The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Figueroa, Jamie. Brother, Sister, Mother, Explorer. New York: Catapault, 2021.

The novel takes place in Ciudad de Tres Hermanas, a fictional town in the American Southwest. The novel’s present-day storyline takes place over the course of three days. Rufina and Rafa are half siblings. Rufina is 28 years old, and Rafa is almost 30. Their mother, Rosalinda, died four months ago. The cause of her death is not stated, but certain hints in the novel seem to imply that she died of cancer due to a smoking habit. Rufina and Rafa are both grieving, but especially Rafa. Rufina worries that Rafa will become consumed by grief, and that he might even harm himself. Rafa has spent most of his life traveling to different places, and Rufina does not want Rafa to now remain in Tres Hermanas, even though it is where Rufina has lived continuously.

Rufina and Rafa’s mother is named Rosalinda. She was originally from Central America and was descended from Native Americans. She traveled from her homeland to the United States, mostly on foot, and the journey was profoundly arduous. She gave birth to Rafa in the United States, and although she felt that Rafa gave her a reason to live, she still suffered from long-term trauma due to the hardships of her journey. A year or two after arriving in Tres Hermanas, she had a brief relationship that caused her to become pregnant for a second time. She then remained single for a long time and focused on raising her children.

One day, Rosalinda met a man who is referred to in the novel only as the Explorer. He was a white man from a fairly wealthy background. He considered himself an artist and a traveler. He developed a romantic attraction to Rosalinda, and he quickly began to ingratiate himself to Rosalinda, Rafa, and Rufina. He moved into their house, and they functioned essentially as a family unit. However, the Explorer began to exert an increasing amount of control and influence over the family. One day, he raped Rufina, after which Rosalinda furiously forced the Explorer out of the house and out of their lives. It soon became evident that Rufina was pregnant. The infant died in birth, and Rufina suffered a permanent injury to her hip.

In the present, after the death of Rosalinda, Rufina says that she and Rafa should perform music in the town plaza, and that if they raise a certain amount of money, Rafa must agree not to simply dwell in town. During these days, Rufina and Rafa interact with various people in the town, including tourists, an angel disguised as a woman, and a police officer named Lucio Armijo. Rufina sees visions of her dead mother and the dead infant, but the angel makes these visions disappear, and she says that Rufina must leave town in order to move on with her life and not become overcome by grief.

Lucio grew up in the town, and he has harbored a continuous—and secret—feeling of love for Rufina. He witnessed the Explorer rape Rufina when that happened years ago, but he could not bring himself to intervene, and he has continued to feel guilty about that. The angel enlists Lucio’s help, stating that they must bring Rufina somewhere that she can start her life anew and not dwell on the past. Rafa remains in the town for the time being, while Lucio brings Rufina to the airport.