The novel vividly depicts a squatters community outside Phoenix in the 1950s. Migrant workers return from work on flatbeds, lesbian prostitutes turn tricks in the back seats of cars, elderly grandparents have waking dreams and astral episodes amidst scenes of desert life... sounds fascinating, right? The setting is, but the story is surprisingly spare. Not a lot happens among these episodic moments, and much of what happens would better lend itself to visual form.
I never entirely connected with these characters, although I could appreciate what young Beno is losing when he is taken away to California at the novel's end. There is a rich history to this community, one that is lost in mainstream America.
However, I was still impressed enough with Vea to want to make a few comments. The novel requires a certain suspension of disbelief because of the important role magical elements play in the book, but I didn't even mind that, really. It's just not my cup of tea since I prefer more action-oriented, faster-paced plots.
However, I can still tell a fine novel when I see one (and despite my own shortcomings as a reader), so don't let my lack of patience for an otherwise good, but somewhat leisurely paced novel, put you off. Vea writes quite well and this is a more than competent novel, especially considering it was his first, and it provides a unique glimpse into what would otherwise be a forgotten community of people on the edge of Phoneix society in the 1950's.