book because everything is tied together. And you'll find out what really happened with this family in this book It's a very interesting book because everything is tied together. And you'll find out what really happened with this family in this book.

Wow, thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this unique and enthralling read in exchange for my honest review!

While I'm not ordinarily drawn to Westerns, I am a fan of magical realism, so when I saw descriptions of this book invoking Gabriel García Márquez, I was intrigued. This family saga is different and did not disappoint - it rather surprised me.

What I loved:

🏜 The dual timelines between different generations of the same family. This structure worked to explore themes of colonization, what is owed to make amends for ancestors' atrocities and harms, the struggle to make sense of our personal family histories, and whether redemption is achievable, and if so, what it looks like.
🏜 The magical/spiritual aspect of the character Remedio, a sort of supernatural debt-collector who follows the Sonoro family through generations. A clever device to take us between generations of this specific family, but through a wider, cosmic lens.
🏜 The ending. No spoilers, just saying that last chapter was absolutely beautiful.
🏜 The writing style. Gritty yet gorgeous. Vivid setting that seemed alive and ever-changing to underscore the themes of the characters' journeys. Character descriptions that really brought them to life.
🏜 The Author's Note at the end, explaining how the main characters in the book were directly inspired by her own ancestors, in particular, her great-grandfather who was a bandido in the late 1800s. She begins, "Everything in this book is true except for the stuff I made up." The Author's Note really crystallized what a remarkable feat this book was, for Ms. Gonzalez James to study her family history and then imagine what the actual, real experience might have been, using her imagination to fill in the gaps. Very cool.

🏞 Be warned: There is lots of graphic violence, injury, and death. Consider checking content warnings.

All told, some genre-defying storytelling that takes you on a journey through time and place and makes you reflect. I recommend for readers looking for something different.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! The magical realism was beautifully done and immersive, and the story was emotional and engaging. The writing is atmospheric and the characters were compelling and interesting because of their flaws. The different timelines were well organized and I was not often confused.

The historical element of The Bullet Swallower is my favorite part of this book. I loved Antonio and all the characters that are interwoven throughout his story. Antonio’s character is complex and it was an incredible journey to see how his character evolved. I liked that Antonio was not a very good person (with an abundance of flaws) but you still end up rooting for him in the end. I enjoyed the exploration of morals, actions, and repentance in this story.

The author did a great job describing the landscape and culture of the area and time period. Being a Texan, I always get excited to read historical novels set in my state. It was interesting to see all the different ways that politics affected the way of life. Life in Mexico and Texas was complicated during the that time period. There was the Texas independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas became a state in 1845, and then there were alot of things building up to the Mexican Revolution beginning in 1910.

The author’s note was another part that stood out to me. The main character Antonio was based off the author’s great-grandfather (which is super cool!) and other influences from history. I appreciated the list of books and resources that the author used to do her research.

The elements that I would completely do away with is the characters and POVs of Jaime and Remedio. Having those character POVs slowed down the overall story and made the book longer than it needed to be. I couldn’t connect to those characters and they never felt fully developed. However, The Bullet Swallower is still a unique book that I think would appeal to many readers looking for a Western story told from an uncommon perspective.

My thanks to Simon and Schuster for the ARC. This was an intriguing book that starts with the family’s inhumane treatment that fed its greed. It follows a bandit who manages to survive in his quest to kill the man who killed his brother. It works back and forth between him and his descendants with what seems to be the grim reaper following along. It was a great read and I can see where fans of westerns would definitely enjoy it. A good read.

I love Magical Realism and was super excited to receive this book from Simon & Schuster for review! As a big fan of stories that capture the landscape, culture, and language of Texas and Mexico, this book was right up my alley!

The Sonoro legacy of violence has generations paying the price for their crimes, but how do you break the cycle? How many good things are needed to outweigh the bad? And can anyone really change their true nature? Those are the questions at the heart of this novel as Antonio Sonoro, El Tragabales himself, keeps Remedio the soul collector in a state of uncertainty with his very human mix of good and bad qualities.

It's refeshing to find acknowledgement of all the crimes committed against the Mexican people and indigenous groups in Texas and Mexico in the name of law and order (a sad legacy that endures today). I loved accompanying Antonio on his adventures. And, more than anything, I loved the transformations and character growth. I enjoyed every bit of it!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster, NetGalley, and Elizabeth Gonzalez James for an advance reader copy. Opinions are my own.

