Hello, RMST 202! This is the last blog of this course, which saddens me, and I must say I will miss it. The journey through RMST 202 has been unique and transformative for me. Initially, I anticipated the course to be predominantly focused on exploring themes of romance and love. However, it explored themes beyond […]
“Faces in the Crowd” by Valeria Luiselli was definitely not an ordinary novel. Its complex style of writing made it very hard to find meaning through the novel, which made me kind of sad because this is the last reading and I was expecting a lot from it. Luiselli deftly weaves a fragmented and profound […]
The Book of Chameleons by Jose Eduardo Agualusa is a tale that intertwines reality with fiction, and the past with the present. The title of the novel is quite deceiving, as it barely mentions chameleons, but the closest we get is a gecko narrator living in Angola. The novel is a profound exploration of memory, […]
Ricardo Piglia’s “Money to Burn,” rooted in the true story of a meticulously planned heist in Buenos Aires, transcends its crime-story boundaries to delve into the depths of capitalism, patriarchy, and the fragile nature of human relationships. It is a true story based on a heist executed by a group of criminals who manage to […]
‘The Trenchcoat’ by Norman Manae, a part of the collection “Compulsory Happiness,” is set in Bucharest during the stirring history of the haunting truths of Romania’s last years under communist rule. At first, I thought the novel was one of the most peculiar, vague pieces of literature I had ever read. I do not think […]
Merce Rodoreda’s ‘This Time of the Doves,’ originally published in Catalan, is a novel that masterfully intertwines the personal and political turmoil of Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Natalia. The text captures the essence of human endurance, the intricacies of love, and the bittersweet taste of circumstantial […]
Entering Carmen Laforet’s “Nada,” one goes on a moving adventure with Andrea, a character whose story goes beyond fiction to touch our humanity. Set in post-Civil War Spain, Andrea’s story delves into the landscapes of resilience and the desire for identity, going beyond a simple recounting of historical events. Her struggles to find her place […]
In “The Shrouded Woman,” María Luisa Bombal examines the depths of human emotion, social norms, and the blurry line separating life and death. The novel sets itself apart with its unique storyline. It depicts the life of the novella’s main character, Ana Maria, who is lying in a death-like state and overhears the conversations of […]
Hello everyone! My reading for this week is Roberto Arlt’s Mad Toy, a novel that explores the life of Silvio, a young man entangled in a turbulent life of poverty and adolescence. This tale is not about the life of a carefree youth growing up but rather explores a different phase of development, an identity […]
Marcel Proust’s “Combray,” the first part of his exceptional work “In Search of Lost Time,” is a testament to a unique stream of consciousness that takes us through different passages of time and a complex web of memory. The immaculate writing style and narrative of the author invite the readers on a journey through the […]
