Ignoring the influence and meaning of religion within writers of the highly diverse Latino/a American persuasion is prone to failure, or at least incomplete understanding. Kevane (modern
languages and literatures, Montana State U.) provides a new, more complete criticism of Latino/a American literature by figuring in all accessible Christian and alternative faiths, closely
examining Mexican-American, Dominican, Puerto Rican and Jewish Americans in her analysis. She focuses on such themes as the violence and miracles of Their Dogs Came with Them by Viramontes and
Rechy's The Miraculous Day of Amalia G籀mez, Puerto Rican theology in Cofer's The Meaning of Consuelo and Qui簽onez's Chango's Fire, the liberation theology of Alvarez's In the Time of the
Butterflies and P矇rez's Geographies of Home, and the influence of historical and secret Judaism in Obejas's Days of Awe and Hijuelos's A Simple Habana Melody (from when the world was good.
Annotation 穢2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
