Kissing the Virgin's Mouth - by Donna M Gershten (Paperback)

About the Book

In a society in which gender and class roles are unbending, and religion predominant, Magda--wife, scoundrel, and mother--creates a philosophy of life that she can thrive in, a religion of cynical optimism, pragmatism, and determined gratitude. "Kissing the Virgin's Mouth" is a novel about love, the power of sex, and the struggles of women. It is also a lyrical first novel that offers a rare window into the Mexican experience.

From the Back Cover

Guadalupe Magdalena Molina Vásquez -- wife, scoundrel, courtesan, mother -- is full of contradictions: she believes in love but is suspicious of men; she rejects religion but admires the Virgin Mary; she respects tradition while breaking all the rules. Here, in the Golden Zone of Teatán, Mexico, Magda tells her extraordinary life story -- from a poor Mexican barrio to American affluence, from wide-eyed childhood to worldly courtesan life, from full-blooded youth to oncoming blindness -- and bewitchingly imparts the hard-earned wisdom she has gained through the years.

Review Quotes

"Lively and pungent...[Gershten] makes Magdalena a rich and contradictory character--and, moreover, a canny storyteller in her own right." - Los Angeles Times
"Captivating...full of passion and courage...a work of insight and imagination, as well as narrative strength and seductive language." - Washington Post Book World