“Then the Kid raised himself up ever so slightly, leaning on one elbow, and murmured something into his ear which no one could hear, a few words of love, no doubt, uttered under his breath or perhaps left unuttered, but sensed by the Gaucho who kissed the Kid as he departed. They remained motionless for […]
“Everything chimed with his desire and made him possess me. I had become his child. It was with his own child he made love every evening. And sometimes he takes fright, suddenly he’s worried about her health, as if he suddenly realized she was mortal and it suddenly struck him he might lose her. ” […]
“Ah if only I could grab Macabea, give her a good bath, a plate of hot soup, a kiss on the forehead as I tucked her into bed. And cause her to wake up and find simply the great luxury of living.” (50) That was the most interesting introduction I have read so far in […]
First and most importantly, I think that Colometa/Natalia/Maria is so real. The way that the book is narrated is so relatable, as some of the things she says and thinks reminds me of some debrief sessions I would have with friends. Her narration of meeting Quimet, of how she broke Pere’s heart, and her feelings towards her […]
Ernesto’s connection with nature was something that was evident throughout the book. In particular, his view of the river as an entity really stood out to me. To me, it represents the tension that exists in his life between his connection with the Indigenous peoples and his white identity. It was interesting to me how […]
I won’t lie, this book was a little strange. Starting it, I thought (naively) that this would be a book about a boy who loved his mother dearly and wanted to tell the world all about her. Ending it, I’m seeing that this is a boy who loved his mother, yes, but loved her in […]
I knew throughout the book that Ana Maria was dead. Yet, I was left wanting more when I finished reading. I wanted to continue to learn about her life, even though she felt that it was small and did not amount to much. Knowing that she was dead did not lighten the emotional response I […]
To me, Nadja is filled with statements that feel like they should be profound. Yet, I only truly comprehend few. Of these statements, the question, “Who am I”, gave me most pause. I reflected on how often I have had to answer this question. I tell interviewers and new friends about my identity without great […]
Getting into the flow of this book was difficult. I struggled with understanding the metaphors that were being used to describe the quality of his sleep. However, as this scene proceeded, I found myself empathizing. The interrupted sleep, the nightmare that was his great-uncle pulling his curls, this was all relatable on some level –though […]
My name is Tolu, and I am really excited to be in this class! I am an out of province student, and my family lives in Ontario. Yes, I am from the Six, and no, I cannot do the Toronto accent. I am also in my third year, and I am studying political science. I […]
