Even after her friends and family discourage the journey, Mariposilla decides to leave her childhood home in Spanish Colonial Mexico to travel to America, where she can have a fresh start. While Mariposilla herself longs for the beautiful sight of American lands, she wants the experience for her frail and ill child, Marjorie, even more. As the two leave behind their old home, they are in awe of the scenery and people they meet along the way. Befriending strangers and staying in hotel after hotel, Mariposilla is delighted by the sight of her child become full of wonder and happiness, livelier than she had ever seen her before. Each person Mariposilla meets is characterized with intimate detail, as she exposes them with her sharp intelligence, compassion, and wit. Taking the advice of someone they met on the journey, Mariposilla and her daughter settle in a town in Southern California called San Gabriel. There, they meet Mrs. Sanderson, who, though seems agreeable at first, has less than desirable intentions. Caught up in Marjorie’s steady improvement and happiness, Mariposilla finds herself overlooking red flags, and submitting to Mrs. Sanderson without meaning to. Meanwhile, as Mariposilla adjusts her perspective and settles into her new home, she falls hopelessly in love. With her daughter’s health improving, and the blossoming of a new romance, Mariposilla feels at peace and content for the first time in a long time. However, even though the promise of the American dream brought her into the country, as Mariposilla becomes immersed in the culture, she soon realizes that a nightmare is much more common.

Through thorough description and a unique perspective Mariposilla examines human nature at both its best and worst. Featuring beautiful and vivid descriptions of the landscapes, characters, and events, Mariposilla by Mary Stewart Daggett enlightens readers on social conventions and customs of Southern California during the 19th century. By depicting a setting not often represented and featuring a main character who immigrated to America, this novel offers a fresh perspective on historical fiction with representation uncommon in literature published during the 19th century, or even in recent literary works.

This edition of Mary Stewart Daggett’s Mariposilla is now presented in an easy-to-read font and features a new, eye-catching cover design, making it both readable and modern.