Among the volcanoes

Isabel Pascay longs to go to school and become a teacher, but her dream just doesn't seem possible in the small Guatemalan village where she lives. The villagers expect Isabel to follow tradition and marry her boyfriend, handsome Lucas Choy. And her mother is ill, but resists Western medicine, relying on a local healer. As the eldest daughter, all the family burdens seem to fall on Isabel. Can she hold on to her dreams for the future and achieve her goal?

Reviews (4)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 7-12-- The story of Isabel Pacay and of Guatemala, a country torn by internal conflicts. As Mayan Indians living in this rapidly changing and often dangerous society, the Pacays attempt to reconcile ancient beliefs and social values with modern Christianity, education, and evolving attitudes about women. Isabel, the oldest child, wants to be a teacher as well as a wife and mother, a combination that is unheard of in her village. Other events emphasize the conflict between the old and new ways of life. Due to the unstable political conditions, some local men have ``disappeared,'' been killed, or been taken prisoner. Isabel's father tells his family the safest course is to say nothing to any stranger. When the folk healer cannot cure her mother's illness, however, Isabel longs to talk to a young American who has come to the village offering medical assistance. Castaneda does not sensationalize the dangers the Parays face daily; instead, their fear is depicted as just another part of their lives. Isabel is a multifaceted character, a smart girl who respects and cares for her family, but also one who wants more for herself. Although her culture is different from the typical American's, readers will readily relate to the universal feeling of not fitting in. An excellent introduction to the Guatamalan/Mayan lifestyle, especially if used with nonfiction titles such as Ashabranner's Children of the Maya (Dodd, 1986), and Jenness and Kroeber's A Life of Their Own: An Indian Family in Latin America (Crowell, 1975). --Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, County of Henrico Public Library--Fairfield Area Library, Richmond, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

In Guatemala, life is both simpler and harder for teenagers than in the U.S. Isabel Pacay wants to go to school and become a teacher, but not only is her family very poor, no one in the village, not even her boyfriend, seems to see beyond tradition. When her mother becomes ill, Isabel is expected to stay home, take care of the family and give up her dreams. With the help of an American medical researcher, however, Isabel finds the courage within herself to do what she believes is right. More than anything, the novel offers a quietly realistic portrait of life in Central America: the poverty, ever-present political unrest and proud cultural background make Isabel's dilemma compelling. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Kirkus Review

A Guatemalan who grew up in the US depicts a bright teen-ager confronting tradition in an attempt to get help for her seriously ill mother. Characters and incidents here are well chosen to portray life in a modern Mayan village, though occasionally Castaneda's interest in the many authentic details he offers borders on the didactic. Isabel's mother is dying; an American medical student who would like to help is angrily rejected, especially by the other women (who prescribe folk remedies) and by Isabel's jealous fiancÉ, Lucas. Oldest child Isabel is tom between her love and duty and her realization that if her mother dies she may be denied both marriage and her dreams of becoming a teacher. Meanwhile, impending elections escalate the twin threats of guerrillas and the military, each as dangerous and unpredictable as the volcanoes surrounding the village. Implicitly contrasting the Mayans' religion (a unique blend of ancient beliefs and Catholicism) with their adamant prejudice against modern medicine and their too-willing adaptations of their traditional designs to suit tourists, Castaneda conveys sympathy for these indigenous people and understanding of the complexities they face in accommodating old and new. He presents the terrible conditions of their impoverished, wartorn country honestly, and ends with a fragile hope: Lucas agrees to help Isabel, against all odds, try to become a teacher. A thoughtful, richly textured story. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

Gr. 7-10. Set in a remote village of contemporary Guatemala, this story about a Mayan woodcutter's daughter, Isabel Pacay, caught between her respect for the old ways and her yearning for something more, is strong on setting and culture but weak on plot and character. In fact, there's so much local color that the story is only accessible through mists of description. Though she longs to become a teacher, Isabel is forced to leave school and care for her critically ill mother, who relies on the village healer and refuses help from a visiting American medical student. There's also some unconvincing love interest between Isabel, her boyfriend, and a girl who tries to come between them. What Castaneda does capture is the polarity of the cultural conflict, the sense of political unease, and the grinding poverty. Readers will appreciate the diatribes against tourists who try to go native, especially those foreigners who come to "help," give what they think the people need, and end up interfering with a rich, dynamic tradition. The beautiful cover painting by Pederson is reminiscent of her cover for de Jenkins' splendid Latin American novel The Honorable Prison [BKL Mr 15 88], but this book lacks de Jenkins' taut drama and internal conflict. The overly reverential approach is condescending. ~--Hazel Rochman

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