Description: The bestselling author of "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" explores the phenomenon of the Latina sweet 15 celebration. An enlightening and entertaining portrait of contemporary Latino culture, this work also takes a critical look at the social consequences of the quince parties.
Review Quotes: Praise for Once Upon a Quinceanera
"Phenomenal...indispensable. Alvarez's novelistic eye makes Once Upon a Quinceañera an intimate, intoxicating read."--San Francisco Chronicle "A journey into experiencing a vital, exuberant ritual of modern Latino life...As an author, Alvarez is a terrific tour guide."--The Seattle Times "[Alvarez] brings a critical eye to long-held myths...Each page is a love song to the cultural ties that bind generations of women from a diverse group of countries."--Chicago Sun-Times "Fascinating, exhaustively researched."--The Washington Post "Alvarez's honest grappling with her caught-between-two-cultures experience is compelling."--Entertainment Weekly