Official Review: Rodrigo's Land by Steven Farrington

Please use this sub-forum to discuss any fiction books or series that do not fit into one of the other categories. If the fiction book fits into one the other categories, please use that category instead.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
User avatar
RussetDivinity
Posts: 398
Joined: 04 Jul 2014, 13:44
Bookshelf Size: 44
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-russetdivinity.html
Latest Review: "Heart of Flint" by Scott Stricklen

Official Review: Rodrigo's Land by Steven Farrington

Post by RussetDivinity »

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Rodrigo's Land" by Steven Farrington.]
Book Cover for 2417
Share This Review

Rodrigo’s Land has a framing device of being about Bartolomé de las Casas, a Spaniard who traveled to the Americas in the sixteenth century and came to oppose the treatment of the native peoples living there. The main story, however, is about Rodrigo, an old man who has been living with the Tainos (the natives in the area where Bartolomé has been living), and how he came to be in the Americas. The story encompasses a great deal of Spanish history from that time, from the persecution of the Jews by the royalty to Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas. Rodrigo finds himself tied in with all of it, leading to a compelling story. However, there were times when I was disappointed by the writing, and so I can only give this novel 3 out of 4 stars.

The first part of the book captivated me. I love historical fiction, and I’d heard of Bartolomé de las Casas in passing from various history textbooks, so I was curious about how this novel would portray him. I wasn’t at all disappointed to find that the focus wasn’t going to be on de las Casas, though, since I was just as interested in Rodrigo. From the start, I was curious about this man who had been born to a noble family and raised to be a priest but wound up in the New World, living among Native Americans and learning their language. That Rodrigo had a skill for languages made me even more interested, since that isn’t something that a great many historical fiction novels have as traits for their protagonists but would be very important to a book about an age full of exploration, as this one was.

There were some parts of the book that I couldn’t tell whether I liked or disliked. While I wouldn’t have wanted Rodrigo to have the same viewpoint as so many people of his time and social status might, there were times when I thought he seemed a bit too wise for his time and age, although I did like how wide-eyed he was on meeting a Jewish girl named Esther and wanting to learn more about her culture. While I did also like that the negative aspects of the Spanish explorations to the New World were shown, I thought that the Spaniards came off as a bit too villainous and easy to hate, while the Romany people and the Native Americans were idealized a bit too much. Compared with a protagonist who was simultaneously wise and wide-eyed, the backdrop of the story felt a bit too simplistic.

This isn’t to say it’s a badly-written book. While I thought things got a bit scattered in the last third and it was a bit difficult to tell when the story was switching from Rodrigo’s story to Bartolomé’s point of view (though the switch between first- and third-person made this clear within a few sentences), I’m glad I read the book. It wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, but I’d recommend it to other people, especially those who like European history and the history of colonization.

In short, I’d say that this book is worth reading at least once, and definitely worth rereading the first few chapters right after finishing. There was a plot point brought up in them that came back at the very end, but I had a bit of trouble remembering it in the last chapter after all that had happened in between.

***
Buy "Rodrigo's Land" on Amazon
Latest Review: "Heart of Flint" by Scott Stricklen
User avatar
Manfariel1
Posts: 3
Joined: 21 Sep 2014, 13:19
Bookshelf Size: 1

Post by Manfariel1 »

Thanks, this is very useful and informative!
User avatar
Heidi M Simone
Official Reviewer Representative
Posts: 7054
Joined: 17 Jul 2015, 20:19
Favorite Book: Harry Potter
Currently Reading: Beyond the Wand
Bookshelf Size: 556
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-heidi-m-simone.html
Latest Review: Lugares Amables by Lidice Megla
Publishing Contest Votes: 27
fav_author_id: 0

Post by Heidi M Simone »

Nice, detailed review! I admit that I could use some more background to this time in history. I generally love historical fiction reads, but with any book that I read, I would prefer the sequence of events to be clear and in order. Because of the scattered aspect of this book, I'm not sure if it's for me, but I'm glad that you were still able to enjoy the read!
Heidi
Official Reviewer Representative

"There is nothing as powerful as a mother’s love, and nothing as healing as a child’s soul." – Unknown
User avatar
gali
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 53652
Joined: 22 Oct 2013, 07:12
Favorite Author: Agatha Christie
Currently Reading: The Suite Life
Bookshelf Size: 2287
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-gali.html
Reading Device: B00I15SB16
Publishing Contest Votes: 0
fav_author_id: 2484

Post by gali »

Sounds interesting to read about real events from the POV of a member of Columbus's 1492 crew. Too bad the was a bit scattered toward the end. Not sure it is for me, but I am glad you enjoyed the book overall. Thank you for the review!
A retired Admin/Mod

Pronouns: She/Her

"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you." (Mortimer J. Adler)
User avatar
tarafarah7
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 2217
Joined: 29 Jul 2016, 22:22
Favorite Author: Mitch Albom
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... ">tuesdays with Morrie</a>
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1428
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tarafarah7.html
Latest Review: Toni the Superhero by R.D. Base
Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG
fav_author_id: 2544

