Catherine Ryan Hyde is one of my fall-back authors. When I find that reading books is turning into a chore because my TBR ceases to interest me, I turn to her books. I am able to download most of hers on Kindle and I read them for a break. Rarely have I been disappointed from the time I debuted with her book, Seven Perfect Things.
I have read half-a -dozen of her books and liked most of them though haven’t fallen in love except maybe for the first.
I was ready to read one more of her books as I downloaded the one with an intriguing title, Have You Seen Luis Velez.
Raymond is seventeen and has just one friend in school and he too is about to move away. He lives with his mother and step-dad and visits his father and his step-mom on weekends. But he knows that he doesn’t totally belong in either places. He doesn’t belong in the school too. He sneaks away to take care of a kitten in an abandoned shed and is a loner till he meets an elderly woman whose house is a few floors below his and her first question to him is: Have you seen Luis Velez. Very soon, he realizes that Mrs M is blind and needs help to navigate to the shops and to banks. She had been helped by one Luis who has stopped coming all of a sudden and she has been rationing her soup cans ever since.
The kind-hearted young man takes it on himself to not only help her but also try to utilize all his free time to find out who this Luis Velez is. He knows Mrs M is worried and hence wants to help her find out what happened to Luis though he is afrid that the news might not be what Mrs M wants to hear. In his quest, he learns to overcome his own inhibitions about meeting strangers and try to make peace with his own family. What happens to Luis and the aftermath of it is what the rest of the story is all about.
Just like most of her books, this too comes with a lot of learning along the way and one of my favourites quotes in it is “The world will still be a place where people do terrible things. But here’s the thing about despair. We fall into despair when the terrible gangs up on us and we forget the world can also be wonderful. We just see terrible everywhere we look. So what you do for your friend is you bring up the wonderful, so both are side by side. The world is terrible and wonderful at the same time. One doesn’t negate the other, but the wonderful keeps us in the game. It keeps us moving forward. And, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Raymond, but that’s as good as the world is going to get.”
After a particular harrowing court case, the prosecuting lawyer says about the concept of tribalism. “It goes like this, but purely subconsciously: Is this person I’m supposed to be judging our tribe, or another tribe? If she’s us, mistakes can be forgiven. Hell, everybody makes mistakes. The mistake becomes an anomaly, because it’s us, and we’re good people. If she’s them, mistakes need to be punished, because that’s just how they are.”
Raymond also learns that Mrs M is half-Jew and half-German and had to escape from Germany during the war leaving her family behind. She says, “And now I feel bad because I did not tell you this sooner, because it’s a thing we have in common. We both know a strange truth about the world: that people judge you by your most controversial half. If you meet a person, Raymond, who is prejudiced, this person will not think to himself, ‘This Raymond has a white half, and I will respect that half of him.’ People judge you only by the half they don’t like. If my family had stayed in Germany, they would not have put half of me in a camp or sent half of me to the gas chamber. No. I would have been completely killed,” I had to pause to take it in. What a sad world we are living in where prejudice rules.
By the end of the book that is both happy and sad at the same time, we root for Raymond to make peace with his own family for he is told, “The thing about a family is the love. The ‘what kind?’ and ‘how will it work?’ is nothing. That’s just a thing you worry about before you learn that those details aren’t what matter at all.”
We also learn through one of the quotes, “The world is a tough place, my friend. I’m not ready to change my mind about that. And yet we’re called upon to be grateful that we’re in it. That seems to be our challenge.”
And we learn to live with that challenge, don’t we?
I also liked the fact that Raymond slowly weans himself from the penchant of saying, Sorry. He is told quite categorically, ” Try not to be sorry, my young friend. Most of what you regret in this world is not of your own making.”
Another home truth.
16 comments
Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful writer. going by your review I can understand why you find solace in her writing.It is beautiful storytelling and inspiring too.
I actually hadn’t heard of Have You Seen Luis Velez? before, so your post made me curious. The way you describe Raymond’s quiet but brave journey to help Millie, a 92-year-old blind neighbor, really makes it sound like a genuine story about kindness, connection, and healing
I have read ‘Seven Perfect Things’, and loved it. I totally agree — there’s something about Catherine Ryan Hyde’s writing style; she never disappoints. I discovered her very recently when I read ‘My Name is Anton’, which is one of my favourites. My latest read, ‘Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe’ was also very nice.
That sounds like a really sweet book. I didn’t know of this author, so added it to my list. My TBR gets on my nerves at times, so this December is only about relaxing with light books.
Thank you for a brand new never heard before recommendation! Loved the detailed review.
This book sounds different to me…. so is the author. Thanks for introducing it to readers and I will how fast I can arrange a copy of this book to read.
I haven’t read any of Katherine Hyde’s books. Thank you for sharing some wonderful quotes from the one you read. They make so much sense in the world we live in.
This is such a warm and thoughtful review. It really captures how *Have You Seen Luis Velez?* is both tender and socially urgent. Appreciate your insights
I have not read Catherine Ryan Hyde till now, but your review of Have You Seen Luis Velez ? is very touching. It touched a chord somewhere. Thank you for the review. I will get down to reading it now.
Thank you for this excellent review and for introducing me to Catherine Ryan Hyde. I just bought this book as well as Seven Perfecct Things. Looking forward to reading both!
What a beautiful review of a book. I would love to read it and more from the author.
I’m intrigued about this book and how beautifully the author has dealt with complex emotions. If the quotes are any indication, she’s going to be a favourite of mine too. Going to check her books on Kindle now.
The book sounds interesting and I see there is so much depth in the quotes you have mentioned. Adding it to my TBR right away
Beautifully written. You’ve captured how the story becomes a gentle lesson in kindness, empathy and unexpected friendship, how a teen looking for answers ends up finding connection and humanity. I loved the way you honoured the book’s message: every person we meet can shift our view of the world, if we’re willing to look.
I love how you highlighted Raymond’s growth, the moral lessons, and the poignant quotes on human nature, prejudice, and family. It truly shows how her stories illuminate both the harshness and wonder of the world, leaving lasting reflections.
ChatGPT said:
Your review beautifully captures the gentle power of kindness and connection. You’ve made me want to read Have You Seen Luis Velez? — your reflections on isolation, empathy and healing really resonate.