Historical Fiction: Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

I need to read more Latina writers, and Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras is a great addition to DSN. I actually had the opportunity to visit Bogotá, Colombia in 2006 on a mission trip, and while we were given a brief rundown of how dangerous the city is, a 10-day stay is no comparison to someone having lived and grown up in such a place. Plus, the book is set during the years of Pablo Escobar, and chronicles the many horrific crimes committed by the guerrillas. I knew there was a possibility I would have a hard time reading this, but I forged ahead anyway.

The Situation: Young Chula lives with her mother and her older sister Cassandra in early 1990s Bogotá, Colombia. For the most part, Chula and Cassandra's childhoods are typical for any little girls. They go to school, they play, they watch TV, and they look forward to when their father is able to come home from the oil site. Meanwhile, their mother stays busy running the house, which includes making sure the new maid, Petrona, knows her place and knows her duties. When Petrona first arrives at the house, she is a bit shy and reserved, and never seems to answer or respond to anything said to her in more or less than six syllables. This girl from the city's guerrilla-occupied slums becomes an object of fascination for Chula, and the two of them will form an unlikely bond that will complicate both of their lives.

The Problem: Chula's fairly typical and carefree childhood plays out in a time when drug lord Pablo Escobar seemed unstoppable. Whether you supported the guerrillas or not, everyone was in danger as there were near-constant threats of kidnappings, car bombs, shootings, and assassinations of those who dared promise to make everything better. While the dangers were more pronounced in the slums where Petrona and her family lived, it did not necessarily mean Chula was safe in her comfortable and guarded neighborhood in Bogotá. As Chula learns more about Petrona, it also means there is more she must keep secret from her sister and mother if she wants to keep her friend employed, and out of trouble. But what she does not know is that Petrona may already be in trouble, as the situation in the slums is seemingly hopeless and endlessly dangerous.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction novel that I decided to place under historical fiction due to the events taking place in Colombia in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Contreras notes that while the book is a work of fiction, it was inspired by real events she experienced growing up in Colombia. Plus, the terrifying and seemingly endless reign of Pablo Escobar, as well as some of the car bombings and assassinations carried out by his followers, were also real events that killed many and put people on edge. Most chapters are told from Chula's point of view, which is very much that of a child who is vaguely aware of the danger outside of her neighborhood, but cannot imagine or consider the full reality of it until it affects someone close to her. The remaining chapters are told by Petrona, and this is where the reader gets a vivid picture of a life that is under threat of being taken over by guerrillas. It is a story of impossible choices, often made out of utter desperation, and the seemingly unlivable consequences that follow.

My Verdict: This is a story. Contreras managed to capture the feeling of being a child in a dangerous world, but those dangers are minimized due to either their distance, or the feeling of safety provided by a home and an attentive family. But opposite Chula's limited view is that of Petrona, who has no choice but to acknowledge the dangers of her world because they almost constantly show up at her front door. The descriptions of even the smallest movements and motions were able to put me on edge. And any journey Chula and her sister made outside of her home felt risky, even if they were going to the residence of a family member. However, probably what put me on edge the most was how connected Chula was becoming to Petrona. Contreras portrayed all of the dangers masterfully, showing the situation for what it was, without getting lost in the details or overwhelming the reader with brutality. 

Favorite Moment: When Cassandra and Chula were able to find two girls in the neighborhood to play with. For the most part, the other kids avoid them because of who their mother is.

Favorite Character: I did not have an older sister, but if I did, I would want her to be like Cassandra.

Recommended Reading: Star of the North by D.B. John is another book that deals with a dangerous country where the citizens are under near-constant threat of violence.