Post by tarafarah7 »

I think I'm going to give the sample a try and then decide if this book is for me or not. I am a lover of travel, other cultures, and languages, but I feel the plot may be difficult to follow for some reason. Either way, thank you so much for your informative review!! :-)
User avatar
kandscreeley
Special Discussion Leader
Posts: 11683
Joined: 31 Dec 2016, 20:31
Currently Reading: Believarexic
Bookshelf Size: 486
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kandscreeley.html
Latest Review: The Elf Revelation by Jordan David

Post by kandscreeley »

I'm a little uncertain about this one. I'm not sure it's a book that I would truly enjoy. Great review though. Thanks!
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
—Neil Gaiman
skalicia
Posts: 44
Joined: 10 Mar 2017, 10:17
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 445
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-skalicia.html
Reading Device: B00KC6I06S

Post by skalicia »

This book isn't the type of book I typically read but I would love to learn more about that time in history.
User avatar
Donnavila Marie01
Posts: 931
Joined: 19 Dec 2016, 02:39
Currently Reading: the one
Bookshelf Size: 89
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-donnavila-marie01.html
Latest Review: "America, It Was Just An Idea" by Dr. Rayna M. Gangi

Post by Donnavila Marie01 »

An informative review. I also like historical fiction because it gives us another twist of reality in the past. This book did not fail to present us possibilities. This is a good read.
Latest Review: "America, It Was Just An Idea" by Dr. Rayna M. Gangi
User avatar
Amagine
Posts: 5441
Joined: 04 Mar 2017, 19:27
Favorite Author: James Patterson
Bookshelf Size: 721
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-amagine.html
Latest Review: "Salome and Gogo visit Soweto" by Cora Groenewald
Reading Device: B00IKPYKWG
fav_author_id: 3251

Post by Amagine »

I'm not a fan of historical fiction because it reads too much like a history book to me. You've made it sound interesting though.

Great Review! ?
"Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude." -A.A Milne

"I am grateful for all the books that sparked my imagination." -Unknown
Latest Review: "Salome and Gogo visit Soweto" by Cora Groenewald
User avatar
Shreyoshi Sen
Posts: 261
Joined: 12 Feb 2017, 02:22
Bookshelf Size: 24
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-shreyoshi-sen.html
Latest Review: "Lived One Life To Save One Life" by Yong Ho Nam

Post by Shreyoshi Sen »

Thanks for the honest review. I don't think this book is for me. The review is amazing but I don't find myself drawn towards the book.
Latest Review: "Lived One Life To Save One Life" by Yong Ho Nam
hailvilla18
Posts: 99
Joined: 19 Dec 2016, 03:50
Bookshelf Size: 30
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-hailvilla18.html
Latest Review: "Loving Marie" by Dawn Reno Langley

Post by hailvilla18 »

I am not really a fan of historical fiction but with the review, I think I'd start to love this genre. I believe I would enjoy the story at the same time learn about history.
Latest Review: "Loving Marie" by Dawn Reno Langley
User avatar
Gingerbo0ks
Posts: 735
Joined: 19 Mar 2017, 13:59
Currently Reading: All the Crooked Saints
Bookshelf Size: 168
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-gingerbo0ks.html
Latest Review: "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU

Post by Gingerbo0ks »

After reading the review I don't think this is for me, but isn't that part of what makes a good review? This is a thorough review.
"One must always be careful of books, and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel
Latest Review: "Strong Heart" by Charlie Sheldon
User avatar
Ellie Gatillo
Posts: 998
Joined: 07 Jul 2016, 02:16
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... 74609">The Devil and Miss Prym</a>
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 1034
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ellieonline03.html
Latest Review: Quest for Closure by David B. McKinney
2024 Reading Goal: 12
2024 Goal Completion: 0%

Post by Ellie Gatillo »

Thank you, RussetDivinity. That was a very informative review. I have come to love historical fiction and I think this is a good book, too. I am more interested in Rodrigo's adventure. I wonder why he ended up in the New World instead of being a priest.
"For you, a thousand times over." - The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
User avatar
Jeyran Main
Posts: 252
Joined: 27 Sep 2016, 15:21
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 336
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jeyran-main.html
Latest Review: "Stalking The Shadows" by BJ Edwards

Post by Jeyran Main »

This does not look like something I would be reading by choice. I have downloaded it on kindle so I will still have a go at it and see if it will change my mind :)
Latest Review: "Stalking The Shadows" by BJ Edwards
User avatar
godreaujea
Posts: 304
Joined: 20 Oct 2016, 13:37
Currently Reading: Station Eleven
Bookshelf Size: 347
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-godreaujea.html
Latest Review: Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer

Post by godreaujea »

I am a big historical fiction fan, and this sounds interesting! Congrats on BOTD!
Post Reply

Return to “Other Fiction Forum”