So, I picked this book up at my local Barnes and Noble a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't heard of this book before but I saw it there and took a chance on it and I am so glad I did, it has been a great book so far. I am only about 60 pages into it (the book has a total of 459 pages) but it has been incredibly interesting.
I had heard of Joaquin Murrieta before, and I knew he was the inspiration for the character of Zorro, and I knew he was kind of a bandit, but other than that I knew nothing. Looks like I am in for an education though because there is much more to the story, and it has been a great read so far.
Violent too, I had no idea of the violence that was in the gold camps in California around the gold rush of 1849. That is where the story begins with Joaquin and his family coming up from Mexico once they heard of gold being found in California, as did thousands of other Mexicans, as well as Chileans and Peruvians as well.
Mix in a bunch of Anglos, and convicts from Australia, and basically no law and you have a recipe for violence.
Anyway, can't wait to read more, I just have to find a few minutes here and there in my daily schedule.
Oh, and the book has already mentioned bullfighting once. I guess in the heavily Mexican camps they would hold bullfights along with other fiestas and drinking and gambling. Sounds like a wild time.
Stay tuned for more.
