The Sons of El Rey

De: Alex Espinoza

Narrado por: Gisela Chípe, Tony Chiroldes, Lee Osorio, André Santana

“This is a knockout.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
One of the Today Show’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024 • One of Time’s New Books to Read this Summer • One of the Los Angeles Times’s Books You Need to Read this Summer
“A masterful exploration of a family reckoning with its most sacred secrets. Mesmerizing and unflinching, Espinoza’s luchadores will wrestle their way deep into your heart.” —Patricia Engel, New York Times bestselling author

A timeless, epic novel about a family of luchadores contending with forbidden love and secrets in Mexico City, Los Angeles, and beyond.

Ernesto Vega has lived many lives, from pig farmer to construction worker to famed luchador El Rey Coyote, yet he has always worn a mask. He was discovered by a local lucha libre trainer at a time when luchadores—Mexican wrestlers donning flamboyant masks and capes—were treated as daredevils or rock stars. Ernesto found fame, rapidly gaining name rec­ognition across Mexico, but at great expense, nearly costing him his marriage to his wife Elena.

Years later, in East Los Angeles, his son, Freddy Vega, is struggling to save his father’s gym while Freddy’s own son, Julian, is searching for professional and romantic fulfillment as a Mexican American gay man refusing to be defined by stereotypes.

With alternating perspectives, Ernesto and Elena take you from the ranches of Michoacán to the makeshift colonias of Mexico City. Freddy describes life in the suburban streets of 1980s Los Angeles and the community their family built, as Julian descends deep into our present-day culture of hook-up apps, lucha burlesque shows, and the dark underbelly of West Hollywood. The Sons of El Rey is an intimate portrait of a family wading against time and legacy, yet always choosing the fight.

©2024 Alex Espinoza (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Engaging and Emotional

Great story. Love the writing structure. Past, present, future interwoven as we listen to three different generations.

Love the character development and the lucha libre history.

Excellent read.

Must read for lucha libre lovers

Although there’s certain stylistic and storyline parts that I don’t love, I think that the work is pretty brilliant for lucha libre literature and LGBTQ+ narrative

A Nontraditional story of a very traditional family.

This is a beautiful multi generational story told through the perspective and experiences of each character.