Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs

“I want to reassure you that my family and I will do everything in our power to protect the forest so you’ll always have a home. It’s a solemn promise.”

Solimar’s pledge illustrates her commitment to conservation, a major theme in the novel. Her vow also confers a huge responsibility. To protect the monarchs and their habitat, and to save her kingdom, Solimar shows her strength: She truly must “do everything in [her] power,” including risking her life, to keep others safe.

“Isn’t it amazing that the butterflies, who have never been here before, arrive season after season at the same spot as their ancestors? Is it the magnetic pull of the earth or the position of the sun, as the scientists suggest? Or do the spirits of their fathers and mothers whisper directions to them in a dream? Is it some magical intuition that allows them to know what lies ahead? Any way you think about it, Lázaro, it’s a miracle!”

Solimar is awed by the monarchs’ ability to return to the oyamel forest—whether it be due to the magic of their ancestors or nature’s laws. Monarchs may fly 2,500-3,000 total miles on their migratory journey, traveling more than 100 miles a day. The novel presents the monarch migration as a scientific marvel, an extraordinary and seemingly inexplicable event. Solimar’s speculations about the butterflies’ abilities reveal the novel’s emphasis on protecting nature and its wonders.

“Just call me King Solimar!”

Solimar jokes about the crown of flowers she wears to greet the butterflies. However, her comment reveals her desire to be more involved in the kingdom’s government. Abuela dismisses Solimar’s words as “a childhood fancy,” but to Solimar it is more than a fancy (9). Her comment foreshadows the novel’s ending.

“Where does it say what a princess must look like?”

Solimar rejects Abuela’s conservative views about how a princess should look and act. Solimar’s frustration with the traditional “way of the land” reveals her independence and growing self-understanding (43).

“But I don’t want to just follow the leader. I want to have a say!”

Solimar is determined to make progressive changes in San Gregorio. Her desire to create an inclusive advisory board for the king shows her belief that her voice and that of others should be recognized in the decision-making process. She does not believe that the king should be “the undisputed proclaimer and the last bastion of yes and no” (11). Solimar shows that she is ready to shoulder adult responsibilities. Her wishes ultimately come true when she becomes prince-regent, and possibly king regent.

“And then when people found out it was only a little commonsense clairvoyance, they’d think you irrational and foolish.”

María, Solimar’s practical best friend, cautions Solimar against revealing her gift of prophecy, which María believes is simply coincidence and intuition. María warns that public opinion would turn against Solimar: “tongues would wag” (28). Like Abuela, María recommends following tradition and maintaining appearances and reputation.

“I need to go away and discover my heart instead of accepting what people say I’m supposed to be.”

Campeón expresses his need to follow his passion and discover his true self outside the strictures of his role as prince and future king. Campeón, like Solimar, is frustrated by the restraints of tradition. However, Campeón longs for a release from unwanted responsibilities, whereas Solimar craves those responsibilities and cannot have them. Through Campeón’s conundrum, the novel explores the theme of Coming of Age: Balancing Independence and Responsibility.

“San Gregorio! Our heart and our home! Long live the butterfly!”

The villagers’ cheer reflects their positive values: family, kingdom, and the monarch. They equate San Gregorio with the butterfly, which has both spiritual and practical significance for them. In her quest to stop King Aveno, Solimar fights to protect these values from being destroyed.

“Embrace the mystery and the peculiarities.”

Abuela urges Solimar to be openminded at Doña Flor’s home. Abuela has kept her own openness towards magic a secret to protect the reputation of the royal family. Her need for secrecy reveals the limitations of tradition as well as her personal strength. Her private pursuit of magic is empowering. Solimar follows Abuela’s instruction, showing her personal growth and adaptability.

“The responsibility and affection she felt for the monarchs filled her with the desire to make sure the others remained safe. ‘I’ll protect you,’ she whispered.”

Solimar is glad to see the first butterflies emerge from the rebozo. The event validates the sacrifice she makes by staying inside and strengthens her commitment to safeguard the monarchs. Her comment reflects her determination and maturing sense of responsibility.

“What might happen to her family if she didn’t try? Would she have a home to which she could return?”

