72 pages • 2 hours read
Tropic of Orange
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Book Brief
290
Novel • Fiction
Los Angeles, California • 1990s
1997
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Tropic of Orange by Karen Tei Yamashita is a 1997 magical realism novel that spans a week, exploring interconnected lives in Los Angeles and beyond, as a mystical event beginning in Mexico influences the city's climate and geography. Diverse characters navigate surreal disruptions, delving into themes like native resistance to colonialism, cultural diversity, and the immigrant experience. Includes themes of child endangerment and violence.
Fantastical
Mysterious
Gritty
Adventurous
Contemplative
Reviews & Readership
3,161 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Karen Tei Yamashita's Tropic of Orange dazzles with its vivid prose and intricate, multi-layered narrative, blending magical realism with social critique. Readers praise its bold experimentation and diverse characters but find the complex plot occasionally challenging to follow. It's celebrated for addressing critical themes such as globalization and cultural intersectionality.
Who Should Read Tropic of Orange?
Readers who enjoy Tropic of Orange by Karen Tei Yamashita are often fans of magical realism, multicultural narratives, and socio-political commentary. Similar to those who appreciate Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude and Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, they are intrigued by complex, interwoven stories that explore diverse identities and global issues.
3,161 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
290
Novel • Fiction
Los Angeles, California • 1990s
1997
Adult
18+ years
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