Rosario Castellanos, one of Mexico's greatest writers, does a wonderful job of portraying life in ancient Chiapas. Specifically in Comitan, Rosario's hometown, and in Chactajal,which is a few miles off Comitan. Balun Canan(meaning '9 candles') is the name given by the ancient Mayan civilizations to Comitan.
This novel is rich in historical significance, but also based on the author's personal daily experiences which makes this novel truly enjoyable. Rosario shares her life as a young girl alongside her nanny and her family. Both Rosario and her nanny narrate this story at certain points, allowing us readers to infer their opinions and views on certain problems and dilemmas, which refer to a hard time in the history of Mexico. A hard time concerning the rebellin of the indian population, and the clear preocupation of those who were their owners, the white population.

This novel, written by one of Mexico's most famous modern poets, illustrates many of the issues present in Mexico after the revolution. The story follows the life of a young girl growing up in Chiapas after the revolution. The author writes poetry into her prose, combining the oral tradition with the politics surrounding the change of power, to create a subtle yet powerful novel about the changing face of Mexico.

I had only vague knowledge of the history of the Chiapas region of Mexico before I read this novel, which tells the story of a fictional uprising (based on a couple of real ones) with many stunning similarities to the Zapatista uprising of 1994. But you don't need to be interested in the social and political history of Chiapas to appreciate this novel -- indeed, too much awareness may cause you to miss the book's many fine qualities beyond its political prescience.

Castellanos masterfully weaves the lives of numerous people together in a narrative which is often captivating. Keeping the characters straight is only a problem at first, for soon you have in your head a remarkably clear picture of them all. I found myself caring equally for the fates of characters I knew would clash with each other, and this is one of the great accomplishments of the novel.

Some of the language and imagery, based on Mayan mythology, gets obscure and occasionally tedious, but this is a minor complaint, for the majority of the tale is stunningly clear and suspenseful. The book is filled with Mexican and Mayan words, which may seem off-putting at first, but their sense can usually be discovered through the context and a glossary of the most obscure words is provided at the end of the book. I found myself enjoying having some of the words left untranslated, for it strengthened the immediate poetry in the writing, and the sense of place inherent throughout. There are also an introduction and an afterword which provide useful information about Castellanos and the history of Chiapas.

Those who did not learn from the cenruries-old history of the Chiapas are now repeating it.The book is depressing and disturbing, because the outcome will not change - especially since the latest revolt has been preempted by socialist/communist rebels. The case for the Chiapas Indios seems hopeless, now and in the future. The poetry brought to this account is overwhelming. Everything comes alive, stark and brilliant. It is sad that the author had to die so young. In reading the book, it helps to know some Spanish. A glossary at its end could be helpful.

I have just had the pleasure of reading one of the most exciting and challenging books that I will read this year, and it's only January. The book is titled The Book of Lamentations and it was written in 1962 by the now deceased Rosario Castellanos. It has only recently been translated by Esther Allen, for reasons that are now completely obscure to me, since after reading it, you'll wish you could have read it years ago.
This book is ostensibly about a fictional uprising in Chiapas that took place shortly after the land redistribution attempts by the PRI were begun in the 1930s. But to see it as only that is to miss the deeper levels of the book. It is also about the inherent inequalities of perception that challenge us, both from within and without our social groupings.
The main conflict is over the role of the government in overseeing the destruction of the fincas in Chiapas. When the agent of the government arrives to redistribute the land back to the peasants and destroy the system that always left the Tzotzils of the region overworked and permanently impoverished in their villages, he encounters the entrenched resistance of the landed Ladino gentry.
Meanwhile, in the villages of the countryside, where the Indians live, there is a religious revival, and not of Catholicism, but of the pagan religion that has never been fully destroyed in the area. This part of the book appears to be based on an episode in the Yucatan uprising of the 1850's, but is actually a deeper analysis of the role of the directly inspired mystic as a critique of the established traditions.
When the Indians finally begin their revolution, it is started by one of the most shocking events in the book. Yet, with the author's skill and courage at facing the event, one does not cringe or turn away from it, but acknowledges it in the same way that the engineer who witnesses it does: "more out of fascination than of fear."
The book examines closely the role of religion in fostering and in destroying revolution. Near the end, the book contains a conversation between the atheist governor of the region and the archbishop. While one might hope for a longer, and more full description of their conversation, the episode rings true, as we always wish for more answers in these areas than we can get.
The book holds no character up for esteem, all are there for your perusal as they are. If you are looking for a hero you will not find one here, it is populated by real people with the real faults and weaknesses that we all have.
If, on the other hand, you want to read a book that carries with it a timeless quality, one that will challenge you and force you to come to terms with the ethical ambiguities that plague us all, this book will dominate your thoughts for some time after you have put it down

This book was at first very complicated becasue of the way it changes it's setting or happenings, but once you get to the 5 or 6 chapter things beggind to make lots more sense. There is lots of feeling in it's was of describing the thoughts that people are having, there is lots of warmth in this little girl who is the main character. This is the type of book that could be read only by those readers who really want to read not just flip pages.

"The Selected Poems of Rosario Castellanos" is a bilingual collection of the work of this important woman poet of Mexico. This is a bilingual edition, with Castellanos' Spanish originals and the English versions on facing pages. The poems have been translated by Magda Bogin, who co-edited the volume with Cecilia Vicuna.

Castellanos' work has a somber, introspective quality. Many of her poems are about death, pain, or sadness. Many of her lines demonstrate a rather dark world view. Example: "We give life only to what we hate" (from "Destiny"). Her language is at times romantic and sensuous, at times cynical: "Don't trust a man in love: he's hungry, / all he wants is to devour" (from "Celestina's Advice"). She sometimes uses memorable imagery: "On the lips of the wind I shall be called / a tree of many birds" ("Two Poems").

I found Castellanos' poetry to have a psychological quality that reminded me of the work of two other Latin American women poets: Julia de Burgos (Puerto Rico) and Alfonsina Storni (Argentina). Those interested in Latin American poetry should seek out this volume.