The novel is titled The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle. I quickly jotted down the information on the margin of my notes. It not only sounded like an interesting read but I thought it would be a great reference and source for my journalism capstone course, Border Beat.
I just began reading the novel this weekend but so far I really am enjoying it. It is not too long of read so it should not take me too long to finish, but the plot line is slightly complex and the story begins quite abruptly.
I have never read a story that begins with the word afterward, but Boyle does in fact do this in his novel. It first throws you off but he quickly back tracks to explain his train of thought.
The novel is focused around the lives of two couples that live in Topanga Canyon and lead very different lives. According to the summary on the back cover of the book, "Los Angeles liberals Delaney and Kyra Mossbacher lead an orderd sushi-and-recycling existence in a newly gated hilltop community: he a sensitive nature writer, she an obsessive realtor. Mexican illegals Candido and America Rincon desperately cling to their vision of the American Dream as they fight off starvation in a makeshift camp deep in the ravine. And from the moment a freak accident brings Candido and Delaney into intimate contact, these four and their opposing worlds gradually intersect in what becomes a tragicomedy of error and misunderstanding."
Although this is the main theme and plot line for the book, Boyle leaves the rest up to the reader's interpretation
In a conversation with Boyle, that can be found on the Penguin Reading Group website the author said, "Readers certainly have the right to query a writer about his/her work, but they must understand that interpretation is individual and that the author should never seek to impose any interpretation of his own book."
In conclusion, I am anxious to finish the novel and sum up a my own interpretation and understanding of the text!
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