The Five Wounds – Kristin Valdez Quade

Set in the small town of Las Peñas, New Mexico, The Five Wounds tells the unforgettable story of five generations of the Padilla family navigating love, hardship, and grace. The story opens during Holy Week, as thirty-three-year-old Amadeo Padilla prepares to play Jesus in the town's annual Passion play, desperate to find redemption for a life of disappointment — until his pregnant fifteen-year-old daughter, Angel, suddenly shows up on his doorstep.

Spanning a single pivotal year, the novel follows Amadeo, Angel, and matriarch Yolanda as they struggle through addiction, teenage parenthood, and deep-seated family secrets, discovering the tender, messy resilience that holds a family together.

Winner of the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, widely praised for its empathetic character development, rich cultural grounding, and emotional depth. Highlighted across literary fiction communities and book club recommendations for its authentic portrayal of family dynamics and generational healing.

Ideal for readers of Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge, Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead, Tommy Orange's There There, or Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street.

A paperback (2021) in Good condition — light shelf/spine wear, solid binding, clean interior pages.