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Inspired by true events, The Moment of Truth finds a Texan art student facing down life, death, love, and glory in the bullfighting rings of 1950s Mexico.
Texan art student Kathleen Boyd has been dreaming about becoming a matador since her beloved father took her to the bullfighting ring when she was just a child. Now a young woman, her disapproving fiancé and her practical-minded mother see her dream only as a foolish flight of fancy. Nevertheless, Kathleen relocates to Mexico and finds herself under the instruction of Fermin, a retired matador who is intent on asserting his dominance in their partnership. Though taking on a female apprentice is unheard of, Fermin sees Kathleen's undeniable talent and promises that she'll one day perform at the prestigious Plaza Mexico bullring.
While Kathleen struggles to perform alongside the unwelcoming men of Mexico's bullfighting scene, she is befriended by Julio, better known as El Cabrito - The Kid. Much to Fermin's displeasure, not only does Julio show Kathleen techniques that defy his strict instruction, but a forbidden romance quickly ignites between them.
As time passes, Kathleen's confidence in her ability increases - though so too do her suspicions of Fermin's intentions. She has become a sensation, selling out arenas as La Diosa Tejana, the Texan Goddess. But while Fermin gets rich, Kathleen's pay remains pitiful and her instructor's control over her life remains absolute. Will she always be a vehicle for another person's success? Or will she finally face her own moment of truth and seize the success that she has worked toward for so long, in a world that has always belonged to men?
"McNicholl vividly brings to life the bulls and the brute physicality of the art of bullfighting." - Publishers Weekly
"McNicholl's moving novel, rich in emotion and written with style and precision ... strikes a fine balance between love story and historical adventure ... This pairs well with Malcolm Brooks' Painted Horses." - Booklist
"This novel brims with authenticity ... An enjoyable read for those interested in the life of a woman determined to succeed in a man's world." - Library Journal
"The subject matter is certainly important and the setting fresh, but the overall presentation is lackluster." - Kirkus
"A triumphant celebration of women's equality and empowerment ... While Kathleen's story will surely resonate with anyone who has struggled against society's views of traditional gender roles, it is filled with themes any reader can connect with. Knowing the story is based on real events made it all the more inspiring." - Historical Novels Review
"Kathleen is delivered from these pages as a full human person, three-dimensional and dynamic. The story flows through her training and her personal life with an easy, engaging pace. Bullfighting's place in the world of performative art, as well as its morality, are discussed intelligently." - Foreword Reviews
"The Moment of Truth is the best book I've read on bullfighting in a long time. Damian McNicholl tells this story with consummate ease and compelling imagery. A book for aficionados and for those who want to feel what it's like to be a woman competing in the very masculine world of corrida." - John Hemingway, writer, journalist, and bullfighting aficionado
"So vivid, you can feel the heat prickling on the back of your neck, and so smartly written, it makes you rethink how we all really find our own truth and success." - Caroline Leavitt, author of Cruel Beautiful World and the New York Times Bestsellers Pictures of You and Is This Tomorrow?
"With a vibrant cast of characters and evocative prose, McNicholl brings the world of 1950s Mexico and the rarified circle of bullfighters to glorious life. By turns exhilarating and heartbreaking, The Moment of Truth is a story that goes in unexpected directions and is as memorable as it is unfailingly honest." - Sarah-Jane Stratford, bestselling author of Radio Girls
"Through spare and touching prose, Damian McNicholl draws us into an arena inspired by history and transformed by imagination into a startlingly relevant story that will spark recognition for anyone whose passion and ambition has been challenged at every turn ... an achievement worthy of resounding applause." - Affinity Konar, author of Mischling, a New York Times Notable Book)
This information about The Moment of Truth was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Damian McNicholl was born and raised in Northern Ireland and worked as an attorney in New York City. His critically acclaimed first novel, A Son Called Gabriel, won awards and recognition, including an ABA Booksense Pick, a Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Finalist, and a Lambda Literary Awards finalist in the debut novel category. He lives in Pennsylvania. Visit him at www.damianmcnicholl.com.
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