The Story
State of Esperanza is a deeply personal novel that traces the life of Sophie from her earliest memories in war torn Germany, to growing up in a small New Mexico town, to her adult years as a witness to a changing world.
Sophie’s journey unfolds against the backdrop of the people she loves and the community she calls home. Their stories of labor, longing, sacrifice and survival intertwine with the land, revealing the quiet strength that holds a place and it’s people together.
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NOVEL AT A GLANCE
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: New Mexico, across much of the 20th century.
Length: 248 pages
Point of view: Multi-perspective
Tropes: Coming of Age, Found Family, Healing and Resilience, Historical Saga, Small Town Life, Immigrant Journey, Wartime Survival, Buried Secrets.
FOR READERS WHO LOVE
Heartfelt stories
Multigenerational family sagas
Stories rooted in place and time
Deeply human, character-driven novels
Reader Reviews
What a delightful book. The characters are very engaging and they take you through some of the southwest’s most notable history and development since statehood. The book is well researched and the story lines are based on actual events. A fine addition to my library.
Marylou Marrow – Flagstaff Photographer and Historian
I was glad to see the author address some of the issues faced by minority workers in the state after WWII. Where they were heroes one day then a miss-treated labor force the next. The ‘red scare’ tactics used by many at that time to detract from labor issues was effectively documented. The author’s description of the dynamics of small town New Mexico brought back many memories for me as well.
John Arsola – Relations Consultant
History, intrigue, adventure, romance, it’s all here. This is a fast moving book with well developed characters and interesting scenery without going overboard on description. It’s something a person with a slight amount of NYC impatience can read without going “c’mon, get to the point”. Well researched historical information is a plus in any novel and with his author’s notes within the chapters Mike gives you the info right there as you read. It’s a combination of US and New Mexican history with a fascinating story of a German orphan’s life in America after WWII. This is a book that hold your interest right to the end and keeps you wondering about the lives of those people.
Janice Petty – Literary Critic, Tucson
