Review: Fruit of the Drunken Tree

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is actually the first novel from NetGalley that I successfully finished BEFORE the publication date 😅, and I think that's a testament to how much I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend checking out Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras when it releases in July, 2018.Chula grows up in a wealthy Colombian family, spending her days getting into trouble with her sister and marveling at her family's graceful but mysterious maid, Petrona. This story, brought to life by the magic and anxiety of Chula's imagination, starts of as the account of a quaint and innocent school girl. However, as Colombia gets embroiled in the chaos of Pablo Escobar's nefarious dealings and the violent crime of narcotics traffickers, Chula's life seems to come apart at the seams. Even her adventurous older sister and her feminist matriarch of a mother seem unprepared for the trouble that enters their lives.Contreras strikes a captivating balance by depicting endearing quirks of local culture while weaving in strands of the Colombian political narrative that any history junkie will recognize and enjoy following. Contreras spends equal time meticulously following a real historical timeline and deliberately smashing Colombian stereotypes. I found the beginning to be a touch slow, but as a tradeoff, each character has a deliciously complex personality. Additionally, though this is not canon, I interpreted Chula to be queer. As someone who thirsts for representation, it frustrated me to find no closure on that front, but I thought Contreras did an excellent job depicting Chula's struggles with anxiety and PTSD.Flashing occasionally to the perspective of Petrona, whose family exists closer to the "front lines" of the drug war, Fruit of the Drunken Tree tells the story of women from varied backgrounds experiencing a similar struggle to be who their families need them to be. By the end of this novel, readers will be gripped by a dynamic story female bravery and will be touched by Chula's tender spirit that endures through it all.