The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters

The mother of four sisters dies, leaving them to be raised by an unobservant father and a beloved housekeeper, who has her own mysterious past. Unfortunately for the girls, the housekeeper dies shortly after. The girls are pretty much left to their own devices. They feel a void and begin to search to find out who their mother and their housekeeper were. The sisters lives are examined over more than twenty years as they reach maturity, go their separate ways, and reunite. Each chapter is taken by a different sister who reports the happenings from her vantage point. Using first-person, second-person, and third-person points of view, the tale unfolds in a smooth, easy-to-read fashion. Each girl has her own voice, and the reader has no difficulty following what could be a difficult read. The characters are believable--each one is well written so that personality flaws are evident. They squabble, but the bond of family is tight. Warning: A good bit of profanity is used throughout the book.

This book was fun reading. The Authors vivid insight into life of that time period was accurate and full of tender recollections - and some rather harsh. It rambled on a little too long with too many characters - but very entertaining and lots of laugh out loud observations and situations.

This remarkable novel kept me spellbound on the afternoon the hem of Hurricane Ike lashed my neighborhood, but still I kept reading. Although I understood that the novel had reached its conclusion, the gift quest had ended, I was sad to put the characters away. They have the acid edge that some of Lopez earlier characters, but the Gabaldon sisters each exhibit a soft vulnerability as well. Lopez moves with ease among first, second, and third person perspectives, giving each sister her due while creating a perfectly balanced novel of a family in survival mode. Lopezs rich characterizations of the girls named for movie stars coupled with a strong clear plot make for a stunning and delightfully complex read. Unlike many books with a single heroine who is put upon or without flaw, these women can be mean and shrewd and we still cheer them on. Sexy, pitch-perfect, and superbly-written, this book should be on every book club list as well as in everyones briefcase.

The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters begins in Los Angeles in 1966. We meet the four sisters - Loretta, Rita, Sophia, Bette and their brother Cary - all named by their late mother after movie stars. The girls are still mourning their mother. Their beloved housekeeper, Fermina, becomes ill as well. She has always promised that when she passes on she will give the girls each a gift. When she dies, the girls try to discover what each gift is. They arent tangible items, but maybe the gifts are abilities...... Each chapter is told from the viewpoint of one of the sisters. Interspersed are tantalizing excerpts from Ferminas life, beginning in the 1930s, taken down by a data collector from Work Projects Administration. This novel traces the lives of the girls through joy and heartache. Through it all runs the memory of their mother. Each girl remembers her differently. And Fermina - who was she really - her life with them is a bit of a mystery. The women in this story are the dominant, strong characters. I was caught up in the lives of the Gabaldon sisters. Their bickering, angst, joy and passion for life was intoxicating. Although they make some bad decisions in life, their acceptance of what life brings, their devotion to their children and their love for each other is compelling. The story rings true and real, with no sugar coating. As we follow the sisters lives, we also follow Ferminas in further reports from the WPA until the two tales meet and we discover who Fermina was and what the gifts truly were. This newly released novel is a story that will appeal to sisters and friends. It would be an excellent suggestion for a book club. Ferminas life is drawn from Lopezs own family history.

Every character is simultaneously original and familiar. I publish The Latinidad List, an annual round-up of the years best titles by and/or for Latinos, and The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters by Lorraine Lopez is a standout among 2008s novels. (To see the rest of the list, visit [...]

This book had enough plots and subplots to keep me entertained throughout. However, the magic part of the book was very minor. It was more general family chic lit with just a hint of the magic subplot.

Rating: 3.75 stars The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters is about four sisters who were taken care of by a mysterious elderly woman named Fermina. Upon Ferminas death, the girls all seek to discover the special gifts Fermina claimed to have left for them. Each chapter skips ahead a couple of years and the story takes readers from childhood to adulthood. The story is told by each of the sisters in alternating chapters with varying points of view, from first person to second person to third person. This book was nothing like I expected. Most of the chapters reveal devastating and sometimes difficult hardships that the sisters faced, with little pause for comic relief. I was expecting a tale of magic and intrigue, but the primary plot left no room for mystery because the secret the sisters were searching for throughout the novel was revealed earlier on to the reader. Having said that, I really did enjoy Lorraine Lopezs writing itself. Her unique use of different perspectives was refreshing and kept my attention. Lopezs strength definitely lies in her vivid descriptions because each character and setting managed to come alive for me, which perhaps was what made some parts of the book so incredibly heartbreaking. The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters is a worthwhile read, despite its lack of suspense and melancholy themes. Lorraine Lopez is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. [...]

I like the story line very much. Unfortunately, I read the book on my Kindle and several times it was necessary to look back at something and that becomes frustrating with the Kindle. I enjoyed the different view points from each sister and also how it all came together in the end.

After reading The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters, by Lorraine Lopez, I am astounded. Lorraine Lopez is the author of Call Me Henri, which won the Paterson Prize for Young Adult Literature, and Soy la Avon Lady and Other Stories, which won the inaugural Miguel Marmol Prize for Fiction. She has also had several short stories published in various magazines, is an assistant professor of English at Vanderbilt University, and the associate editor for the Afro-Hispanic Review. She resides in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband. The Gabaldon sisters lost their mother at a very early age and it was their Pueblo caretaker, Fermina, who held them together during that rough period, with love, compassion, and humor. Upon Ferminas passing, she told them of a special gift each would receive, selected just for them. Twenty years later, the girls wonder about these supposed gifts and if the woman who bestowed them was a witch or plain crazy. Loretta- with the power to heal animals, Bette- the ability to spin stories, Rita- the power to curse others, and Sophia- having the skill to incite laughter; the women delve into their family and Ferminas woven history. As secrets and mysteries are revealed, it shows the Gabaldon sisters who their guardian, Fermina, really was and teaches them the truth about themselves, as well. Im going to issue an age warning, stating I feel this book is appropriate for ages fifteen plus, as there are sexual references, drug abuse, and some sexual abuse references. Though it is very tactfully and eloquently told, it is still present. I am intrigued by how the idea for The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters came to Lorraine Lopez, which is told in her biography in the back of the book. She comes from a large extended family with ties to central New Mexico. Her adopted grandfather was biological son of his adopted fathers brother and a Native American servant- a Pueblo woman who worked in the familys home. After having the son, she had a daughter who was surrendered by the family to an orphanage. What a heart-breaking and astonishing story, and one that made for an interesting fictional tale, (or idea), for the book. The Gifted Gabaldon Sisters, by Lorraine Lopez, is an original, inventive, fierce, and engaging story, sure to invoke thought, tears, and laughter. With a blended mix of tongues, cultures, traditions, and history- it will captivate you from beginning to end, and is a book that will remain with you long after you finish. Kelly Moran Author and Reviewer

The book is written in such a way that each chapter is one of several sisters voice (Im not even sure how many sisters there were!). Also between the chapters are documents found and written about another character in the book. I never really followed the meaning behind the research documents and keeping track of which sister was which was extremely complicated. Im an avid reader. I think if the book was better written this would not have been a problem. Bottom line, I didnt really care too much about what the sisters went thru. There would be times when it seemed that it was getting interesting only to have the chapter end and then the story line not pick up again. Dont waste your time.