I was really excited about the premise of this book but after reading about a third of it, I just couldn’t get into the story. I really don’t like reading books where the villains are the main characters and their POVs are given extensive page-time and by the time we finally meet the actual hero character he just felt like more of the same and also just kind of dull. It was just such a slog to read so much from their POV that I just kind of hit my limit by page 100. The writing, atmosphere, storyline, & all of the things billed in the summary (i.e. “magical realism western”, “mysterious figure”, “cosmic debt”, “a book that purports to tell the entire history of his family beginning with Cain and Abel”, “family saga”, “lush setting”, “stunning prose”) fell really flat for me.

Imagine a novel that combines the gritty western of Cormac McCarthy, the poetic magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez, and the breezy no-nonsense length of that Great American Novel, Gatsby. And for good measure? Throw in a heaping dose of family lore.

The Bullet Swallower has already received some serious buzz and it’s barely two weeks old! Elizabeth Gonzalez James took her family history — a great-grandfather-turned-mythical figure, a cousin who was one of Mexico’s most famous actors — and built upon it, reshaping her family story into a tale that held me captive from page one.

Bouncing between 1895 and 1964, this novel follows Antonio Sonoro, a Mexican bandido and soon-to-be legendary folklore figure; and his grandson Jaime, a famous movie-star. The Sonoros made and lost fortunes several times throughout the centuries and the grand house Antonio grew up in is a far cry from the shack his wife and two children call home. Looking for a big payday, Antonio and his brother can’t resist the siren song of an incoming train rumored to be transporting gold. But when their luck turns, Antonio is left broken — mentally and physically.

Jaime’s comfortable life is turned upside-down by the arrival of an old book from the 1700s that details his family history. Each crime was worse than the last, each body count higher than the one that came before. And woven through the chapters is the constant presence of a shadow, a promise to collect on the family debt.

There’s so much more I want to say, but so much I don’t want to give away! This was truly a spectacular novel, especially for 250 pages!! I cried, I highlighted so many beautiful sentences. Calling it now, The Bullet Swallower will be one of my top reads of 2024. What an absolute gift this was to read!

This book received wonderful reviews. For some reason, I just could not get into it, though I really tried. I'm sure it's me, not the book. The writing was beautiful and Antonio, the character from the nineteenth century, was such a hapless ne'er-do-well, I cheered him on despite his deeply flawed character. You should give it a shot (it's not you, it's me). #TheBulletSwallower #NetGalley

I really wanted this to be my book. A magical realism novel western? Sign me up. However, the writing style is very dry and not terribly engaging. I had a hard time wanting to keep picking it up. The story of a multi generation moves kind of stodgy with the style. I wanted to like it.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel! It's out now!

<i>The Bullet Swallower</i> follows two timelines. The first is Antonio Sonoro, a bandido in 1895 on a quest for revenge, embroiled in a curse that has followed his family for generations. The second is Jaime Sonoro, a renowned actor and singer living in Mexico City who happens across a book detailing his family's history and the Sonoro curse.

This is such a fun novel! I really loved following Antonio; he's such a complicated individual who makes some rough decisions, but by the end of the novel, I was really rooting for him. There's a section the middle where he pseudo teams up with an Englishman and their banter was so well done and hilarious.

I thought Jaime's storyline was a little underdeveloped; his chapters were quite short so you don't really get a sense of who he is as a person and his motivations.

I am always on the lookout for a good Western novel, and this was such a great Western to pick up. It doesn't hold back on the violence of the times, but it's full of heart and love and questions about generational responsibility. Plus, it's just a great revenge story with a little dash of magical realism thrown in to make it interesting. The writing is also superb, especially when it came to describing the landscape and environment.

If you like Westerns, I would highly recommend. I think you'll have a good time with this. I'm excited to check out more by Elizabeth Gonzalez James!

I finished this book and was ready to start it all over again to discover what I had missed. Elizabeth Gonzalez James has written a book of magical history. Set on the border between Texas and Mexico in 1964 and in 1895, the book embraces border politics, racism and the power of generational family history. It was terrific to start off the year with this excellent 5* read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An epic family saga that is a Western filled with elements of magical realism, The Bullet Swallower is a great example of an upcoming read that combines multiple genres. Loosely based on the author’s own great-grandfather, this story stars the Sonoro family and begins with Antonio who becomes famously known as The Bullet Swallower for his adventures and crimes. This dual timeline story also looks at the life of Antonio's grandson Jaime, who in 1964 is one of Mexico’s most renowned actors and singers. Yet Jaime discovers a book claiming to tell the story of his family in all its sordid details. Then a mysterious figure, who also appeared to Antonio, appears to Jaime, Jaime finds he must uncover the truth of his family to pay for the past. This book discusses intergenerational trauma, border politics, and confronting the awful legacies of the past in this magical and timely spin on a Western. I recommend as a great genre-bending read!