4 out of 4 stars
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On a road trip to his hometown in Texas, Mateo retrieves a box of childhood keepsakes including an old doll that's seen better days. Along the drive, his partner, Parker, inquires about Mateo's humble family beginnings as migrant workers. He is particularly interested in Aunt Luciana who survived a horrific tragedy as a young girl. The Ordinary Doll is a suspense novel by Mario Kiefer that follows Luciana's journey from the time her childhood dreams of a better life are replaced by despair and suffering until her path to recovery takes some unforeseen twists and turns.
It was a morning like any other on the day the monster invaded her home. As she stirred the daily pot of beans cooking on the stove, Luciana was holding her baby brother, Gus, and comforting him with the little doll her siblings had received as a shared Christmas gift. When she heard a loud bang, she attempted to shield the baby. She noticed the doll drop to the floor and felt a bee-like sting at the back of her neck before everything faded to darkness. Plagued by nightmares, Luciana feared that the cucuy, the Hispanic bogeyman, was aware of her jealousy toward her older sister and that she received the punishment she deserved. After her first love, Tomas was sent to fight in the Vietnam war, his letters were the only thing that brought her hope. When the doctors were unable to help her, Luciana remembered the broken doll and wondered if anyone could ever love her. As the story unfolds, with strength and determination, Luciana battles her fears and forges a new reality.
This skillfully crafted story features a cast of well-developed characters that readers may relate to their own family members. Though Luciana's family was poor, the universal themes of love, family relationships, conflict, and desiring more for our children apply to most any family. Steeped in the Spanish language, culture, and folklore, the author effectively uses dialogue and world events in recent history to propel the story spanning fifty years. Though an understanding of the Spanish language is not required, the reader is introduced to words such as "braceros," "cucuy," and "Lechuza" which are defined within the text. Additionally, there is a glossary at the end of the book with Spanish words and definitions for gringos like me.
It's difficult to convey what I enjoyed most about this book without revealing any spoilers. I can safely say that I love a plot that takes a turn that catches me completely off-guard, as was the case with this psychological suspense. I was savoring the comfortable pace of the book, just beginning to wonder about the implications of the psychological suspense genre and did not see the twist coming. All I can say is...wait for it! Additionally, I appreciated the symbolism of the doll that was broken and mended and passed down through the family. Luciana saw herself and her desire to be loved in the repaired doll, and it was fitting that the story began and concluded with the doll.
I'm pleased to rate this thought-provoking book 4 out of 4 stars. It appears to have been professionally edited, as I noted only a single error. I recommend it to readers who enjoy psychological suspense. It will also appeal to those who appreciate Hispanic culture and folklore.
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The Ordinary Doll
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. A good read for those that like Hispanic culture. Will pass on this. 
