Rating: 
Summary: This is a wonderful book.
Review: I have read this book more than once. The first time, I was forced into reading it. Like most students, I rushed through it as quickly as I could. During my process of speed-reading, I noticed that this novel had characteristics that distinguished it from others that I was also forced to read. Maybe it's because I am Hispanic, like a majority of the characters in the novel, that I could more closely identify with it than a number of my classmates. The second time, I chose to read it. I wanted to analyze the book and give it a closer look that I know I didn't give it the first time. I understood the novel well. Thanks to my unrelenting English teacher, I quickly picked up on much of novel's symbolism, imagery, and motifs that I hadn't noticed the first time. Not only did the analysis give me a better understanding, it practically changed the meaning I acquired the first time from reading it. To the untrained eye, the large amounts of Spanish contained in this novel could have made it extremely difficult. The dialogue gives it a realistic atmosphere, which is further emphasized by the profanity used by the characters. I thought it was funny, actually. I can vividly recall my elementary classmates displaying an array of colorful four-letter words when the teacher's back was turned. In that aspect, I closely compare it to Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. The imagery in this book was gorgeous. Anaya did an excellent job of describing the scenes, characters, and action sequences so much that it seemed like I was actually witnessing them. An example of imagery that particularly stood out was the illustration of a rabid character with "saliva curled around the edges of his mouth and spittle threads hanging down and glistening like spider threads in the sun." The story raises the complicated relationships between medicine and belief, mysticism and the supernatural, and the long time disputed argument, does God really exist? Throughout the novel, Antonio, the main character, repeatedly battles with himself over many issues that we, especially those of us in our adult-lives, are facing day by day. All of the characters were beautifully crafted, especially Antonio. The quality that makes them so attractive is their realism. Bless Me, Ultima, is an extraordinary window into the mind of growing six-year-old learning, living, and experiencing. While reading this book, you don't tell yourself that you are indeed reading, but you make connections with all of the characters. I recommend this book to everyone. This novel challenges the audience to recognize that there is a mystical dimension to everything. It's an easy reader, but you may want to keep a Spanish-English dictionary available.
Rating: 
Summary: A book that enlightens the view of the reader
Review: I was recently forced into reading the book (after all, that's what Honors English students do). At first I was rather dissappointed with the book, and I still am because I am religiously opposed to many of the eliefs mentioned, but I must admit that it holds literary work worthy of credit. It allows the reader to have a peek into the Chicano culture and see their beliefs which are a mix of Catholicism and traditional. Witches and the like are believed to exist in the WWII time-based book. The novel focuses primarily on the struggle of a young boy, Antonio, to discover God, or, the being that controls everything. It truly is a magnificent novel in its style, sccenery, imagery, etc. My one, or two complaint(s) about it is that it conatins the dreaded "F"-word in it. Also, it contains several somewhat graphic scenes involving witchcraft-like happenings and some gory fights/deaths. Even though it has all of this I still would reccommend it. Even though I reccommend it, I would say that it is not fit for anybody under their Freshmen year of high school.
Rating:
Summary: An American Story
Review: Unlikely though it may seem, Bless Me, Ultima, a chicano coming of age story, reminds me of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. While superficially, Bless Me, Ultima deals with the unique problems of a young boy in a New Mexican society during World War I, in reality, it is the basic American story of trying to grow up in a hypocritical society. Like Huck, Antonio the protagonist finds hypocrisy in religion; he cannot understand why G-d would punish the good and forgive the bad. Antonio witnesses several murders and deaths, much like Huck, which manifest his religious and philosophical dilemmas. Despite occasional Spanish phrases in Bless Me, Ultima, the majority of the language is easier to understand than the confusing dialect in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I liked the book because beneath Antonio's story lie themes and symbolism about religion and life. I enjoyed analyzing the symbolic undercurrents. Other readers who like to think beyond the literal language in a novel will enjoy this book, but anyone who gets confused by foreign phrases should avoid Bless Me, Ultima.
Rating:
Summary: It was great
Review: This is by far the best book that I have ever been forced to read. It also ranks high in all of the books that I have read. It casts a spell that makes you turn the page and read more. My teachers have gave us some bad books in the past and this makes up for it. I suggest that everyone reads it. I do warn people that there is some spanish cursing and a lot of blasphemy. Those are the only detractors.
