Tropic of Orange by Karen Tei Yamashita is a 1997 magical realism novel that spans a week, exploring interconnected lives in Los Angeles and beyond, as a mystical event beginning in Mexico influences the city's climate and geography. Diverse characters navigate surreal disruptions, delving into themes like native resistance to colonialism, cultural diversity, and the immigrant experience. Includes themes of child endangerment and violence.

Karen Tei Yamashita's Tropic of Orange dazzles with its vivid prose and intricate, multi-layered narrative, blending magical realism with social critique. Readers praise its bold experimentation and diverse characters but find the complex plot occasionally challenging to follow. It's celebrated for addressing critical themes such as globalization and cultural intersectionality.

Readers who enjoy Tropic of Orange by Karen Tei Yamashita are often fans of magical realism, multicultural narratives, and socio-political commentary. Similar to those who appreciate Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude and Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, they are intrigued by complex, interwoven stories that explore diverse identities and global issues.

Fantastical / Mysterious / Gritty / Adventurous / Contemplative

- Tropic of Orange uses magical realism and hyperrealism to construct an unconventional narrative that blends elements of fantasy with the gritty realities of urban life in Los Angeles.
- The novel features seven disparate characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways, reflecting Yamashita's characteristic blend of multicultural perspectives.
- Karen Tei Yamashita's Tropic of Orange was a finalist for the infamous Orange Prize for Fiction, now known as the Women's Prize for Fiction, highlighting its critical acclaim and relevance.

**Rafaela Cortes**  
Rafaela is Bobby’s wife and Sol’s mother. She is a kind and intelligent woman who grew up in Yucatan, Mexico, and later moved to the United States as an undocumented immigrant. After a major argument with Bobby, she takes Sol and travels to Mexico, staying at Gabriel's house in Mazatlán.

**Bobby Ngu**  
Bobby is a Chinese Singaporean immigrant who runs a janitorial business in Los Angeles. He is focused on material success and opposes Rafaela's idea of unionizing janitorial workers, which leads to their separation. He is determined to reunite with Rafaela and their son, Sol.

**Emi**  
Emi is a second-generation Japanese American working for a news station. She has a complex relationship with her grandfather, Manzanar Murakami, and an on-and-off relationship with Gabriel. Emi is deeply involved in the escalating events in the novel.

**Buzzworm**  
Buzzworm is an advocate for the vulnerable communities in Los Angeles. He is connected to Gabriel and provides him with news leads. Buzzworm cares about the city's underprivileged populations and plays a pivotal role in the story's unfolding events.

**Manzanar Murakami**  
Manzanar Murakami is an unhoused Japanese American man who composes symphonies with the sounds of freeway traffic. Formerly a surgeon, he is Emi's estranged grandfather and becomes a significant figure in the novel as events unravel in Los Angeles.

**Gabriel Balboa**  
Gabriel is a Los Angeles newspaper reporter who owns a property in Mazatlán, Mexico. He has a professional relationship with Buzzworm and is involved in major investigations throughout the narrative. Gabriel is a supportive figure to Rafaela and aids in her storyline.

**Arcangel**  
Arcangel is a performance artist traveling north through South and Central America. He is enigmatic and prophetic, claiming to be over 500 years old. Arcangel undertakes the persona of "El Gran Mojado" and becomes central to the climactic events of _Tropic of Orange_.

Karen Tei Yamashita

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore Tropic of Orange reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Before You Read Tropic of Orange | SuperSummary

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore Tropic of Orange and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Tropic of Orange Summary and Study Guide

Background

Tropic of Orange Background

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Monday: Summer Solstice”

Part 1 Tropic of Orange Part 1 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Tuesday: Diamond Lane”

Part 2 Tropic of Orange Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “Wednesday: Cultural Diversity”

Part 3 Tropic of Orange Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “Thursday: The Eternal Buzz”

Part 4 Tropic of Orange Part 4 Summary & Analysis

Part 5: “Friday: Artificial Intelligence”

Part 5 Tropic of Orange Part 5 Summary & Analysis

Part 6: “Saturday: Queen of Angels”

Part 6 Tropic of Orange Part 6 Summary & Analysis

Part 7: “Sunday: Pacific Rim”

Part 7 Tropic of Orange Part 7 Summary & Analysis

character

Character Analysis

Tropic of Orange Character Analysis

theme

Themes

Tropic of Orange Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Tropic of Orange Symbols & Motifs

quote

citation

Important Quotes

Tropic of Orange Important Quotes

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

Tropic of Orange Essay Topics

Tropic of Orange

Before You Read

Super Short Summary

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Tropic of Orange?

RecommendedReading Age

Book Details