Research the Juárez femicides. How is this novel in dialogue with the history of the murders and their lack of a robust law-enforcement response? How might the murders have been a catalyst for social and gender justice campaigns in the region?

Research the history of Catholicism in Mexico/New Spain, including the influence of Jesuits in the region, their subsequent expulsion, and the way Mexican Catholicism has evolved since colonization. How does this history affect your understanding of the characters and their relationship with religion?

Why did Castillo choose to tell this story using multiple narrators? What impact do these different points of view have on the story?