''The Five Wounds'' is the

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...

by American author

Kirstin Valdez Quade Kirstin Valdez Quade is an American writer. Early life and education Quade was born to a white father and a Hispanic mother in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her father was a desert geologist and her family lived throughout the Southwestern United St ...

, published by W. W. Norton & Company on March 30, 2021. It is an expansion of Quade's short story of the same name, which was first published in ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'' and later collected in her debut short story collection, ''Night at the Fiestas'' (2015). The

Five Holy Wounds In Catholic tradition, the Five Holy Wounds, also known as the Five Sacred Wounds or the Five Precious Wounds, are the five piercing wounds that Jesus Christ suffered during his crucifixion. The wounds have been the focus of particular devotio ...

suffered by

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

during the

crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Achaemenid Empire, Persians, Ancient Carthag ...

is used as a metaphor in the novel.

Premise

Amadeo Padilla, a struggling alcoholic, lives with his pregnant daughter, Angel, and ailing mother, Yolanda, in Las Penas,

New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...

. He is selected to portray Jesus Christ in the town's annual play which reenacts the

Passion of Jesus The Passion (from Latin , "to suffer, bear, endure") is the short final period before the death of Jesus, described in the four canonical gospels. It is commemorated in Christianity every year during Holy Week. The ''Passion'' may include, amo ...

and is organized by the Roman Catholic lay group Los Hermanos Penitentes.

Reception

The novel received starred reviews from ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'', ''

Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...

'', ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is ...

'', and ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

''. ''Kirkus Reviews'' described it as "a novel built around a fierce, flawed, and loving family" anchored by "perfectly rendered characters." In their starred review, ''Publishers Weekly'' praised the "well-developed characters hoconvey palpable emotion" and called Quade's depiction of the novel's community "pitch perfect." ''Library Journal'''s verdict was that this "expertly crafted story of family and community introduces us to often needy characters for whom readers come to care deeply." ''Booklist'' commended Quade for "ably deliver nga story that is nuanced and authentic without melodrama... t's agenerous tale of characters who understand the inevitability of fate but try to forge ahead anyway in the hope of breaking free." In ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', Alexandra Chang added, "Quade has created a world bristling with compassion and humanity" with characters whose challenges are "wholly realized and moving." Concluding, she affirmed "their journeys span a wide spectrum of emotion and it is impossible not to root for all three." It was named one of the best books of the year by

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

and ''Publishers Weekly''.

Awards

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Five Wounds, The 2021 American novels 2021 debut novels Hispanic and Latino American novels Novels about alcoholism Novels set in New Mexico W. W. Norton & Company books Works originally published in The New Yorker