The Five Wounds is the debut novel by American author Kirstin Valdez Quade, published by W. W. Norton & Company on March 30, 2021.[1] It is an expansion of Quade's short story of the same name, which was first published in The New Yorker and later collected in her debut short story collection, Night at the Fiestas (2015).[2] The Five Holy Wounds suffered by Jesus Christ during the crucifixion is used as a metaphor in the novel.[3]
.png) First edition cover | |
| Author | Kirstin Valdez Quade |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Set in | Las Penas, New Mexico |
| Publisher | W. W. Norton & Company |
Publication date | March 30, 2021 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover), ebook, audiobook |
| Pages | 432 pp. |
| Awards | First Novel Prize (2021) |
| ISBN | 978-0-393-24283-6 (hardcover 1st ed.) |
| OCLC | 1156993141 |
| 813/.6 | |
| LC Class | PS3617.U25 F58 2021 |
Premise
editAmadeo Padilla, a struggling alcoholic, lives with his pregnant daughter, Angel, and ailing mother, Yolanda, in Las Penas, New Mexico. He is selected to portray Jesus Christ in the town's annual play which reenacts the Passion of Jesus and is organized by the Roman Catholic lay group Los Hermanos Penitentes.
Reception
editPer Book Marks, a website that aggregates critical reviews for literature from mainstream critics, the book received an overall "Rave" consensus rating based on 9 independent third-party assessments, including 7 "rave" and 2 "positive" reviews.[4] This included starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly.[5][6][7][3]
Reviewers highlighted the book's realistic portrayals of characters and communities.
Kirkus Reviews described it as "a novel built around a fierce, flawed, and loving family" anchored by "perfectly rendered characters."[5] In their starred review, Publishers Weekly praised the "well-developed characters [who] convey palpable emotion" and called Quade's depiction of the novel's community "pitch perfect."[3] Library Journal's verdict was that this "expertly crafted story of family and community introduces us to often needy characters for whom readers come to care deeply."[6]
Other critics noted the humanistic elements that dignify the characters and their society with agency and potential.
Booklist commended Quade for "ably deliver[ing] a story that is nuanced and authentic without melodrama... [it's a] generous tale of characters who understand the inevitability of fate but try to forge ahead anyway in the hope of breaking free."[7] In The New York Times, Alexandra Chang added, "Quade has created a world bristling with compassion and humanity" with characters whose challenges are "wholly realized and moving." Concluding, she affirmed "their journeys span a wide spectrum of emotion and it is impossible not to root for all three."[8]
It was named one of the best books of the year by NPR and Publishers Weekly.[9][10]
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Center for Fiction First Novel Prize | — | Won | [11] |
| 2022 | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence | Fiction | Shortlisted | [12] |
| Aspen Words Literary Prize | — | Shortlisted | [13][14] | |
| BookTube Prize | Fiction | Shortlisted | ||
| Lambda Literary Award | Lesbian Fiction | Shortlisted | ||
| Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award | — | Shortlisted | ||
| Maya Angelou Book Award | — | Shortlisted | ||
| VCU Cabell First Novelist Award | — | Shortlisted |
References
edit- ^ "The Five Wounds: A Novel by Kirstin Valdez Quade". W. W. Norton & Company. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ Welch, Michael (April 8, 2021). "The Possibility of Change and Movement in "The Five Wounds"". Chicago Review of Books. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c "The Five Wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quade Review". Publishers Weekly. December 17, 2020. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ "Book Marks reviews of The Five Wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quade". Book Marks. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "The Five Wounds". Kirkus Reviews. January 27, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ a b Valdez, Quade, Kirstin. "Five Wounds". Library Journal. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "The Five Wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quade". Booklist. March 1, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Chang, Alexandra (May 4, 2021). "From Spain to Sydney to Small-Town New Mexico, 3 Debuts Anchored by a Strong Sense of Place". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ "Best Books 2021: Books We Love". NPR. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ "Best Books 2021: Publishers Weekly". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ "Kirstin Valdez Quade Wins The Center for Fiction 2021 First Novel Prize for The Five Wounds". Center for Fiction. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ "2022 Winners". American Library Association. October 17, 2021. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
- ^ Schaub, Michael (February 28, 2022). "Finalists for Aspen Words Literary Prize Revealed". Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ Chadburn, Melissa (February 28, 2022). "Awards: New-York Historical Society Zalaznick Winner; Aspen Words Shortlist". Shelf Awareness. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.