From Publishers Weekly
Sexually abused by her drunken father, twice-divorced Amalia Gomez lives with her two rebellious teenage chidren, Juan and Gloria, in the decaying, gang-ridden outskirts of Hollywood. Rechy ( Marilyn's Daughter ), himself Mexican American, probes the dark underside of the American dream in this powerful portrait of one day in the life of a Mexican American woman and her shattered family. Amalia's battered girlhood in El Paso, Tex., and her relationships with husbands who abandoned or raped her come alive via extended flashbacks. Transplanted to California, she pretends that she's married to her live-in lover Raynaldo. Pious, she sees holy signs everywhere, torn by grief over Manny, her firstborn son who died in prison, possibly murdered by guards. Shattering revelations at the book's close concern homosexuality and sexual abuse under her roof. Rechy scorchingly evokes the prejudice faced by Mexican Americans and other minorities, the poverty, gang warfare, illegal border crossings and visions of salvation amid hopelessness. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Amalia Gomez awakens one day and looks out her window in the barrios of Los Angeles to see a silver cross in the sky--a sign from God. This Mexican-American woman is always looking for the brighter side of life, never wanting to face her real-life problems or those of her children, friends, or neighbors. From the early morning cross in the sky to Amalia's near murder at the end of the day, readers are given a glimpse of life in a decaying urban environment and see from Amalia's perspective the motivations and challenges of barrio life. Rechy, a Mexican-American author, presents a rich portrayal of Amalia in this readable and moving work, punctuating his work with Spanish dialog. The characters are vibrant and ring true. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.- Mary Molinaro, Univ. of Kentucky, LexingtonCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In The Miraculous Day of Amalia Gomez, Amalia Gomez thinks she sees a large silver cross in the sky. A miraculous sign, perhaps, but one the down-to-earth Amalia does not trust. Through Amalia, we take a vivid and moving tour of the "other Hollywood," populated by working-class Mexican Americans, as John Rechy blends tough realism with religious and cultural fables to take us into the life of a Chicano family in L.A. Epic in scope and vision, The Miraculous Day of Amalia Gomez is classic Rechy.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Sexually abused by her drunken father, twice-divorced Amalia Gomez lives with her two rebellious teenage chidren, Juan and Gloria, in the decaying, gang-ridden outskirts of Hollywood. Rechy ( Marilyn's Daughter ), himself Mexican American, probes the dark underside of the American dream in this powerful portrait of one day in the life of a Mexican American woman and her shattered family. Amalia's battered girlhood in El Paso, Tex., and her relationships with husbands who abandoned or raped her come alive via extended flashbacks. Transplanted to California, she pretends that she's married to her live-in lover Raynaldo. Pious, she sees holy signs everywhere, torn by grief over Manny, her firstborn son who died in prison, possibly murdered by guards. Shattering revelations at the book's close concern homosexuality and sexual abuse under her roof. Rechy scorchingly evokes the prejudice faced by Mexican Americans and other minorities, the poverty, gang warfare, illegal border crossings and visions of salvation amid hopelessness. (Sept.)

Library Journal