1) Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. Se is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her wise wing, Tony will probe the family ties that bind and rend him, and he will discover himself in the magical secrets of the pagan past--a mythical legacy as palpable as the Catholicism of Latin America. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world...and will nurture the birth of his soul.
2) The two main themes are the importance of independence, and the influence of culture on identity.
3) Antonio is serious, thoughtful, and prone to moral questioning, and his experiences force him to confront difficult issues that blur the lines between right and wrong. ex 1) " It was true, i thought, it is the Marez blood in us that touches us with the urge to wander. like the restless seeking the sea." ex 2) "...and i knew what i had to do..." ex 3)" So again the power of the priest has failed, i thought."
4) The author's Tone, Dialogue, Syntax, Diction, and Imagery helped me understand the novel better.
