Josefinas sin by claudia h long

Name of Book: Josefina's Sin

Author: Claudia H. Long

ISBN: 978-1-4516-1067-3

Publisher: Atria Books

Type of book: Mexico, 1683-1689, court, royalty, intrigues, friendship, women, reading, poetry, Sor Juana Ines  de la Cruz, Mexico City, infidelity,  roles, class, hacienda, motherhood, punishment, cunning, agenda 

Year it was published: 2011

Summary:

Mexico, 1683. Lured by the imagined grandeur and adventure of the Viceroyal Court, Josefina, a sheltered landowner’s wife, accepts an invitation from the Marquesa to come and socialize with the cultural elite. She is overwhelmed by the intensity of the Court’s complicated world. While fighting off aggressive advances from the Marquesa’s husband, she finds her marriage vows tested by the unexpected passion of the Bishop of Puebla. Amidst this drama, Josefina finds herself inexorably drawn to the nuns who study and write poetry at the risk of persecution by the Spanish Inquisition. One nun in particular, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, teaches Josefina about poetry, power, and the nature and consequences of love, all in the shadow of the Holy Office. She is Josefina’s mentor and lynchpin during her tumultuous passage from grounded wife and mother to woman of this treacherous, confusing, and ultimately physically and intellectually fulfilling world. 

Characters:

Main characters would be Josefina, a young woman married to Don Manuel Castillo Coronado, who owns a hacienda, a plantation where he makes wealth. Prior to 1683, Josefina is unfamiliar with the world although she is a quick learner and desires to learn more about. Together she and Don Manuel have two sons. Don Manuel is a prosperous hacienda owner who at first is also naive but then gains experience. He is fascinated by far off tales and loves listening to Dona Angelica. Dona Angelica is a young woman who came from court and who ultimately became Don Manuels mistress. She is beautiful, sly a widow and without children. Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz is a nun who has talent for poetry and becomes a mentor for Josefina. Last major character is Father Alonso, whom Josefina knew when she was a child and who has taught her poetry. There are other characters, but I feel it would be more fun for the reader to discover them themselves.   

 
Theme:

Words and poetry have powers to awaken souls

Plot:

The story is in first person narrative from Josefinas point of view. The tale begins at the end, when Josefinas sin is revealed, but then moves to 1680s, when Josefina is a loyal and naive young woman invited by Angelica to try out court life. She gets a taste of it and meets Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz who dares to awaken Josefinas soul with poetry as well as reunite Josefina with a man she thought was long lost to her, as well as forbidden. There are definitely twists and spins, and there is a lot of exploration of life that Josefina has to endure.

Author Information:
(From goodreads)

Claudia H. Long grew up in Mexico City and moved to the United States when she was eleven. She wrote her senior thesis at Harvard University on the feminism of Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz, and revived her passion for her when she wrote Josefina's Sin. She lives and practices law in Northern California with her husband. They have two grown children. She is currently at work on her next novel, set in eighteenth century Mexico.

Opinion:

Josefinas sin truly reminded me of both Sarah Orne Jewett novels as well as Like Water for Chocolate. In this story, Josefina explores the dangers of reading forbidden poetry as well as how the words dare to awaken her soul and desires that she doesnt realize she's had. Through intrigues and court of seventeenth century Mexico, Josefina wrestles with various roles she has to wear in her daily life as well as forbidden ones, and she also has to wrestle with her conscience and her beliefs. Like Water for Chocolate is a beautiful and lush tale that heavily makes use of imagery of food as well as what that food represents to Tita and her love Pedro, the scenes of 17th century Mexico as well as court life poetry, words and ranch life and clothing represents Josefinas life and desires. A beautiful and remarkable read for the senses. Sarah Orne Jewett novels come in where a woman has to make a decision about herself and her family that will ultimately have repercussions and will force her to be less than a fulfilled individual. 

This was given for review 

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)