Discussions from January 19, 2026
So, before I start on the novel, I learned a new word today: picaresque ᐠ( ᐛ )ᐟ I found myself really enjoying this format, with each chapter feeling like a short story woven together by a constant protagonist. I also just enjoyed the book in general! The first chapter, the band of thieves, felt wholesome […]
I wasn’t sure how to start this blog. I think I sat here staring at an empty screen, just gathering my thoughts for quite a while. I read Mad Toy by Roberto Arlt this morning, started my day early and immersed myself into the streets of Argentina. Reading the book was a breeze when it […]
I want to begin by mentioning that I found this novel much easier to read than Proust. I was constantly engaged and interested in learning more about the main character. The amount of dialogue and the rate of story progression almost made Mad Toy seem like a playwright. As a result, I feel like the […]
This was definitely a breath of fresh air after reading Proust last week as i was finally reading something i can follow along. While reading Mad Toy by Roberto Arlt, I was struck by how uncomfortable the novel feels. There is nothing clear or reassuring about Silvio’s story. Arlt does not attempt to make Silvio […]
Trigger warning: suicide and attempted suicide Song of the week: mother, i’m sorry – Kamal. This book was a real pleasure to read, especially after Combray. I loved the humour throughout it, as well as the narrator’s descriptions of the different settings that gave me a vivid image of the scenes as they were playing out. […]
Reading The Mad Toy definitely took me some time because it was a little emotionally heavy. Similar to when I watch shows or movies, sometimes I get engrossed in a book, and this novel had that sort of effect on me. Reading about Silvio’s life and the hardships he’s had to face was slightly overwhelming. […]
It felt like I flew through this book in comparison to Proust’s Combray. I especially enjoyed the beginning when Silvio was a thief so I was a little disappointed when he had to get a job. I guess not as disappointed as him though… Looking at this world through the eyes of Silvio is quite […]
My decision to read Mad Toy this week was entirely based on the (perhaps naive) assumption that it might take me back to reading The Outsiders in my eighth-grade English class, when I first crushed on Ponyboy Curtis and learned that teenage rebellion often comes from a lonely, poetic place. I was hoping for that […]
Roberto Arlt, Mad Toy
