The House of Broken AngelsThe House of Broken Angels
Score Modern
What it's about
In his final days, ailing patriarch Miguel Angel de La Cruz, affectionately called Big Angel, summons his entire Mexican-American family, who live along the border, for one last legendary birthday party, a joyous and bittersweet weekend. 'All we do is love,' he says. 'Love is the answer.'
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It's joyful and bittersweet.
You'll love it if you liked
The Devil's Highway
Dominicana
One Hundred Years of SolitudeGood to know
It's funny and full of characters, with a family tree worth consulting.
By the numbers
- Readers50 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller5 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz7 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1100 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2026 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Luis Alberto Urrea
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Quick answers
Is The House of Broken Angels worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It ranks #2,026 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 63.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The House of Broken Angels about?
In his final days, ailing patriarch Miguel Angel de La Cruz, affectionately called Big Angel, summons his entire Mexican-American family, who live along the border, for one last legendary birthday party, a joyous and bittersweet weekend. 'All we do is love,' he says. 'Love is the answer.'
How long does it take to read The House of Broken Angels?
About 7 hours (275 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The House of Broken Angels?
If you liked it, try The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea, Dominicana by Angie Cruz or One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.