Fire Lilies

Before long the cry of revolution fills the air. Delores is freed at last from the hold her tyrant husband held over her, however the return to her family is filled with more pain than she anticipated. Delores' subsequent marriage to a man who adores her and the birth of beloved daughters gives Delores some measure of joy despite too much intrigue, too much betrayal and far too much stress.

Fire Lilies is the historic tale of three generations of an upper class family living in Mexico during the years spanning 1902 - 1926. The family suffers through the Revolution in 1910. Life is never the same for any of them after that. Writer Massey's inspiration for the gripping novel came as she browsed some old family photos. Massey's grandfather appeared as a young man dressed in expensive clothing and sitting in the exquisite courtyard of a Mexican hacienda. Massey's interest was piqued when she learned her ancestor had lost both his position and wealth during the Revolution.

This well researched novel is historically sound; the characters of the Guzman family are fiction. Fire Lilies, a fast paced, action filled work is filled with rich attention to detail. Writer Massey weaves an opulent fabric replete with fascinating characters, vibrant dialogue, deceit and machination. Filled with the same careful exploration into historical truth as is found in Eric Balkan's well researched City of The Tears Fire Lilies offers as well much of the quixotic setting and romantic interlude as we read in Diana Garcia's Stardust.

Reviewed by: molly martin

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:

Timeless Tales review  Oct 29, 2002
By TT reviewer Deborah Hern

Fire Lilies tells the story of two sisters, Delores and Alicia Martinez, born into the upper class of Mexican society in the late 1800s. The story takes place between 1902 and 1926, with an emphasis on the Mexican Revolution. During this time, we follow the lives of Delores, Alicia, and their family and friends.

As the story opens, their youngest sister is being introduced into society by her godfather, the Governor of their territory. At this time, Delores has already been married off to a wealthy landowner who seems to represent the very worst of the upper class of this society. He is cruel, not only to his wife, but to all who work for him. His idea of incentive is to leave the hanged bodies of those who oppose him rotting in the main yard, as a warning. Delores recognizes the cruelty and violence of her husband, and does her best to shield the peasants from his wrath. Eventually, she realizes she must shield herself as well.

Alicia, meanwhile, is being pushed toward a marriage she does not desire with a rather foppish and churlish man. Her mother encourages the union because of the wealth of the man's family. Alicia makes her stand against her mother's wishes; then refuses the man's proposal. She has realized early that there is, and should be, more to life than a sheltered, pampered existence.

From this point, the story sweeps all the characters into the vortex of the Mexican Revolution. This revolution not only pits class against class, but splinters families as well. Each of the characters is very well defined. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses. They're very human. Throughout the story, they must find their own way through the social upheaval that follows. Some make good choices, some bad. They all make choices that are intrinsic to the characterizations they've been given.

The descriptive passages are very well written and evoke both the time and place with precision. If you are not proficient in Spanish, you may want to have a Spanish dictionary nearby to look up some of the terms sprinkled liberally throughout the narrative. Most of them are fairly obvious, given the context, so a dictionary is not a necessity.

This is a bittersweet story about the strength of family ties, love, and friendships in a time of war, upheaval, and sweeping social changes. Not everyone has a happy ending. In that way, this is a very realistic portrait of what it must have been like to live through that time.

One of those "can't put down" books!  Jul 25, 2002
I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down once I started reading it. I was emotionally caught up in the culture, history and characters. It is a well written romance with so many surprises! I cannot wait for her second book, The Cabelleros of Ruby, Texas.

1 of 1 found the following review helpful:

Excellent read  Jul 22, 2002
"Fire Lilies" is a compelling read about two sisters and how they deal with the changes in their world as they know it. I found myself caught up in their struggles. Cynthia Massey weaves an intriguing tale of two families caught up in Mexico's volatile history. Highly recommended.

Fire Lilies - book you can't put down!  Jul 21, 2002
Fire Lilies is one of those books that you just can't put down once you start reading it. I would love to see this book become a movie. The reader becomes emotionally involved in the characters, history and culture. I am looking so forward to reading her next book, The Caballeros of Ruby, Texas!