Rating: 
Summary: a wonderful historical fiction
Review: I read with interest this book and was glued to my seat. I fell in love with the country and the characters and Benitez is a master story teller. I was a little disappointed that I did not have more information about the civil war, but if you read between the lines you will live the struggle of the Salvadorian people.
Rating: 
Summary: A great book to read...
Review: I really like the way Sandra Benitez writes. It is the first of her books I read and was nice to see the combination of reality and fiction. A fiction novel based on a reality that darkened the beautiful country of El Salvador.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointing
Review: I was very much looking forward to reading this book since it came so highly recommended by a trusted book catalogue. On the positive side, the book gives an interesting account of the historical struggle between the rich coffee plantation owners and the uprising of the poor Indian workers. However, the author fails, in my opinion, in developing her characters beyond the superficial, and thus I remained uninvolved for the most part and detached from all the human tragedies. In summary, Ms Benitez had a wonderful premise for a story, and the history and description of El Salvador are enlightening and in part very beautiful, but the plot and characters ultimately remain shallow and mimick the sub-plot soap opera.
Rating:
Summary: Good for latin american enthusists- and that's it
Review: It has been a while since I read this book (maybe two months), but I just wanted to add to the body of reviews that if you love Latin American fiction or books that might read like the old Masterpiece Theater productions, you'll probably enjoy reading this book, and otherwise you'll probably be bored to tears. The writing is not very sophisticated, as is covered by others. Actually, given the quality of the book, I'm surprised by the number of reviewers! Many better books even in latin american fiction like Belli's The Invisible Woman have far less coverage. However, if you are thinking of buying the book to be well read in this genre(or if you want something specifically on El Salvador), you won't do wrong.
Rating:
Summary: Violent but compelling
Review: My bookclub decided to read this book as a follow-up to the non-fiction From Grandmothers to Granddaughters by Michael Gorkin that follows 3 generations of Salvadoran women through the civil war and into the 90's. This book was an excellent fictional follow-on. It follows the paths of 3 generations of one lower class family and one upper class family through the turbulent 20th Century in El Salvador. Benitez does not hesitate to share the gory details of Salvador's turbulent history from 1933-1977.I found the book very easy to become engrossed in, despite my dislike of violence and blood-drenched descriptions. Her descriptions of life in El Salvador are true to life in every detail. I live in San Salvador and found myself searching for "Tresores" or the carjacking spot on the road to La Libertad in Santa Tecla. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in what it is like to live in this country, what the Salvadoran people have experienced, or who just wants a beautiful, albeit sad, story of human survival in adversity.
Rating:
Summary: Women's lives joined over caste, revolution, and love.
Review: Sandra Benitez's beautiful book, Bitter Grounds, is set in the El Salvaldor of the 1930's through the 1970's, and it protrays the lives of three generations of the privileged Tobar and Contreras families, coffee and cotton barons, and the Prieto family who serves them. Throughout the novel, the relationships of the three families intertwine as their destinies are worked out and revealed. In the eighty years that the novel encompasses, we witness the growth of unrest and eventual revolution of the campesinos against the huge land owners who enslave them with low wages and poor living conditions. We come to know with affection and sympathy members of both levels of society as their lives are joined in daily work as well as in shared confidences and joys. Two girls, Maria Mercedes and Flor, are raised together as sisters in the lovely home of the Contreras family when both Magda, the lady of the house, and Jacinta, head housekeeper, become pregnant at the same time. However, their differences in station prevent their continued closeness as one steps into the life of privelege and the other is left to follow what destiny she can make for herself. This is a book for rereading and certainly one that provides insight into the complex world of Latin America where class distinctions still remain in many areas. Thematically, the bond between women, and between mothers and daughters, is one that is universal and cross cultural. The joys and sorrows that women understand collectively and instinctively surmount any class or color barriers, and as we read Bitter Grounds, we are able to share the universal bond once again.
Rating:
Summary: the improbable nature of man
Review: Stories from central americal often seem surreal. How could it be that people so rich can live in such close proximity to those so poor? How could people motivated by such high principals commit such barbaric acts of violence? Insulated and liberal in America we so much want to empatize with the poor when in fact we have so much in common with the rich. I found this book so very compelling in that it provided much empathy for all sides of this conflict. One could not demonize any party. Instead I watched helplessly as the events unfolded and greived each needless loss. I recommend this book for your soul as your heart needs the exercise.
Rating:
Summary: graphic and hauntingly beautiful
Review: The story was told by an experienced storyteller. The outcome somewhat predictable given the fact that tragedy struck in the very beginning. I loved the characters and found them to be believable. The political situation hasnt changed much in some of these latin countries
Rating:
Summary: A book to read the soul of El Salvador
Review: This is a truly deep view of El Salvador's soul and the elements that pushed this tiny country into a civil war. Poor and rich are seen through the eyes of a sensible woman --Sandra Benitez-- who spent her childhood in El Salvador. It's very rich, moving and awakens social feelings. It's maybe because I am Salvadorean that I have enjoyed it so much. Still, it's a pretty good book even if all you know about El Salvador is the slanted headlines you saw in the U.S. media during the eighties. There's good and bad in El Salvador, and this is a good book to learn about what made its people go into a painful war. It's a good and entertaining read as well.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointing
Review: This is our book group selection this month and I was looking forward to a good read, especially judging by the appealing cover. Ms. Benita is indeed a great story teller and visual with her discriptions,however,the character developmentis sorely lacking. Perhaps this is the point, but why? All sorts of trying events, happy occassions and other significant life experiences occur but they had little impact as I did not really know nor care about many of the chacacters, although I wanted to. Jacinta in particular needed some enchancement. It will be interesting too hear what my fellow book club members think.
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