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La Santisima (2013)

by Teresa Frohock(Favorite Author)

4.19 of 5 Votes: 4

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Smashwords Edition

review 1: In La Santisima, Teresa Frohock takes an interesting look at the moral implications of illegal immigration, but from the other side of the border. As Americans we are often fed a line by the media describing the burden illegal immigrants place on our society, it is rare that these migrants are ever painted in a humaninzing light. It is even rarer still, that their struggles are discussed openly and the danger these people face is confronted. Though, this is exactly what Frohock does in her tale. La Santisima is an honest story about the extreme dangers faced by migrants, and the subsequent grief of losing loved ones along the way. The story examines the brutality of the migration trade through the death of Jorge. Desperate to to help his family find a better life he ... moreembarks on the journey alone, and like so many before and after him, he perishes in the attempt. Yet, it is not at the hands of the border police or the narcos, but by the man who was supposed to help him cross the border safely. Jorge is left behind to die when he is injured on the trail. This moment signify's a devastatingly sad reality, which is that these migrants to both the people in the country they are trying to come to and the country they are leaving, are nothing more than numbers. The death of Jorge and thousands like him does not matter, these are people on the fringe, not protected by any type of human rights code. Even though the chances of falling to a similar fate are quite large, there is nothing else left but to continue to try, a fact driven home by Jorge's brother, Sebastian. It is so important for these stories to be told, to try and bring to light the struggle of these people, and to remind us that they are just that, people.
review 2: In "La Santisima" by Teresa Frohock, illegal immigration is discussed through the lens of a family in desperate need of a better financial situation. Frohock, as stated in her afterword essay, was not trying to fit the characters into a mold of a story that would market well to an audience. She was trying to be real, raw, and create authentic characters. She was also not trying to give an answer on the topic of immigration. She was attempting to depict a situation in which, on a deeper level, can be relatable to every single person that reads it. Obviously not everyone who reads this short story is going to have a direct experience with immigration. However, everyone who does read this can relate to the idea of people putting lives at risk for family members in need. Jorge leaves home in order to make money to pay for his sister’s motorized wheelchair. This is a noble act, unfortunately, also one that ends his young life too early. This story can also be relatable to audience members on another level, a spiritual one. Sebastian finds comfort in La Santa Muerte, and the icon he keeps of her in his pocket. While many people may not typically find comfort in the goddess of death, many people do find comfort in religion, and religious figures. La Santa Muerte ends up helping Sebastian and his family avenge their brother’s death by essentially killing Hector, and allowing Jorge’s body to be found. The sense of comfort felt by Lucia and Sebastian in knowing that La Santa Muerte will look out for them is relatable to most people. Whether it is a religious figure, religion in general, or even just a friend/family member, there are many different outlets in which people seek relief in difficult times. Frohock was not writing this in order to sell more copies and make money. Frohock did an excellent job bringing together real human experience and feeling through a story that was interesting and somewhat abstract, maybe unrelatable to most on the surface. But underneath the plot of an immigrant trying to find a better income, is a relatable tale, one that everyone can read and have an instant connection to. less

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