41 pages 1 hour read

Elizabeth Acevedo

Family Lore

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023

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Part 3, Chapters 28-36

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 3: “One Day Until the Wake”

Part 3, Chapter 28 Summary: “Matilde”

Pastora tries to convince Matilde to leave Rafa, but the latter will not hear it. Pastora mentions meeting Rafa’s mistress and her accident. Shaken, Matilde recalls cursing the woman’s pregnancy the night before. She then remembers convincing Camila and brother Samuel to go to a concert with her. At the afterparty, when the performers requested experienced dancers for a competition, Camila volunteered. When she was deemed inexperienced, she nominated Matilde in her stead—who easily won. Matilde received an offer to join the performers, but when she asked her mother for permission, Mamá Silvia laughed and refused.

Part 3, Chapter 29 Summary: “Matilde: Interview Transcript (Translation)”

In an interview with Ona, Matilde mentions feeling disconnected from her body, as she did not menstruate until the age of 25 and only did so with Camila’s remedy. She believes her mother never feared for her future because of her lack of children. She also believes that though she was not born with a gift, she made one out of dancing.

Part 3, Chapter 30 Summary: “I”

Ona and her husband Jeremiah arrive at Pastora’s house to meet with Yadi and Ant. Yadi makes them drinks, and when Ant arrives, he and Ona warmly reunite. Before long, the four of them play spades together.

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By Elizabeth Acevedo