Three Roses and a Thorn

Three Roses and a Thorn is the stunning debut of an innovative storyteller. It is the story of three generations of Latina women coming to terms with addictive behaviors, dysfunctional traits, and the representational similarities of being fatherless daughters. Rebecca M. Elizondo writes from the heart with an optimistic sarcasm; Alma, the grandmother, an uncompromising 89-year-old woman battling the final stages of Alzheimer's who aims to make sure her tribe is taken care of after she dies. Esperanza, a carefree, optimistic force, also known as Hope, has diligently journaled her whole life including the struggles of caring for her and realizing her daughter will soon leave the nest. Gabriella, an outspoken, jovial young woman who brings laughter into everyday life must decide whether to begin a new start on a great opportunity as a journalist. From the time Hope was a child, Mother's Day was celebrated at the family beach house. In reminiscence, Alma recalls the days when she was raised in Mazatlán, Mexico, before immigrating with her five sons to the United States. Trying to reconcile what she believes about love her whole life with what she doesn't know about why family secrets exist. Keeping this balance is essential for Hope when she navigates the inevitable of her mom's illness and letting her daughter go simultaneously. A realization that they are all in this together will ultimately ensure the pain of the past and future. The turbulent cycle of inherited traits and life complications is dismantled when Rebecca depicts a family of women whose bond is impenetrable and is battling Alzheimer's. It is through her work she has bridged the old and new, allowing a better understanding of what it means to be a Mexican woman, which is to confront adversity with strength and dignity.