Rating:
Summary: "La curación" for Springtime Stress
Review: Anaya's masterfully written novel detailing the events of a young boy's coming-of-age definitely deserves all the critical acclaim it has receieved, up to and including the prestigious Premio Quinto Sol Award. His superb techniques only enhance the mesmerizing story of Ultima, Antonio, and how they touch the lives around them. Anaya's symbolism is unparalleled in modern fiction; the connotations he subtly makes with elements of nature help readers to connect the entire story together. He points out life-altering universal truths, and his characters are developed such that readers can identify Ultima in their own lives. Anaya also adds a Steinbeck-esque quality to the reading; as John Steinbeck used inner-chapters to symbolize parts of his _Grapes of Wrath_, so Anaya uses dream sequences to symbolize parts of _Bless Me, Ultima_. The dreams are never confusing and only add to the novel as a whole. Potential readers should take caution, though; religious themes run deeply throughout this novel and may upset stauchly devout Catholics. Also, Anaya frequently uses Spanish words and phrases that, if one knows the basics of the language, add enormously to the novel's detail. English-to-Spanish translation books do exist, but may detract from the enjoyment of the novel. Though cautions exist, I firmly believe that everyone should read Rudolfo Anaya's _Bless Me, Ultima_; it is a wonderfully written, masterfully executed Chicano novel. I recommend it to anyone with a love for magic and reading in general
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful! A very unique novel!
Review: This was my first experience with Rudolfo Anaya, and what a read! Once I started I just couldn't put this book down, and by the end I was ready to read it again. Anaya's characters are so heartfelt and his descriptions of New Mexico are wonderful. The dialogue between the young boys in this novel is also good for some side-splitting laughs too! This is a great story about family ties, coming of age, and good versus evil steeped in the magic and folklore of the southwest. Any fans of Gabriel Garcia Marquez will love this one. It is an instant classic. I can't wait to go pick up Anaya's other novels!
Rating:
Summary: Book review for "Bless me Ultima"
Review: "Bless me Ultima" is a wonderful story based on the "Chicano" or Northern New Mexico native people culture, religion, and customs that tells us about the relationship between a six year old boy called Antonio and an Old wise Lady called Ultima who is a "curandera" or healer, and how Anotonio faces a lot of difficulties and has to deal with curses, healings, dead people and mean friends and becomes a man of learning throughout his chilhood with Ultima's help. Since the author is from Northern New Mexico and the book takes place in two real small villages called Las Pasturas and Puerto de Lunas wich are located North of New Mexico i think Rodulfo Anaya put a little bit of his life experience into the story to remark the origins of a culture that tends to dissapear as new Chicano generations come to this world which makes the book more exciting and more valuable. I really enjoyed reading this book because i could follow the story very well considering that english is my second languaje and that i'm still having some problems with grammar and sentence structures and because i like reading mythical stories and i'm very familiar with them. Another aspect of this book that i liked and i found familiar was that New Mexican culture and Colombian and Latin Americna culture in general have a lot of things in common such as believing in ghosts, witches, curses, spirits, etc; and that the religion is the same and that there are not really too many differences within it.
Rating:
Summary: I didn't think it would be of such high quality
Review: I just finished reading Bless Me, Ultima for a college class of mine and couldn't have liked it more. It's the first book in about a year that has actually put tears in my eyes. True, at some points the narrative lags and one wonders why the scene is included, but as a large whole, the book has an amazing current of thought about religion and how certain goodness can just cut across it all, neither religious nor unreligious. Anaya deserves his place at the forefront of Chicano writers.
Rating:
Summary: Blessed book and author!
Review: I have recommended this book to many people! There's a dreamy, mystical way in which this book was written that is seductive and irresistable. I commend Rudolfo Anaya for writing a book of this caliber and crossing over and reaching all cultures and all people. I loved the visions, the descriptions, and the power from where this book was born!
Rating:
Summary: A life changing book!
Review: Bless Me, Ultima is one of those rare books that completely changes your outlook on life. I've read the book at least 4 times, and each time I read it I am drawn deeper into Tony's and Ultima's world. The lessons of growing up that the book teaches apply to us all. The story is told in such an impressive and enticing manner that it is impossible to put the book down. This book should definitely be on everyones' Must-Read list!
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