Hello everyone! This semester went by a lot faster than the winter semester, and it brought back my long-lost hobby of reading every evening. I enjoyed the structure and flexibility of this course, it allowed me to choose how many books I wanted to read this semester and provided me with readings that I would’ve […]
Valeria Luisell’s novel, “Faces in the Crowd,” was intricately written from the perspective of two different narrators originating from different cities and periods. The author didn’t introduce nor warn the readers of the back-and-fourth narration occurring throughout the story, so I was very confused about the events transpiring until more than halfway through the book. […]
Jose Eduardo Agualusa’s novel, “The Book of Chameleons,” is an imaginative novel that explores the themes of identity and memory through the lens of a gecko living in the house of Felix Ventura. The gecko undergoes life with feelings and thoughts adjacent to those of humans, capable of processing human behaviours and interactions. This made […]
Ricardo Piglia’s novel, “Money to Burn,” is a refreshing change of literature that follows the escape route of a group of criminals as they speed to escape from Buenos Aires to Uruguay with the police tight on their heels. This book offered a different reading experience compared to the other readings in this course, it […]
Marguerite Duras’ novel, “The Lover,” is a unique literature that explores the themes of love, family, and colonialism. At first, I was confused about the story’s setting as there seemed to be a diverse array of ethnicities and there were some city names (such as Mekong, Cholon, and Saigon) that I had never heard of […]
Clarice Lispector’s novel, “The Hour of the Star,” tells the story of a poor and uneducated “northeastern girl” in a raw and haunting style of writing. In the beginning, I was quite confused about what the story was about as there wasn’t really a plotline, it was more just following the thoughts and emotions of […]
Mercè Rodoreda’s novel, “The Times of the Dove,” was a captivating and page-turning read told through the lens of a resilient and hardworking mother who struggled through the Spanish Civil War. The narrator, Natalia, provided readers with valuable insights into how women lived through the war and the challenges they had to face to provide […]
Alberto Moravia’s novel, “Agostino,” follows the story of a young boy transitioning into adolescence while exploring themes like identity, loss of innocence and sexual awakening. While many adolescents struggle with a sense of identity during their journey of self-discovery and growth, Agostino seemed to have matured much too fast in the span of one summer. […]
Maria Luisa Bombal’s novel, “The Shrouded Woman,” was a captivating read surrounding the themes of love, memory, desire and womanhood. The main character, Ana Maria, reflects on her life, her relationships, and the choices that she made while lying on her deathbed surrounded by family and friends. The narration was told in the first person, […]
Roberto Arlt’s novel, “Mad Toy,” was a refreshing coming-of-age novel that invited readers to follow the harrowing journey of a struggling youth named Silvio Astier. In the first chapter, “The Band of Thieves,” Silvio befriended Enrique Irzubeta and Lucio. Together, the three adolescents became members of the “Club of the Midnight Horsemen,” entangled in a […]
