GODDESS OF THE FLOWERS

A Mexican teen flees to America to evade a dangerous cartel leader in Stolinsky’s thriller.

It’s the late 1990s and 15-year-old Xochitl (whose Aztec name means “goddess of the flowers”) Gonzalez is the consort of Carlos Morales of the infamous Morales Cartel. For the last two years, she’s been “grooming” the young girls Carlos’ goons have been bringing to his large estate in Juarez, Mexico. She and her mom live there in comfort, but after witnessing the cartel leader brutally murder a 13-year-old, Xochitl is convinced she’ll inevitably suffer the same fate. She grabs cash, a gun, and a bundle of cocaine (as a potential bargaining chip) and runs for the border with two other girls. When the three make it to Texas, Xochitl struggles to find work and ultimately lands in juvenile detention. Trusting anyone is difficult as she’s certain Carlos is hunting her (the girl simply knows too much about his cartel) and any number of people could be working for him. Stolinsky’s story features a resilient young hero with understandable flaws. (Xochitl spent her youth conflicted, as she once believed Carlos loved her.) The protagonist is party to numerous sexual acts, some of which she herself initiates; the author shows restraint, implying much of what’s going on, and she doesn’t romanticize the material, even when Xochitl grows close to an older man. The straightforward narrative unfolds in the protagonist’s voice, including copious but not overwhelming slang, reading almost as if it’s a transcription. Parts of the novel are somewhat baffling, like the mention of a “one-eighty in all directions” or an incident in which Xochitl berates someone who mispronounces her name, only to then enunciate it two different ways. Still, readers will be engaged by her perilous journey to freedom.

An absorbing story of fortitude and redemption, despite a few stumbles.