Solimar shows her inner strength and the importance of the forces that motivate her when she courageously decides to brave the Río Diablo and warn her father. Her decision reveals that she is dealing with more adult challenges as she comes of age.

“‘You’ve got this.’”

Zarita is Solimar’s biggest cheerleader and constantly works to bolster Solimar’s self-confidence. Solimar responds, “‘I’ve got this,’” showing that Zarita’s support is effective (91). Solimar leans into her girl power. Zarita repeats her encouragement when Solimar is taken prisoner by King Aveno.

“What if I’m not stronger than I know?”

Despite a brave front, Solimar is filled with self-doubt and fears. She has never tested her inner strength before. She worries that Doña Flor’s assessment is wrong, that she is not stronger than she knows. Solimar’s fears are assuaged by the butterflies’ trust and by Solimar’s allies, who make a successful support group.

“The fate of my entire family and my home is in my hands.”

Berto, like Solimar, carries heavy responsibilities. He works to validate his late father’s dreams and save his family and homeland’s way of life. Berto, though just a few years older than Solimar, embraces adult responsibilities. He is a foil for Campeón. Campeón, unlike Berto, initially wants to avoid his obligations.

“Her heart tugged as she imagined how proud her father would have been to change her flat shoes of childhood for those of a woman.”

Although Solimar initially scoffs at the extensive preparations for her fancy quinceañera, she comes to realize the significance it holds for others. Solimar’s new understanding about the ceremony reflects her growing maturity.

“The rebozo felt heavier than usual. Was it the burden she carried—the fear that she would not be able to warn her father in time and change the destiny of her kingdom?”

Solimar’s heavy responsibility seems to carry physical weight. Despite her fears, Solimar determinedly rises to the challenge, showing her tenacity and courage.

“‘Because unsinkable means a lot of different things besides not drowning. It means you keep trying, no matter what. And that you’re un-cowardly and unwavering and unstoppable!’”

Zarita’s uses Solimar’s unsinkable life vest as a metaphor to inspire Solimar’s self-confidence. Zarita’s “pep talk” helps Solimar dig deep and find her girl power for the dangerous journey ahead.

“‘Dreams are never for nothing.’”

Berto gently contradicts Solimar when she worries that her dreams of changing San Gregorio may be pointless. He suggests that dreams bring hope. With the odds against him, Berto still pursues his and his father’s dreams, determined to make them come true.

“‘Obstacles make life more interesting.’”

Zarita is a font of positive affirmations that are designed to boost her friends’ confidence. Her upbeat outlook seems to be part of her nature as an enchanted muñeca. Doña Flor describes muñecas as “‘generous souls and very helpful’” (66). Zarita tries to see a silver lining in everything, including here when she suggests that traversing the deadly Devil’s Teeth will add a little spice to their lives.

“The water was a chameleon, changing from turquoise to blue to green.”

Pam Muñoz Ryan uses figurative language throughout the novel to add visual detail. Here, she uses a metaphor, where something is compared to something else without using “like” or “as.” In this case, she compares the water inside the labyrinth to a chameleon, using the reptile’s color-changing ability to describe the many-hued water.

“‘But we have to try. For the sacred firs, and the butterflies, and for San Gregorio.’”

When King Sebastián cautions Solimar about the danger of their plan, Solimar shows her strength of character with her reply above. With her willingness to endanger herself, Solimar reveals her commitment to her community and its natural resources. Solimar’s courage and civic mindedness suggest she will be a strong leader.

“Rage, madness, impending doom. It’s not nice to anger the departed. No siree. Wrath is no picnic.”

Zarita’s description of the punishment coming for King Aveno and Juan Pedro is both ominous and comic. The impending frightening consequences are lightened by her use of a casual idiom—“no picnic.”

“Her eyes welled with tears of gratitude for a day that only a few weeks ago she didn’t want to happen.”

Solimar celebrates her quinceañera, having gained a mature understanding of its connection to the things she values deeply: her family and her kingdom. The ceremony is the culmination of her quest to save San Gregorio and confirms Solimar’s transition from childhood to adulthood.